Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Stock Position Trimmed by Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P.

Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. cut its position in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 7.8% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 3,484 shares of the company’s stock after selling 295 shares during the quarter. Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P.’s holdings in Diageo were worth $443,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Stokes Family Office LLC raised its position in shares of Diageo by 5.3% during the 4th quarter. Stokes Family Office LLC now owns 6,936 shares of the company’s stock worth $882,000 after buying an additional 349 shares in the last quarter. Horizon Investments LLC raised its position in shares of Diageo by 15.1% during the 4th quarter. Horizon Investments LLC now owns 9,237 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,174,000 after buying an additional 1,214 shares in the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans raised its position in shares of Diageo by 47.6% during the 4th quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 2,744 shares of the company’s stock worth $331,000 after buying an additional 885 shares in the last quarter. Mystic Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Diageo by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Mystic Asset Management Inc. now owns 13,029 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,656,000 after buying an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Axxcess Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Diageo by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,413 shares of the company’s stock worth $688,000 after buying an additional 192 shares in the last quarter. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Diageo Stock Performance

DEO stock opened at $107.09 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The company has a market capitalization of $59.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.63, a P/E/G ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.65. Diageo plc has a 12 month low of $105.23 and a 12 month high of $149.44. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $112.65 and a two-hundred day moving average of $122.73.

Diageo Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a $1.62 dividend. This represents a yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Diageo’s dividend payout ratio is 46.42%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently commented on the stock. UBS Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, December 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, March 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Diageo currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $129.00.

Diageo Company Profile

Diageo plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production, marketing, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The company offers scotch, gin, vodka, rum, raki, liqueur, wine, tequila, Chinese white spirits, cachaça, and brandy, as well as beer, including cider and flavored malt beverages. It also provides Chinese, Canadian, Irish, American, and Indian-Made Foreign Liquor whiskies, as well as flavored malt beverages, ready to drink, and non-alcoholic products.