Diageo plc $DEO Shares Purchased by MQS Management LLC

MQS Management LLC boosted its stake in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 20.2% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 5,726 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 963 shares during the period. MQS Management LLC’s holdings in Diageo were worth $577,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Allied Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Diageo by 6.3% in the second quarter. Allied Investment Advisors LLC now owns 79,526 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,019,000 after acquiring an additional 4,697 shares in the last quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Diageo by 7.3% in the second quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 4,308 shares of the company’s stock valued at $434,000 after acquiring an additional 292 shares in the last quarter. R Squared Ltd acquired a new stake in Diageo in the second quarter valued at $419,000. Carnegie Investment Counsel raised its holdings in Diageo by 0.9% in the second quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel now owns 41,410 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,176,000 after acquiring an additional 374 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI raised its holdings in Diageo by 11.0% in the second quarter. Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI now owns 61,422 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,194,000 after acquiring an additional 6,074 shares in the last quarter. 8.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Diageo Stock Performance

DEO stock opened at $96.19 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. Diageo plc has a 1-year low of $93.42 and a 1-year high of $134.71. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $102.01 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $105.52.

Diageo Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 17th will be paid a dividend of $2.5192 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 17th. This is a positive change from Diageo’s previous semi-annual dividend of $1.62. This represents a yield of 516.0%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Diageo in a report on Friday. Bank of America cut their price target on shares of Diageo from $117.00 to $109.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 26th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, August 7th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $119.00.

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.