Diageo plc $DEO Shares Sold by Searle & CO.

Searle & CO. lessened its position in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 9.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 12,550 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,303 shares during the period. Searle & CO.’s holdings in Diageo were worth $1,266,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its stake in Diageo by 1,544.5% during the first quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 396,676 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,568,000 after purchasing an additional 372,555 shares during the last quarter. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd bought a new position in shares of Diageo in the 1st quarter worth about $36,050,000. Confluence Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 14.0% in the 2nd quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 1,350,826 shares of the company’s stock valued at $136,217,000 after buying an additional 165,839 shares during the period. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Diageo in the 1st quarter valued at about $16,944,000. Finally, Partners Capital Investment Group LLP bought a new stake in shares of Diageo during the 1st quarter valued at about $4,161,000. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Diageo in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 7th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their price target on shares of Diageo from $117.00 to $109.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 26th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $119.00.

Diageo Trading Up 4.0%

Shares of Diageo stock opened at $90.71 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. Diageo plc has a 1-year low of $86.57 and a 1-year high of $132.34. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $97.85 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $104.33.

Diageo Increases Dividend

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

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.