Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Holdings Boosted by Keel Point LLC

Keel Point LLC raised its position in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 8.8% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 1,584 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 128 shares during the period. Keel Point LLC’s holdings in Diageo were worth $231,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Morgan Stanley boosted its stake in shares of Diageo by 13.2% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 3,725,502 shares of the company’s stock valued at $663,848,000 after buying an additional 433,105 shares during the period. Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Diageo by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 2,384,109 shares of the company’s stock worth $355,661,000 after purchasing an additional 10,269 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 98,968.5% during the fourth quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,023,969 shares of the company’s stock worth $360,651,000 after buying an additional 2,021,926 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Diageo by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,924,396 shares of the company’s stock valued at $390,924,000 after purchasing an additional 12,035 shares during the period. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in shares of Diageo by 2.4% in the third quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,187,543 shares of the company’s stock valued at $177,156,000 after buying an additional 27,851 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Diageo Stock Down 1.0 %

Shares of DEO opened at $136.07 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 0.65. Diageo plc has a 1 year low of $135.63 and a 1 year high of $190.02. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $147.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $146.61.

Diageo Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.62 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a yield of 2.7%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently weighed in on DEO shares. BNP Paribas lowered Diageo from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 12th. Argus downgraded shares of Diageo from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and six have given a hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $3,778.00.

Diageo Profile

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