Analysts Set Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Price Target at $129.00

Shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO - Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of "Hold" from the seven analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have issued a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $129.00.

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on DEO shares. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, December 5th. UBS Group upgraded Diageo from a "sell" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th.

Diageo Stock Down 1.8 %

NYSE:DEO traded down $1.93 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $107.45. 864,158 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,096,495. Diageo has a 12 month low of $105.72 and a 12 month high of $154.71. The company has a current ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The company has a fifty day moving average of $121.08 and a 200 day moving average of $125.99.

Diageo Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a yield of 3.8%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in DEO. Keel Point LLC lifted its stake in shares of Diageo by 18.2% in the 4th quarter. Keel Point LLC now owns 2,097 shares of the company's stock valued at $267,000 after purchasing an additional 323 shares during the period. RBO & Co. LLC lifted its position in Diageo by 7.7% during the fourth quarter. RBO & Co. LLC now owns 118,205 shares of the company's stock valued at $15,027,000 after buying an additional 8,458 shares during the period. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group boosted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group now owns 4,269 shares of the company's stock valued at $543,000 after buying an additional 119 shares in the last quarter. Becker Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Diageo by 7.6% in the 4th quarter. Becker Capital Management Inc. now owns 181,641 shares of the company's stock worth $23,092,000 after buying an additional 12,755 shares during the period. Finally, Northern Trust Corp grew its position in shares of Diageo by 39.9% in the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 649,769 shares of the company's stock worth $82,605,000 after buying an additional 185,282 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.97% of the company's stock.

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.