Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Given Average Rating of "Hold" by Brokerages

Shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO - Get Free Report) have earned an average rating of "Hold" from the eight brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have given a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company.

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group raised Diageo from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. Bank of America raised shares of Diageo from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 12th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a "sell" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th.

Institutional Trading of Diageo

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Financial Counselors Inc. lifted its holdings in Diageo by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter. Financial Counselors Inc. now owns 2,587 shares of the company's stock worth $326,000 after buying an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC increased its stake in Diageo by 3.4% during the second quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 2,516 shares of the company's stock valued at $317,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Diageo by 1.1% during the third quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 8,146 shares of the company's stock worth $1,143,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the period. Pinnacle West Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Diageo by 3.6% in the 2nd quarter. Pinnacle West Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,590 shares of the company's stock worth $327,000 after buying an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tortoise Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 20.0% in the 2nd quarter. Tortoise Investment Management LLC now owns 575 shares of the company's stock valued at $73,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 8.97% of the company's stock.

Diageo Stock Up 0.7 %

Diageo stock traded up $0.87 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $126.56. 301,591 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 815,050. Diageo has a 52-week low of $117.72 and a 52-week high of $154.71. The firm has a market cap of $70.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.34, a PEG ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 1.53. The company's 50-day moving average is $125.10 and its two-hundred day moving average is $128.79.

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.