Diageo plc (LON:DGE) Given Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Key Points

• Analyst consensus: Eight brokerages give Diageo an average rating of "Moderate Buy" (five buy, three hold) with an average 12‑month price target of GBX 2,000.
• Mixed insider activity and valuation context: Insider John Manzoni bought 446 shares at GBX 1,471 while Nik Jhangiani sold 27,786 shares at GBX 1,500; shares opened at GBX 1,465, the market cap is ~£32.58bn with a P/E of 13.54 and a 1‑year range of GBX 1,350–2,215.

Diageo plc (LON:DGE - Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the eight brokerages that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is GBX 2,000.

A number of research analysts have weighed in on DGE shares. UBS Group reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a GBX 1,600 price objective on shares of Diageo in a report on Tuesday. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating and issued a GBX 2,000 price target on shares of Diageo in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Diageo in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating and issued a GBX 1,650 price objective on shares of Diageo in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a GBX 1,900 target price on shares of Diageo in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider John Alexander Manzoni acquired 446 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, April 10th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 1,471 per share, with a total value of £6,560.66. Also, insider Nik Jhangiani sold 27,786 shares of Diageo stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 1,500, for a total transaction of £416,790. Insiders have acquired 1,262 shares of company stock valued at $1,999,723 over the last 90 days. 0.16% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Diageo Price Performance

LON:DGE opened at GBX 1,465.03 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 208.59, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market cap of £32.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.30. The company has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 1,483.22 and a 200-day moving average price of GBX 1,633.09. Diageo has a 1-year low of GBX 1,350 and a 1-year high of GBX 2,215.

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in premium drinks, across spirits and beer, a business built on the principles and foundations laid by the giants of the industry. With over 200 brands sold in 180 countries, our portfolio has remarkable breadth. From centuries-old names to exciting new entrants, and global giants to local legends, we're building the very best brands out there, and with over 30,000 talented people based in over 135 countries, we're a truly global company. With such diversity, we're able to truly represent our broad consumer base and think differently about the future. To maintain our position as leaders in the alcoholic beverage market, we always invest in the future and are mindful of the impact we have.

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