Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Receives Average Recommendation of "Hold" from Brokerages

Key Points

• Diageo has an average analyst recommendation of "Hold" from 13 brokerages, with six buy ratings, six hold ratings, and one sell rating. The average 12-month price target is $106.25.
• Recent analyst actions were mixed, including upgrades from Deutsche Bank and TD Cowen, while Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell rating and Loop Capital set a $99 target.
• The stock traded up 1.0% to $84.42, and institutional investors now own 8.97% of the company after several recently increased or new positions.

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO - Get Free Report) has received an average rating of "Hold" from the thirteen brokerages that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have given a hold recommendation and six have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $106.25.

DEO has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Loop Capital set a $99.00 target price on Diageo in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. BNP Paribas Exane upgraded shares of Diageo from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 25th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Diageo in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Diageo from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, TD Cowen raised Diageo from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their price objective for the company from $88.00 to $93.00 in a report on Thursday, June 25th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in DEO. Spire Wealth Management lifted its holdings in Diageo by 123.6% during the fourth quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 322 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 8,000.0% in the fourth quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 324 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 320 shares in the last quarter. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Diageo in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Diageo in the first quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Q Fund Management Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Diageo during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Institutional investors own 8.97% of the company's stock.

Diageo Trading Up 1.0%

DEO stock opened at $84.42 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 0.71. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $82.16 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $83.92. Diageo has a 1-year low of $72.45 and a 1-year high of $116.41.

About Diageo

Diageo plc is a global producer, marketer and distributor of alcoholic beverages, headquartered in London, England. The company was created through the 1997 merger of Guinness plc and Grand Metropolitan plc and is publicly traded on multiple exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange NYSE: DEO and the London Stock Exchange. Diageo operates a worldwide business, selling products in a broad range of markets across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Diageo's core activities cover the production, marketing and sale of a diverse portfolio of spirits, beer and liqueurs.

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