Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI Purchases 9,659 Shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI increased its stake in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO - Free Report) by 21.1% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 55,348 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 9,659 shares during the period. Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI's holdings in Diageo were worth $5,800,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 234.4% during the 4th quarter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC now owns 2,600,702 shares of the company's stock worth $330,627,000 after purchasing an additional 1,822,994 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can grew its holdings in Diageo by 1,181.5% during the fourth quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 1,406,004 shares of the company's stock worth $178,745,000 after purchasing an additional 1,296,285 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in Diageo during the fourth quarter worth approximately $123,892,000. FMR LLC raised its stake in Diageo by 10.9% in the fourth quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,813,938 shares of the company's stock valued at $739,126,000 after buying an additional 571,873 shares during the period. Finally, Proficio Capital Partners LLC raised its stake in Diageo by 3,073.4% in the fourth quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 209,510 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,635,000 after buying an additional 202,908 shares during the period. 8.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

DEO has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Berenberg Bank started coverage on Diageo in a research note on Wednesday, April 2nd. They set a "buy" rating for the company. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "underweight" rating on shares of Diageo in a research report on Monday, May 12th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Diageo from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, March 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $129.00.

Diageo Trading Down 0.9%

NYSE DEO traded down $0.91 on Friday, reaching $100.72. The company had a trading volume of 1,068,754 shares, compared to its average volume of 959,782. The firm has a market cap of $56.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.70 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 0.67. Diageo plc has a fifty-two week low of $100.67 and a fifty-two week high of $142.73. The business has a 50 day moving average of $110.04 and a two-hundred day moving average of $113.48.

About Diageo

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.