Sepio Capital LP Sells 2,300 Shares of Diageo plc $DEO

Key Points

• Sepio Capital LP has reduced its position in Diageo plc by 12.3%, now holding 16,324 shares valued at approximately $1.71 million.
• Diageo announced a semi-annual dividend of $2.5192 per share, reflecting a significant increase from the previous dividend of $1.62, with a payout ratio of 72.55%.
• Institutional investors currently hold 8.97% of Diageo's shares, with several large investors recently increasing their stakes significantly during the first quarter.

Sepio Capital LP lowered its stake in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO - Free Report) by 12.3% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 16,324 shares of the company's stock after selling 2,300 shares during the period. Sepio Capital LP's holdings in Diageo were worth $1,711,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in DEO. Royal Bank of Canada raised its holdings in shares of Diageo by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,540,800 shares of the company's stock valued at $195,883,000 after purchasing an additional 3,876 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 3.1% in the first quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,441,300 shares of the company's stock valued at $151,034,000 after acquiring an additional 42,740 shares in the last quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Diageo by 0.7% in the first quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 1,184,987 shares of the company's stock valued at $124,175,000 after acquiring an additional 8,521 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in Diageo by 9.8% during the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 1,069,567 shares of the company's stock worth $112,080,000 after buying an additional 95,037 shares in the last quarter. Finally, JARISLOWSKY FRASER Ltd boosted its holdings in Diageo by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. JARISLOWSKY FRASER Ltd now owns 623,534 shares of the company's stock worth $79,270,000 after buying an additional 3,919 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.97% of the company's stock.

Diageo Stock Performance

DEO stock traded down $2.01 during trading on Friday, hitting $101.68. 377,510 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,099,744. The stock has a market capitalization of $56.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.69 and a beta of 0.59. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $107.12 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $107.87. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. Diageo plc has a 52 week low of $96.45 and a 52 week high of $142.73.

Diageo Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 17th will be issued a $2.5192 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 370.0%. This is a boost from Diageo's previous semi-annual dividend of $1.62. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 17th. Diageo's payout ratio is 46.42%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Diageo from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 7th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Diageo has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $129.00.

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.