Virtu Financial LLC Buys New Shares in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Key Points

• Virtu Financial LLC has acquired a new stake in Diageo plc, purchasing 40,702 shares valued at approximately $4.27 million in the first quarter.
• Diageo's stock recently opened at $109.39, with a market cap of $60.86 billion and a consensus analyst rating of "Hold."
• Institutional investors now hold 8.97% of Diageo's stock, with multiple firms recently acquiring new stakes in the company.

Virtu Financial LLC bought a new stake in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO - Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 40,702 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,265,000.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Entropy Technologies LP lifted its stake in Diageo by 123.6% during the 1st quarter. Entropy Technologies LP now owns 13,997 shares of the company's stock worth $1,467,000 after acquiring an additional 7,738 shares in the last quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. raised its position in Diageo by 11.1% in the 1st quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 18,962 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,987,000 after purchasing an additional 1,893 shares in the last quarter. Koss Olinger Consulting LLC acquired a new stake in Diageo in the 1st quarter valued at about $868,000. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT acquired a new stake in shares of Diageo during the 1st quarter worth about $4,416,000. Finally, National Bank of Canada FI raised its position in shares of Diageo by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 51,513 shares of the company's stock worth $5,398,000 after acquiring an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Diageo Price Performance

Shares of DEO traded down $0.30 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $110.67. The company's stock had a trading volume of 958,778 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,633,526. The company has a current ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $104.15 and a 200 day simple moving average of $108.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $61.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.16, a P/E/G ratio of 3.34 and a beta of 0.53. Diageo plc has a 1-year low of $96.45 and a 1-year high of $142.73.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

DEO has been the topic of a number of research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Diageo from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 7th. Morgan Stanley restated an "underweight" rating on shares of Diageo in a research note on Monday, May 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $129.00.

Diageo 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.