Diageo (LON:DGE) Earns "Hold" Rating from Jefferies Financial Group

Jefferies Financial Group restated their hold rating on shares of Diageo (LON:DGE - Free Report) in a research report report published on Thursday morning, Marketbeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has a GBX 2,900 ($36.10) price target on the stock.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Barclays decreased their price target on Diageo from GBX 3,730 ($46.43) to GBX 3,550 ($44.19) and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Diageo in a research note on Monday, February 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Diageo has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of GBX 3,040 ($37.84).

Diageo Stock Up 0.9 %

DGE stock traded up GBX 24 ($0.30) during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting GBX 2,823 ($35.14). The stock had a trading volume of 6,685,611 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,578,823. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 190.59. Diageo has a 1-year low of GBX 2,676 ($33.31) and a 1-year high of GBX 3,779.50 ($47.05). The company has a fifty day moving average of GBX 2,898.34 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 2,904.61. The stock has a market capitalization of £62.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,903.69, a PEG ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.32.

Diageo Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 17th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a dividend of $0.41 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 29th. This represents a yield of 1.12%. Diageo's payout ratio is 5,436.24%.

Insider Activity at Diageo

In other Diageo news, insider Javier Ferrán bought 290 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 11th. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 2,853 ($35.52) per share, for a total transaction of £8,273.70 ($10,299.64). In other news, insider Karen Blackett acquired 702 shares of Diageo stock in a transaction on Monday, April 8th. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 2,826 ($35.18) per share, for a total transaction of £19,838.52 ($24,696.28). Also, insider Javier Ferrán acquired 290 shares of Diageo stock in a transaction on Monday, March 11th. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 2,853 ($35.52) per share, with a total value of £8,273.70 ($10,299.64). Insiders acquired a total of 1,002 shares of company stock worth $2,839,892 in the last 90 days. 0.13% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Diageo Company Profile

Diageo plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production, marketing, and sale of alcoholic beverages. It offers scotch, gin, vodka, rum, raki, liqueur, wine, tequila, Chinese white spirits, cachaça, and brandy, as well as beer, including cider and flavoured malt beverages. The company also provides Canadian, Irish, American, and Indian-Made Foreign Liquor whiskies, as well as ready to drink and non-alcoholic products.