Sunbelt Securities Inc. Raises Holdings in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Sunbelt Securities Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO – Get Rating) by 23.4% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 1,910 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 362 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc.’s holdings in Diageo were worth $324,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Wealthspire Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 1.3% during the third quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 8,439 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,433,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the period. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 19.4% during the third quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 6,961 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,182,000 after purchasing an additional 1,132 shares during the period. Mission Wealth Management LP lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 15.5% during the third quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 2,793 shares of the company’s stock worth $474,000 after purchasing an additional 375 shares during the period. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 12.7% during the third quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 1,447 shares of the company’s stock worth $246,000 after purchasing an additional 163 shares during the period. Finally, Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 9.9% during the third quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. now owns 5,699 shares of the company’s stock worth $968,000 after purchasing an additional 512 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 9.04% of the company’s stock.

Diageo Stock Up 2.8 %

Shares of DEO opened at $174.63 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 1.57. Diageo plc has a one year low of $160.09 and a one year high of $212.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $98.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.49, a PEG ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 0.66. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $176.27 and a 200 day moving average price of $175.59.

Diageo Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 18th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 3rd will be issued a $1.5187 dividend. This is a boost from Diageo’s previous semi-annual dividend of $1.43. This represents a yield of 2.06%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 2nd. Diageo’s dividend payout ratio is presently 33.93%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DEO has been the subject of a number of research reports. Sanford C. Bernstein raised Diageo from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, February 6th. Barclays boosted their price target on Diageo from GBX 5,010 ($61.06) to GBX 5,100 ($62.16) in a report on Friday, January 27th. HSBC decreased their price target on Diageo from GBX 4,800 ($58.50) to GBX 4,500 ($54.84) in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Credit Suisse Group decreased their price target on Diageo from GBX 4,500 ($54.84) to GBX 4,200 ($51.19) in a report on Friday, January 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Diageo from GBX 4,350 ($53.02) to GBX 4,500 ($54.84) in a report on Thursday, December 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Diageo presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $4,081.00.

Diageo Profile

(Get Rating)

Diageo Plc engages in the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages. Its brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JeB, Buchanan’s, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray, and Guinness. It operates through the following geographical segments: North America; Europe and Turkey; Africa; Latin America and Caribbean; Asia Pacific; ISC; and Corporate and Other.