Signaturefd LLC Grows Stake in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Signaturefd LLC lifted its stake in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 24.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 8,555 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,707 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC’s holdings in Diageo were worth $1,088,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Canoe Financial LP increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 88,407.3% during the fourth quarter. Canoe Financial LP now owns 8,113,468 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,031,465,000 after purchasing an additional 8,104,301 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 9.1% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,242,065 shares of the company’s stock worth $735,671,000 after purchasing an additional 437,646 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 13.4% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 1,254,393 shares of the company’s stock worth $176,042,000 after purchasing an additional 147,920 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 25.9% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,116,994 shares of the company’s stock worth $156,759,000 after purchasing an additional 229,946 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 6.9% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 991,459 shares of the company’s stock worth $139,141,000 after purchasing an additional 64,367 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Diageo Stock Performance

NYSE:DEO opened at $108.28 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 0.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $60.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.81, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.65. The company’s 50-day moving average is $113.60 and its two-hundred day moving average is $123.12. Diageo plc has a 1-year low of $105.72 and a 1-year high of $149.44.

Diageo Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a yield of 3.8%. Diageo’s payout ratio is 46.42%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently commented on DEO shares. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. TD Cowen boosted their price target on shares of Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target 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.