Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Short Interest Down 28.3% in February

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) saw a significant decline in short interest in February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 832,200 shares, a decline of 28.3% from the January 31st total of 1,160,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,170,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.7 days. Currently, 0.2% of the shares of the stock are sold short.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

DEO has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their target price on Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Diageo presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $129.00.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC UT boosted its holdings in Diageo by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC UT now owns 3,383 shares of the company’s stock worth $430,000 after acquiring an additional 86 shares in the last quarter. Savant Capital LLC raised its holdings in Diageo by 5.0% in the fourth quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 1,864 shares of the company’s stock worth $237,000 after buying an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. GeoWealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Diageo by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. GeoWealth Management LLC now owns 6,944 shares of the company’s stock worth $883,000 after buying an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Diageo by 5.4% during the fourth quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,867 shares of the company’s stock valued at $237,000 after buying an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Diversified Trust Co increased its position in shares of Diageo by 5.6% during the fourth quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 1,855 shares of the company’s stock valued at $236,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Diageo Trading Down 0.9 %

DEO stock traded down $0.96 on Tuesday, reaching $108.19. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 957,164 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,084,389. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 1.60. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $116.69 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $124.66. The firm has a market cap of $60.19 billion, a PE ratio of 15.79, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.66. Diageo has a 12-month low of $105.72 and a 12-month high of $151.76.

Diageo Announces Dividend

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

Diageo Company 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.