Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC Lowers Stock Position in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 46.7% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 2,263 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,984 shares during the period. Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Diageo were worth $288,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of DEO. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in Diageo by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 7,460 shares of the company’s stock valued at $948,000 after acquiring an additional 185 shares during the period. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA purchased a new position in shares of Diageo in the 4th quarter valued at about $285,000. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Diageo by 21.2% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 5,888 shares of the company’s stock valued at $826,000 after purchasing an additional 1,031 shares during the period. GSB Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Diageo by 8.1% during the fourth quarter. GSB Wealth Management LLC now owns 9,122 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,160,000 after buying an additional 681 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Grimes & Company Inc. grew its position in Diageo by 4.4% during the fourth quarter. Grimes & Company Inc. now owns 3,823 shares of the company’s stock worth $486,000 after buying an additional 162 shares during the period. 8.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Diageo Stock Down 2.3 %

Shares of DEO opened at $120.67 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 0.55. Diageo plc has a 1-year low of $113.99 and a 1-year high of $154.71. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $122.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of $127.50.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

DEO has been the subject of a number of research 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 raised Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, TD Cowen upped their target price on Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average 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.