Montag A & Associates Inc. Sells 856 Shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Montag A & Associates Inc. cut its holdings in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 4.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 17,734 shares of the company’s stock after selling 856 shares during the quarter. Montag A & Associates Inc.’s holdings in Diageo were worth $2,254,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Canoe Financial LP boosted its stake in 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 acquiring an additional 8,104,301 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its holdings in shares of Diageo by 9.1% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,242,065 shares of the company’s stock valued at $735,671,000 after purchasing an additional 437,646 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its position in shares of Diageo by 13.4% during the 3rd 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. Confluence Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Diageo by 30.5% in the 3rd quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 1,215,786 shares of the company’s stock valued at $170,623,000 after buying an additional 284,046 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in Diageo by 25.9% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,116,994 shares of the company’s stock valued at $156,759,000 after buying an additional 229,946 shares in the last quarter. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Diageo Stock Down 1.8 %

Shares of Diageo stock opened at $107.45 on Monday. Diageo plc has a 52 week low of $105.72 and a 52 week high of $154.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 0.55. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $121.08 and a 200-day moving average price of $125.99.

Diageo Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 24th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.62 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a yield of 3.8%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have commented on DEO. Jefferies Financial Group raised Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. UBS Group raised shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price target on shares of Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $129.00.

About Diageo

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.