Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Shares Acquired by Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI

Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI raised its position in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 0.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 45,689 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 397 shares during the quarter. Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI’s holdings in Diageo were worth $5,808,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Townsend & Associates Inc bought a new position in Diageo in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $12,725,000. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Diageo during the third quarter valued at approximately $1,144,000. Assetmark Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Diageo by 160.7% during the third quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 14,235 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,998,000 after acquiring an additional 8,775 shares during the period. Atria Investments Inc grew its position in Diageo by 28.3% during the third quarter. Atria Investments Inc now owns 59,211 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,310,000 after purchasing an additional 13,061 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sigma Planning Corp raised its stake in Diageo by 14.5% during the 3rd quarter. Sigma Planning Corp now owns 5,965 shares of the company’s stock valued at $837,000 after purchasing an additional 754 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Diageo Trading Down 1.2 %

DEO stock opened at $112.81 on Friday. 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 company has a fifty day moving average price of $115.90 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $124.37. Diageo plc has a one year low of $105.72 and a one year high of $151.76. The stock has a market cap of $62.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.65.

Diageo Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed 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 of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a yield of 3.8%. Diageo’s dividend payout ratio is 46.42%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on DEO shares. UBS Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, December 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the company 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 given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Diageo has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus 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.