Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Shares Sold by Quad Cities Investment Group LLC

Quad Cities Investment Group LLC lowered its stake in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 8.2% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 2,140 shares of the company’s stock after selling 192 shares during the quarter. Quad Cities Investment Group LLC’s holdings in Diageo were worth $306,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA purchased a new stake in Diageo in the third quarter valued at $27,000. MCF Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Diageo in the third quarter valued at $30,000. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in Diageo in the second quarter valued at $31,000. Pinnacle Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in Diageo in the first quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, First Command Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in Diageo in the third quarter valued at $48,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have commented on DEO shares. UBS Group downgraded Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. BNP Paribas lowered Diageo from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered Diageo from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. Finally, Argus lowered Diageo from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and six have assigned a hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $3,778.00.

Diageo Trading Down 1.9 %

Shares of NYSE DEO opened at $145.89 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $146.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $148.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 1.58. Diageo plc has a 1-year low of $135.63 and a 1-year high of $190.02.

Diageo Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be issued a $1.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a dividend yield of 2.7%.

Diageo Company Profile

Diageo plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production, marketing, and sale of alcoholic beverages. It offers scotch, gin, vodka, rum, raki, liqueur, wine, tequila, Chinese white spirits, cachaça, and brandy, as well as beer, including cider and flavoured malt beverages. The company also provides Canadian, Irish, American, and Indian-Made Foreign Liquor whiskies, as well as ready to drink and non-alcoholic products.