Short Interest in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) Increases By 56.7%

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) saw a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totalling 1,070,000 shares, an increase of 56.7% from the December 15th total of 682,700 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 962,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.1 days. Approximately 0.2% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Diageo Trading Up 1.2 %

NYSE:DEO traded up $1.38 on Friday, reaching $118.75. 895,609 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,155,737. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 0.55. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $122.61 and a 200-day simple moving average of $127.93. Diageo has a 52 week low of $113.99 and a 52 week high of $154.71.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of DEO. Canoe Financial LP lifted its position in shares of 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 stake in shares of Diageo by 9.1% during the 3rd 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 lifted its holdings in 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 boosted its stake in Diageo by 30.5% in the 3rd quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 1,215,786 shares of the company’s stock worth $170,623,000 after purchasing an additional 284,046 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Diageo by 7.1% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,127,576 shares of the company’s stock valued at $142,165,000 after buying an additional 74,745 shares in the last quarter. 8.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

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.