Essential Planning LLC. Takes Position in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Essential Planning LLC. bought a new stake in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 5,850 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $745,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in DEO. Assetmark Inc. increased its position in Diageo by 160.7% during the 3rd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 14,235 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,998,000 after purchasing an additional 8,775 shares in the last quarter. Sigma Planning Corp increased its position in Diageo by 14.5% during the 3rd quarter. Sigma Planning Corp now owns 5,965 shares of the company’s stock worth $837,000 after purchasing an additional 754 shares in the last quarter. Cable Hill Partners LLC increased its position in Diageo by 17.7% during the 3rd quarter. Cable Hill Partners LLC now owns 3,111 shares of the company’s stock worth $444,000 after purchasing an additional 467 shares in the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. increased its position in Diageo by 17,372.5% during the 3rd quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 36,867 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,174,000 after purchasing an additional 36,656 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schulhoff & Co. Inc. acquired a new position in Diageo during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $212,000. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Diageo Trading Down 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE DEO opened at $107.85 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 1.60. Diageo plc has a 52-week low of $105.72 and a 52-week high of $151.76. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $114.53 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $123.79. The stock has a market cap of $60.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.65.

Diageo Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $1.62 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Diageo’s dividend payout ratio is currently 46.42%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DEO has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. UBS Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, TD Cowen upped 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 given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average 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.