Foundations Investment Advisors LLC Grows Stock Position in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Foundations Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 5.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,465 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 405 shares during the period. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Diageo were worth $1,048,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Diageo by 3.8% in the first quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 2,158 shares of the company’s stock worth $321,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the period. Financial Counselors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Diageo by 3.3% in the second quarter. Financial Counselors Inc. now owns 2,587 shares of the company’s stock worth $326,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Diageo by 3.4% in the second quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 2,516 shares of the company’s stock worth $317,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Diageo by 1.1% in the third quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 8,146 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,143,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Gradient Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Diageo by 2.8% in the second quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 3,181 shares of the company’s stock worth $401,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Diageo Stock Performance

Diageo stock opened at $134.19 on Thursday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $133.85 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $133.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 1.53. The stock has a market cap of $74.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.12, a PEG ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.69. Diageo plc has a fifty-two week low of $119.48 and a fifty-two week high of $161.64.

Diageo Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th were given a dividend of $1.62 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. This represents a yield of 3.2%. Diageo’s payout ratio is 71.37%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DEO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Bank of America raised Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 12th. Royal Bank of Canada raised Diageo from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, July 12th. Finally, Citigroup raised Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 3rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

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.