Valmark Advisers Inc. Decreases Stock Position in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Valmark Advisers Inc. lowered its position in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 46.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,624 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,427 shares during the period. Valmark Advisers Inc.’s holdings in Diageo were worth $228,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in DEO. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. boosted its position in Diageo by 18.0% in the 1st quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. now owns 5,668 shares of the company’s stock valued at $843,000 after buying an additional 863 shares during the last quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. lifted its stake 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 acquiring an additional 78 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC boosted its holdings in Diageo by 4.6% in the first quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 15,289 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,274,000 after purchasing an additional 668 shares during the last quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Diageo during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $544,000. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Diageo by 3.6% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,374 shares of the company’s stock worth $651,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the last quarter. 8.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on DEO. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Diageo from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, August 12th. Bank of America raised shares of Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut shares of Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, July 12th. 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 company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Diageo Stock Performance

Diageo stock opened at $124.22 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $69.10 billion, a PE ratio of 17.70, a P/E/G ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.69. Diageo plc has a 12 month low of $119.48 and a 12 month high of $161.64. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $133.90 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $133.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 0.55.

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.