Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. Acquires 114 Shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 4.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,542 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 114 shares during the quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc.’s holdings in Diageo were worth $357,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of DEO. Brookstone Capital Management acquired a new position in Diageo during the 1st quarter worth approximately $305,000. Norden Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 1,347.4% during the 1st quarter. Norden Group LLC now owns 49,039 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,294,000 after acquiring an additional 45,651 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. increased its holdings 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 worth $843,000 after purchasing an additional 863 shares in the last quarter. American National Bank & Trust Co. VA acquired a new stake in shares of Diageo during the first quarter valued at about $4,432,000. Finally, Hartline Investment Corp bought a new stake in shares of Diageo during the first quarter worth about $293,000. 8.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Diageo Stock Down 2.4 %

Shares of NYSE DEO opened at $130.20 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The firm has a market cap of $72.43 billion, a PE ratio of 18.55, a P/E/G ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.69. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $134.14 and its 200 day simple moving average is $133.32. Diageo plc has a 12-month low of $119.48 and a 12-month high of $161.64.

Diageo Announces Dividend

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

DEO has been the subject of several analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Diageo from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, July 12th. Citigroup upgraded Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 3rd. Finally, Bank of America upgraded Diageo from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, September 12th. Three research 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. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

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.