Trust Co. of Vermont Decreases Stake in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Trust Co. of Vermont cut its stake in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 16.0% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 20,471 shares of the company’s stock after selling 3,904 shares during the quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont’s holdings in Diageo were worth $2,602,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in DEO. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Diageo in the fourth quarter valued at about $1,308,000. Canoe Financial LP increased its stake in shares of Diageo by 88,407.3% in 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 during the period. Brooklyn Investment Group boosted its holdings in Diageo by 116.9% in the fourth quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 384 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 207 shares during the last quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in Diageo by 6.2% in the fourth quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 2,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $254,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the period. Finally, Salvus Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Diageo by 86.2% in the 4th quarter. Salvus Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,076 shares of the company’s stock worth $900,000 after acquiring an additional 3,275 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group raised Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note 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 raised their target price on Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $129.00.

Diageo Stock Up 1.2 %

NYSE:DEO traded up $1.38 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $118.75. 895,609 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 966,345. Diageo plc has a twelve month low of $113.99 and a twelve month high of $154.71. 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 business has a 50-day moving average of $122.61 and a two-hundred day moving average of $127.93.

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.