Timber Creek Capital Management LLC Grows Position in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO)

Timber Creek Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 26.1% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 41,588 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 8,613 shares during the quarter. Diageo accounts for 1.5% of Timber Creek Capital Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest position. Timber Creek Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Diageo were worth $5,287,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Canoe Financial LP increased its position in Diageo by 88,407.3% during the fourth quarter. Canoe Financial LP now owns 8,113,468 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,031,465,000 after buying an additional 8,104,301 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC increased its position in Diageo by 9.1% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,242,065 shares of the company’s stock worth $735,671,000 after buying an additional 437,646 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its position in Diageo by 13.4% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 1,254,393 shares of the company’s stock worth $176,042,000 after buying an additional 147,920 shares in the last quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Diageo by 30.5% in the third quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 1,215,786 shares of the company’s stock valued at $170,623,000 after purchasing an additional 284,046 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in shares of Diageo by 25.9% in the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,116,994 shares of the company’s stock valued at $156,759,000 after purchasing an additional 229,946 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Diageo Trading Up 0.3 %

Shares of DEO opened at $107.82 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $120.42 and its two-hundred day moving average is $125.79. Diageo plc has a 12 month low of $105.72 and a 12 month high of $154.71. 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 Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 24th. Investors 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.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently commented on DEO. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Diageo from $124.00 to $129.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. UBS Group upgraded Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, December 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $129.00.

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.