Hillman Capital Management Inc. Trims Position in Diageo plc $DEO

Hillman Capital Management Inc. reduced its holdings in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 21.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 29,355 shares of the company’s stock after selling 7,844 shares during the period. Hillman Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Diageo were worth $2,960,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in DEO. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its position in Diageo by 72,871.7% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 1,568,162 shares of the company’s stock valued at $158,133,000 after purchasing an additional 1,566,013 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in shares of Diageo by 353.7% during the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 717,740 shares of the company’s stock valued at $72,377,000 after buying an additional 559,547 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its stake in shares of Diageo by 1,544.5% during the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 396,676 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,568,000 after buying an additional 372,555 shares during the last quarter. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Diageo in the 1st quarter valued at about $36,050,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Diageo in the second quarter worth about $26,851,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently weighed in on DEO. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Diageo in a research report on Thursday. Bank of America cut their target price on shares of Diageo from $117.00 to $109.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 26th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Diageo in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Diageo in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Diageo in a report on Friday, November 28th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Diageo presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $119.00.

Diageo Trading Up 1.5%

Shares of NYSE:DEO opened at $89.14 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $92.95 and its 200-day moving average price is $100.62. Diageo plc has a 1 year low of $85.13 and a 1 year high of $132.34. The company has a current ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64.

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.