Diageo plc $DEO Stake Boosted by Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC

Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC lifted its stake in Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) by 132.7% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 45,763 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 26,094 shares during the quarter. Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC’s holdings in Diageo were worth $4,615,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bell Investment Advisors Inc grew its stake in Diageo by 94.7% in the second quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 292 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 142 shares in the last quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Diageo during the 1st quarter valued at about $30,000. Cheviot Value Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Diageo during the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Diageo by 76.5% in the 2nd quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 330 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 143 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Whipplewood Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Diageo by 84.0% in the second quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 357 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 163 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 8.97% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have issued reports on DEO. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Diageo in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Diageo from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Diageo from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, August 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Diageo in a research report on Friday. Finally, Bank of America reduced their price target on Diageo from $117.00 to $109.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 26th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $119.00.

Diageo Price Performance

NYSE:DEO opened at $91.60 on Friday. Diageo plc has a 1 year low of $86.57 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. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $94.24 and its 200 day simple moving average is $102.19.

Diageo 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.