Diageo (NYSE:DEO) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Diageo (NYSE:DEO) from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report released on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research firms have also commented on DEO. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Diageo in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Argus upgraded shares of Diageo to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. HSBC cut shares of Diageo from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Diageo in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised shares of Diageo from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Diageo presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $116.50.

Diageo Stock Performance

NYSE DEO opened at $74.01 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 0.71. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $88.31 and its 200-day moving average price is $91.28. Diageo has a fifty-two week low of $72.45 and a fifty-two week high of $116.69.

Diageo Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 4th. Investors of record on Friday, April 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.80 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 17th. This represents a yield of 207.0%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Diageo

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in DEO. Integrated Advisors Network LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. Integrated Advisors Network LLC now owns 3,110 shares of the company’s stock worth $297,000 after buying an additional 104 shares during the period. Glenview Trust Co lifted its position in shares of Diageo by 3.7% in the 4th quarter. Glenview Trust Co now owns 2,928 shares of the company’s stock worth $253,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the period. Retirement Planning Co of New England Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Diageo by 2.0% during the third quarter. Retirement Planning Co of New England Inc. now owns 5,684 shares of the company’s stock valued at $542,000 after purchasing an additional 114 shares in the last quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP increased its holdings in Diageo by 4.0% during the fourth quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 2,992 shares of the company’s stock valued at $258,000 after buying an additional 114 shares during the period. Finally, Wynn Capital LLC increased its holdings in Diageo by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. Wynn Capital LLC now owns 4,994 shares of the company’s stock valued at $431,000 after buying an additional 122 shares during the period. 8.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Diageo News

Here are the key news stories impacting Diageo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Diageo agreed to sell its Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise in a deal reported at roughly $1.8 billion, which could generate over $1 billion of value for the company and provides near-term liquidity to reduce debt burdens. Diageo Sells Cricket Team to Blackstone-Backed Consortium for $1.8 Billion Diageo Could Gain Over $1 Billion From $1.8 Billion IPL Team Sale
• Positive Sentiment: UBS called the sale “well-timed” and noted the valuation is rich (UBS calculated a ~54x EBITDA multiple), framing the deal as a good way for the new CEO to shore up the balance sheet after the team’s recent success. Diageo’s cricket sale looks well-timed for new CEO, says UBS
• Positive Sentiment: Some sell-side and research houses reacted positively with upgrades: BNP Paribas Exane raised Diageo from underperform to neutral, and Zacks moved the stock from strong sell to hold — both reduce near-term analyst pressure. Zacks.com
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage roundup and inclusion on lists: Diageo appears on at least one list of “undervalued defensive stocks,” which may attract some income-focused buyers but is not a material catalyst by itself. 12 Undervalued Defensive Stocks for 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Citi/Street sentiment is mixed — one outlet reports a downgrade from buy to hold, signaling some analysts remain cautious on execution and long-term growth despite the one-off sale. Diageo plc (DEO) gets downgraded to hold from buy – here’s why
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest has risen materially in March (roughly a 24% increase vs. late February), signaling heightened bearish positioning that could pressure the stock if negative headlines continue or if the market re-prices recovery prospects. (Source: market short-interest report)

Diageo Company Profile

Diageo plc is a global producer, marketer and distributor of alcoholic beverages, headquartered in London, England. The company was created through the 1997 merger of Guinness plc and Grand Metropolitan plc and is publicly traded on multiple exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange. Diageo operates a worldwide business, selling products in a broad range of markets across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Diageo’s core activities cover the production, marketing and sale of a diverse portfolio of spirits, beer and liqueurs.