Currency risk holds back Diageo

Article Excerpt

DIAGEO PLC ADRs $119 (New York symbol DEO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; ADRs outstanding: 628.1 million; Market cap: $74.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.4; Dividend yield: 2.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.diageo.com) reported that its sales fell 9.2% in its 2014 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2014, to 10.3 billion British pounds from 11.3 billion in fiscal 2013 (1 pound=$1.80 Canadian). That’s mainly due to unfavourable currency exchange rates. Earnings per ADR declined 7.3%, to 3.82 pounds from 4.12 (each ADR represents four common shares). The company recently increased its stake in United Spirits, India’s largest alcoholic-beverage maker, to 54.78% from 28.78%. That should push up Diageo’s fiscal 2015 earnings to 4.64 poundsper ADR. The stock trades at 15.5 times that forecast. However, exchange rate volatility could continue to weigh on the stock price. Diageo is still a hold. hold…