Diageo remains vulnerable

Article Excerpt

DIAGEO PLC ADR $151 is a hold. The company (New York symbol DEO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; ADRs outstanding: 562.5 million; Market cap: $84.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.6; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.diageo.com) is a leading maker of premium alcoholic beverages. In the first half of its 2024 fiscal year, ended December 31, 2023, Diageo’s sales fell 1.4%, to $10.96 billion from $11.12 billion a year earlier (Note—the company now reports in U.S. dollars instead of British pounds). Lower demand in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean offset strong sales in Europe, Asia and Africa. The lower overall sales also cut earnings per ADR by 7.1%, to $4.32 from $4.66. (One ADR equals four Diageo shares.) The company will probably earn $7.90 per ADR for all of fiscal 2024, and the stock trades at a reasonable 19.1 times that forecast. The $3.93 dividend yields 2.6%. However, rising inflation and interest rates could see consumers switch from premium to…