Diageo

DEO

Market cap $44.2B

Diageo PLC (LSE:DGE and British American Tobacco PLC (LSE:BATS) are among Citi's preferred consumer stocks heading into the summer, with the bank also expecting brewers and pub operators to benefit from improving trading conditions and this year's FIFA World Cup, which starts in just over two weeks. In spirits, Citi said Diageo could continue to recover after recently reaffirming its guidance for the 2026 financial year and accelerating strategic changes under chief executive Dave Lewis.

RBC Capital Markets sees signs that Diageo PLC (LSE:DGE) is beginning to take firmer control of its underperforming brand portfolio. In a note, the Canadian bank's analysts repeated an 'Outperform' rating and 2,000p price target for the beer and spirits giant.

Forty major food and agriculture groups, ​including Carlsberg , Diageo , Nestle and ‌Mondelez , have signed a joint declaration to advance and ​scale regenerative agriculture, a ​non-profit network said on ⁠Tuesday.

Diageo plc remains a Buy, supported by resilient performance amid macro headwinds and a valuation offering a margin of safety. DEO's new CEO has accelerated cost-saving initiatives, cut the dividend, and is positioning the company for a turnaround and long-term premiumization trends. Despite near-term consumer weakness in North America and China, DEO's strong premium brands and strategic investments underpin long-term growth potential.

Diageo (DEO) is trading near 20-year lows, presenting a compelling value opportunity with a well-covered 4.1%+ yield and an A-rated balance sheet. DEO's premium brand portfolio and global scale provide a durable moat, with management's strategic rebasing positioning the company for higher-quality future earnings. I assign a Buy rating and a $100/share price target, reflecting 15%+ annualized upside potential even at a conservative 15x P/E valuation.

Diageo plc (DEO) Q3 2026 Sales/Trading Call Transcript

Diageo PLC (LSE:DGE) has stated confidence in hitting full-year sales targets, as continued weakness in North America did not prevent overall sales from turning positive.   The maker of Guinness, Smirnoff and Captain Morgan reported net sales of $4.5 billion for its third quarter to 31 March, up 2.3% versus a year ago, with organic growth of 0.3%.

Revenue rose as the Guinness maker said it was working to revive lackluster drinks sales in North America.

Diageo , the world's top spirits ​maker, posted a surprise 0.3% growth ‌in quarterly organic net sales on Wednesday, as strength in Europe and Latin America offset ​weakness in the U.S., its largest ​market.

We initiated four new positions in Q1, an above-average pace of activity. We also used the increased volatility to upgrade overall portfolio quality. Our three largest new positions were Amazon.com, Universal Music Group and IQVIA Holdings. In addition to sales of Humana and PayPal, we also exited our positions in social technology leader Meta Platforms and beverages company Diageo.