Diageo Share Price (DGE)

DGE - Diageo Investor Summary

Diageo is one of the largest multinational alcoholic beverage companies in the world. As a constituent of the FTSE 100 share price index, the value of this company is used as a measure of the UK economy's performance. Diageo was the result of a merger in 1997 between Guinness plc and Grand Metropolitan plc.

Grand Metropolitan's portfolio had gradually built up since the 1960s to include hotels, restaurants and food producers, as well as alcoholic drinks brands such as Smirnoff Vodka and Bailey's Irish Cream. Following the merger with Guinness, the combined group divested most of its non-drinks assets, including the Burger King chain in 2002. Today some of the company's brands include Red Stripe lager beer, Bell's, Glen Ord and Cragganmore scotch whiskies, Gordon's Gin, Archers schnapps, Blossom Hill Wine and Pimm's. The company's beer brands account for over one fifth of sales. Diageo is the world's leading premium spirits brand, accounting for over half of the sales of the top ten premium spirits brands.

The company currently trades in over 180 countries worldwide and employs 22,000 people. Due to the company's strong portfolio of Whiskey brands, it employs 2400 people at over 40 locations in Scotland. The company is currently organised into three core divisions: Americas, Europe and International, with each accounting for roughly a third of of business. The company has taken an active role in self-regulation in terms of promoting alcohol awareness. In June 2008, the company's market capitalisation was valued at around £23 billion.