Diageo Faces Challenges as Stock Drops Nearly 30% Amid Declining Sales
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 09 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Sales Decline: Diageo reported a 0.1% revenue decline and only 1.7% organic sales growth for fiscal 2025, reflecting a loss of appeal among younger consumers, which has contributed to a nearly 30% drop in stock price.
- Deteriorating Market Conditions: Management indicated a softer U.S. consumer environment than planned, leading to a bleak outlook that could further impact the company's sales and profitability.
- Increased Competition: In contrast to Diageo, Robinhood is gaining popularity among young investors, with transaction-based revenue increasing by 129% year-over-year in Q3, highlighting a stark contrast between active financial markets and declining alcohol consumption.
- Shifting Investment Trends: While Gen Z is drinking less, their engagement in financial markets is rising, as evidenced by Robinhood's prediction market trading volume doubling to 2.3 billion contracts in Q3, indicating strong demand in this emerging market.
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Analyst Views on DEO
Wall Street analysts forecast DEO stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for DEO is 88.46 USD with a low forecast of 24.85 USD and a high forecast of 131.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
4 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 88.750
Low
24.85
Averages
88.46
High
131.00
Current: 88.750
Low
24.85
Averages
88.46
High
131.00
About DEO
Diageo plc is a United Kingdom-based international manufacturer and distributor of premium drinks. The Company offers beverage alcohol with a collection of brands across spirits and beer categories. Its segments include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Caribbean, Africa, and Corporate and other. The SC&P segment manufactures products and includes production sites in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Guatemala and Mexico, as well as comprises the global procurement function. Its principal products include scotch whisky, whisk(e)y, vodka, tequila, gin, rum, liqueurs, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic spirits. Its collection of brands includes Johnnie Walker, J&B and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Don Julio, Guinness, and Tanqueray, among others. It offers Ritual Zero Proof Non-Alcoholic Spirits (Ritual). It owns manufacturing production facilities across the globe, including distilleries, breweries, and packaging plants.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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