Not-so-drastic Dave: Diageo boss defies expectations of slash-and-burn reign Markets ‘Drastic Dave’ Lewis, who gained a reputation for cost-cutting and ruthless rationalisation during his time at Unilever and Tesco, was more ‘demure Dave’ when announcing Diageo’s first results of his tenure as chief executive. The spirits giant has been struggling in recent years, with its share price down 22 per cent year-on-year – and Lewis’ [...]
Diageo slashes dividend as ‘Drastic Dave’ takes charge Markets Guinness maker Diageo has slashed its dividend as the cost-cutting regime of new chief executive ‘drastic’ Dave Lewis begins to take hold, prompting a share price spook. The board announced the “difficult” decision to cut its dividend to 20 cents to “accelerate the strengthening” of its balance sheet in its interim results, the first financial [...]
‘Drastic’ Dave to serve up new vision for Guinness maker Diageo Retail It’s been a rocky 12 months for drinks titan Diageo and Sir Dave Lewis will be looking to cure the firm’s long-running hangover when he serves up his future vision next week. Diageo’s stock has tumbled over 15 per cent in the last 12 months with a notable drop in November after operating profit growth [...]
Diageo, Burberry rally after Trump tariff ruling February 20, 2026 Shares in two of the FTSE 100’s biggest retailers rallied on Friday afternoon after it was revealed President Trump’s sweeping global tariff regime had been struck down by the top US court. Burberry shares ended the day’s trading session up 3.2 per cent to 1,212p, while Diageo jumped 3.9 per cent to 1,851p after the [...]
Diageo shares slide on profit warning after weak Chinese demand November 6, 2025 Shares in FTSE 100 drinks giant Diageo have fallen after weak demand in China and the US hurt sales and profit expectations. The group said its operating profit growth was set to be in the low to mid single-digit range for the year to June 2026, down from its previous guidance of mid single digits. [...]
Whisky Business: Distillery tours saving the Scotch industry September 11, 2025 Whisky Business: City AM’s monthly look at the world of whisky. The 1980s were a particularly dark time in the history of the Scotch whisky industry. Throughout the decade, around a third of all Scottish distilleries closed their doors as demand dried up. Even well-established players were caught in the slump. Distillers such as Carsebridge, also [...]
Splitting the G: Is Diageo gearing up to sell off Guinness? May 19, 2025 Drinks giant Diageo has announced a huge cost-savings programme which may see it shed brands and jobs. In an update to markets this morning, the Guinness and Johnnie Walker owner said it planned to save $500m (£373m) over the next three years through “appropriate and selective disposals” as well as tighter capital discipline and organic [...]
UK-India trade deal ‘transformational’ for Scotch whisky market May 6, 2025 The newly-announced trade deal between the UK and India has been lauded as “transformational” in opening Scotch up to the world’s largest whiskey market. Under the terms of the deal, the UK’s 150 per cent tariff on Scotch Whisky will be halved to 75 per cent, with the potential for further reductions in the coming [...]
Diageo looks to luxury to drive growth April 22, 2025 The past three years have been challenging for the global alcohol giant Diageo. The group booked a windfall during the pandemic years as stuck-at-home consumers splashed out on high-end alcohol to drown their sorrows, but this explosive growth soon evaporated. Diageo, best known for its Guinness and Johnnie Walker scotch whisky brands, struggled against the [...]
Diageo boss reassures concerned investors ahead of annual meeting September 26, 2024 Diageo chief executive Debra Crew has reassured investors that the company’s fundamentals remain strong despite market headwinds and a sinking share price. The company’s share price has fallen by nearly 19 per cent in the last year and just over one per cent in the last month. Crew said that consumers continue to be “cautious” [...]