London, February 15, 2026, 13:53 GMT — Market closed.
- Diageo ended Friday’s session off 1.35%, settling at 1,824 pence.
- Susan Kilsby, a senior director, has taken on a temporary external executive position, according to a regulatory filing.
- Attention shifts to Diageo’s interim results set for February 25, with the dividend schedule coming up right after.
Diageo (DGE.L) slipped 1.35% to close at 1,824 pence on Friday, having moved between 1,807 and 1,841 pence. Roughly 4.0 million shares traded hands, market data showed. 1
London markets are closed for the weekend, leaving Diageo’s interim results as the immediate focus. The company has scheduled its fiscal 2026 interim results release for Feb. 25, accompanied by a webcast at 0705 GMT. CEO Dave Lewis and CFO Nik Jhangiani will field questions during a live call at 0930 GMT. More details at 12 .
Timing’s in focus. The FTSE 100 lingers close to recent peaks, with takeover buzz and hopes for a Bank of England rate cut lending support—even as policymakers keep reminding investors that inflation hasn’t been stamped out. 2
Late Friday, Diageo disclosed a governance update: Susan Kilsby, its senior independent director, is set to serve as executive chair at Fortune Brands Innovations from Feb. 12 through May 13. She’ll handle CEO responsibilities during that window, then resume her previous non-executive chair position at the U.S. company. 3
Dividend dates are flagged on trader terminals, too. Diageo notes April 16 as the UK ex-dividend date for its interim payout on its financial calendar, subject to board signoff. The shareholder record date lands on April 17, and actual payment is scheduled for June 4. Ex-dividend marks the session when shares lose eligibility for the next dividend. 4
Diageo, headquartered in the UK, produces and sells premium spirits and beer—think Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, Tanqueray—LSEG data cited by Reuters shows. 5
Policy news keeps shaking up the sector. Back in January, shares of European spirits makers—think Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Rémy Cointreau—dropped after President Donald Trump floated the idea of new U.S. tariffs targeting some UK and EU imports. The move revived worries about both pricing and demand. 6
There’s been movement on the trade front, too. China plans to slash tariffs on Scotch whisky, cutting them to 5% from 10% following discussions between leaders. Britain’s government called the move a win for UK whisky exporters in the long run. 7
Street views remain mixed. RBC Capital Markets is sticking with an “Outperform” and a 2,000p price target, per recent broker activity on LSE.co.uk. JP Morgan Cazenove, on the other hand, maintains a “Neutral”. Jefferies trimmed its target to 2,000p earlier this January, though it still rates the stock a “Buy.” 8
The run-up to results is looking bumpy. Back in November, Reuters put net debt at roughly 3.4 times EBITDA—a key cash-earnings metric—and noted that investors were split over whether Diageo would opt for more asset sales or focus on dividends to trim leverage. Goodbody’s Fintan Ryan weighed in: “it’s probably not the best time to be actively flogging assets.” 9
Diageo struck a cautious tone on its outlook. Back in November, the company projected fiscal 2026 sales would end up flat or possibly a bit down, while operating profit was seen inching up in the low- to mid-single digits. 10
Looking to the coming week, all eyes are on Feb. 25. Diageo drops its interim numbers for the half-year ending Dec. 31, 2025, a report that could reshape how investors approach demand forecasts, margins, and what kind of returns shareholders might expect moving into spring. 11
