Can the brand new boss actually give the Diageo share worth a kick within the pants?

The appointment of ex-Tesco CEO Sir Dave Lewis appears like excellent news for Diageo (LSE: DGE) traders who wish to see their share worth transferring ahead once more.

He comes with a cracking monitor file behind him.

So what does he must cope with? The next chart exhibits a dire five-year efficiency. The Diageo share worth, although, is already up round 8% because the information broke.

Analysts upbeat

Analysts had been already usually constructive about Diageo, with a majority score the inventory a Purchase. In addition they see a turnaround in earnings on the horizon.

The 12 months to June 2025 was a tricky one. And the primary quarter of 2025/26 noticed the board downgrade its full-year steerage primarily based on Chinese language and US weak spot.

However forecasts recommend 2026 might be the 12 months the revenue turnaround kicks off, with earnings per share predicted to develop 75% by 2028. That also wouldn’t be again to the place issues had been in 2023, thoughts.

Consultants additionally see dividend development getting again into swing once more, after 2025 noticed the fee held on the earlier 12 months’s stage. The Metropolis expects a yield of round 4.2%.

New boss

Shareholders will place nice expectations on the shoulders of the incoming boss. Diageo’s first-half outcomes are due on 25 February. In order that needs to be after we first hear his plans for shaking up the corporate — until we get any particular updates earlier than then.

So what would possibly he do? Sir Dave took a agency grip of Tesco again in 2014. Tesco had overstretched into too many companies. And it had made some disastrous forays into the worldwide groceries enterprise.

However by the point he moved on in 2020, Tesco was again to what it does greatest. At this time, it instructions 28% of the UK’s groceries market, and that’s been rising — even within the face of cheapies like Aldi and Lidl.

Disposals will virtually actually characteristic in future Diageo plans. Even at Q1 time in November, the board was speaking about “applicable and selective disposals over the approaching years“. My guess is that plan will speed up.

What ought to traders do?

With a ahead price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14, the shares look moderately priced to me. And if, as I hope, this 12 months marks the pivot again to earnings development, they might even be low-cost. Current forecasts drop the P/E to 13 by 2028. However that’s with out contemplating what the brand new CEO would possibly do.

What would I prefer to see? I hope Diageo will dump some poorly performing manufacturers and concentrate on long-term hits. Who desires Don Papa rum, rated lowly by drinkers, after we can have big-selling Captain Morgan?

I’m hoping to see the stability sheet beefed up too. I charge $21.9bn web debt at 30 June as removed from superb, with web debt to adjusted EBITDA as excessive as 3.4 instances.

I’ll scrutinise February’s replace for positive. However even simply understanding Sir Dave’s monitor file, I’m already contemplating investing.