Diageo CEO offloads 90,000 shares

Paul Walsh, the Chief Executive Officer at Diageo, the FTSE 100 beverage giant, has sold off a bumper-load of shares in the firm.

Walsh, who disposed of 90,000 shares at 1,500.00p each for a total of £1.35m, made the transaction on February 13th, just a few days after the company reported an 8% rise in net sales for the half year ended December 31st.

Walsh, who has been CEO since September 2000, was granted the shares in October 2008 at £8.77 each in 2008 under the company's Senior Executive Share Option Plan.

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The firm, famous for its Johnnie Walker whisky, Smirnoff vodka and Guinness stout, reported net sales of £5,757m, up from £5,320m in the previous first half. This was 7% higher on an organic basis. Pre-tax profit increased by 15% from £1,612m to £1,860m.

The stock has gained over 26% in the past year and over 8% over the last month.

Top Director Buys

Mediterranean Oil & Gas (MOG)

Director name: Mr Miles Donnelly

Amount purchased: 360,000 @ 4.80p

Value: £17,280

Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC)

Director name: Mr Mark Hamlin

Amount purchased: 30,000 @ 38.30p

Value: £11,490

Chesnara (CSN)

Director name: Mr Terry Marris

Amount purchased: 4,195 @ 252.70p

Value: £10,601

Top Director Sells

Virgin Media Inc. (VMED)

Director name: Mr Andrew Cole

Amount sold: 116,000 @ 1,625.92p

Value: £1,886,067

Diageo (DGE)

Director name: Mr Paul S Walsh

Amount sold: 90,000 @ 1,500.00p

Value: £1,350,000

Utilico Emerging Markets Ltd. (UEM)

Director name: Mr Charles Jillings

Amount sold: 220,000 @ 157.00p

Value: £345,400

Chesnara (CSN)

Director name: Mr Terry Marris

Amount sold: 4,239 @ 252.00p

Value: £10,682

Chesnara (CSN)

Director name: Mr Terry Marris

Amount sold: 5,162 @ 193.75p

Value: £10,001