Diageo PLC on Sunday ruled out a sale of the Guinness brand and its stake in Moet Hennessy.

‘We note the recent media speculation around the Guinness brand and our stake in Moet Hennessy and we can confirm that we have no intention to sell either,’ the London-based brewer said in a brief statement.

Shares in Diageo were 0.3% lower at 2,496.00 pence in London on Monday morning.

On Friday, Bloomberg News reported that Diageo was mulling a sale of Guinness, as well as its 34% stake in Moet Hennessy, the drinks division of luxury firm LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE.

It comes amid a testing period for Diageo boss Debra Crew, who has seen the company’s shares steadily decline under her leadership over the past year-and-a-half.

In November, Diageo shares hit their lowest level since 2017.

The company has already reportedly looked at the potential sale of its Pimms liqueur and Ciroc vodka brands over the past year.

The fresh reports said people familiar with the matter said a potential spin-off or sale of Guinness is being studied among a range of possibilities.

Bloomberg reported that the Irish stout business could be valued north of $10 billion, if it looked at a possible stock market listing or gauged possible takeover interest.

Guinness has been a key area of growth for the London-listed group in recent years, with the stout becoming the UK’s most popular beer in 2022, after overtaking Carling lager.

In July, the company said strong sales of Guinness, particularly in the UK, helped to drive an 18% rise in beer sales across the company.

It came as the group revealed total sales dropped for the first time in around four years, amid weaker demand for scotch and rum.

Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.