UK's Fundsmith says it shed Diageo over management issues, weight loss drugs

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Terry Smith made public for the first time on Thursday why his fund dumped its Diageo stake last year, citing problems with its new management and early signs that weight loss drugs threatened the drinks sector.

Smith, who has a loyal following among British retail shareholders, explained his rationale for offloading Diageo for the first time in his annual letter to investors on Thursday.

"Diageo ... has exhibited problems with its new management," he said, citing a lack of information about its Latin American business. A sharp drop in sales in the region prompted a profit warning by the world's largest spirits company in November 2023.

Diageo declined to comment.

Smith, who runs the Fundsmith Equity Fund, which previously held a top 30 stake in Diageo, told investors in August 2024 it had exited its position, held since the fund's inception.

His decision came as Diageo reported its first post-COVID sales decline and struggled to restore investor confidence in its leadership after the 2023 profit warning. New CEO Debra Crew had taken the helm just months earlier in June.

Researchers and pharmaceutical firms are exploring whether weight loss drugs such as Novo Nordisk's Ozempic could be used to lower alcohol intake in people with alcohol use disorder.

"We suspect the entire drinks sector is in the early stages of being impacted negatively by weightloss drugs," Smith said.

While some analysts and investors do not see imminent risks, others see weight loss drugs as adding to long-term threats, including competition from alcohol alternatives like THC-infused drinks and indications that consumers, especially younger ones, are cutting back consumption in some markets.

Diageo and its rivals are grappling with a sharp downturn in sales after a post-COVID boom, with consumers in key territories like the United States and China under pressure.

Smith said his fund would retain its position in Brown-Forman, which makes bourbon whiskey Jack Daniel's. The fund's report for the first six months of 2024 reported 307 million pounds ($377.67 million) in proceeds from the sale of its Diageo stake over that period.

($1 = 0.8129 pounds)

(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Alexander Smith)