Earnings

Boston Beer Company officially returned to growth in 2018. The nation’s second largest craft beer company — which makes Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly Hard Seltzer, among other offerings — posted double-digit growth in depletions, shipments and sales last year, according to an earnings report released Wednesday.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Alvarez & Marsal reaches an agreement to sell DME Group’s main business; lawmakers threaten to limit dates for Boston beer gardens; and the U.S. House introduces the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act.

Citing negative volume trends in the U.S. and Canada, Molson Coors reported a 2.1 percent decline in net sales in 2018, according to yesterday’s full-year earnings report. In 2018, Molson Coors posted nearly $10.8 billion in net sales, down from more than $11 billion in 2017.

Constellation Brands reported its third-quarter fiscal 2019 earnings today, which were highlighted by nearly 8 percent growth in beer depletions (sales-to-retailers) and a 14 percent increase in shipments (sales-to-wholesalers) for the comparable three-month period ending November 30.

The continued acceleration of Kona beer sales during the third quarter couldn’t offset company-wide shipment and depletion declines of other Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) offerings, the Portland, Oregon-headquartered company reported today. In Q3, Kona depletions increased 9 percent as the brand grew in both off- and on-premise channels. The depletion growth followed increases of 7 percent and 3 percent in the second and first quarters of the year, respectively.

Boston Beer Company’s growth continued in the third quarter, as the company’s revenue increased 24.2 percent, while shipments (+23.5 percent) and depletions (+18 percent) also grew. During a call with investors and analysts Thursday evening, Boston Beer founder Jim Koch credited the company’s “key innovations” — Angry Orchard Rosé, Truly Berry variety pack, Truly Wild Berry, Samuel Adams Sam ’76 and Samuel Adams New England IPA — with driving the growth.

Boston Beer Company today reported its 2018 third-quarter earnings results, which were highlighted by a 24.2 percent increase in net revenue, to $306.9 million. The company — which makes the Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly Spiked & Sparkling products — credited the revenue growth to a 23.5 percent increase in shipments during the quarter, which ended September 29.

Despite ongoing shipment and depletion declines in the United States, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s global revenues were up 4.6 percent through the first nine months of 2018. A-B, the world’s largest beer manufacturer, posted global revenue growth of 4.5 percent, to more than $13.2 billion, during the third quarter, as revenue per hectoliter increased 4.2 percent. The company’s gross profit increased 3.5 percent, nearly $8.3 billion.

Constellation Brands reported its second-quarter fiscal 2019 earnings today, which were highlighted by 10.1 percent growth in beer depletions (sales-to-retailers) and an 8.7 percent increase in shipments (sales-to-wholesalers) for the comparable three-month period ending August 31. Net sales of Constellation Brands’ beer portfolio increased 10.5 percent during the quarter, to more than $1.5 billion.

Following the release of Craft Brew Alliance’s second-quarter results on Wednesday, CEO Andy Thomas hailed his company’s financial performance as the “strongest validation” yet that CBA is a “company transformed.” During a call with analysts and investors today, Thomas said CBA is now in its “strongest operational and strategic position” company history, which he attributed to the growth of the Kona brand, a reshaped CBA portfolio that now includes three smaller craft partners, a rationalized brewery footprint, improved gross margin, and a “far more profitable business model.”

Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) today reported its second-quarter earnings, which were highlighted by a 2 percent revenue increase, to $61.8 million. CBA attributed the uptick in net sales to increased shipments of the Kona brand, and increases in average unit pricing, despite continued Widmer Brothers and Redhook declines.

Molson Coors Brewing Company today reported its second-quarter earnings, however the financial results took a backseat to news that its Canadian business division had formed a joint venture with a Quebec cannabis company. The JV between Molson Coors Canada and HEXO, a recreational cannabis “sister brand” to The Hydropothecary, a licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis, will be structured as “a standalone start-up company” led by its own board and management team.

Boston Beer Company’s return to growth continued for a second consecutive quarter. The company — which makes the Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly Spiked & Sparkling products — yesterday reported its second-quarter earnings results, which were highlighted by a 10.2 percent increase in net revenue to $273.1 million. For the 26-week period ending June 30, Boston Beer’s net revenue was up 13.2 percent, to $463.6 million.

Halfway through 2018, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s global revenues are up 4.7 percent despite continued shipment and depletion declines in the U.S. A-B, the world’s largest beer manufacturer, posted global revenue growth of 4.7 percent, to more than $14 billion, as revenue per hectoliter increased 4 percent during the second quarter of 2018. A-B also announced several organizational changes, including moving its “global growth and innovation team,” ZX Ventures, and its marketing department “under a common global lead.”