Constellation Brands stock rated Outperform by Evercore By Investing.com

On Wednesday, Constellation Brands (NYSE:) received a reaffirmation of its Outperform rating and a steady price target of $310 from Evercore ISI, following the company’s first-quarter earnings report for fiscal year 2025, which concluded on May 31. The robust performance was highlighted by a 6.4% increase in beer depletions, surpassing the Street’s expectation of 6.0% and alleviating concerns from skeptics who anticipated less than a 5.5% rise due to challenging comparisons.

Constellation Brands reported earnings per share (EPS) excluding items from Canopy Growth (NASDAQ:) at $3.57, which exceeded the Visible Alpha consensus estimate of $3.46. This beat was propelled by strong results in the beer segment. Modelo Especial continued its impressive performance with an 11% increase in depletions for the first quarter, compared to a 10% rise in fiscal year 2024. The two and three-year averages for Modelo Especial stand at approximately 8% and 10%, respectively.

The growth in Chelada depletions decelerated to 5%, a drop from 14% in the fourth quarter and 22% in the third quarter of the previous fiscal year. However, Pacifico maintained a robust depletion rate of 21%, closely aligned with the 22% seen in the fourth quarter and the 19% in the third quarter. Beer shipments, a key driver of the profit and loss statement, exceeded expectations with a 7.6% increase, outpacing the 6.6% consensus.

The operating margin for the beer division was reported at 40.6%, which was higher than the 39.2% market consensus. This margin expansion was attributed to fixed cost absorption, cost savings, and marketing efficiencies, along with timing of marketing expenditures. Beer Operating Income (OI) surpassed expectations, coming in at $923 million, compared to the consensus of $890 million.

Conversely, the Wine & Spirits OI fell short of expectations by approximately 11%, recording $60 million against the anticipated $67 million. The beer segment’s implied price/mix was up by 0.7%, consistent with trends from the second half of fiscal year 2024. Corporate expenses were reported at $59 million, slightly higher than the $56 million consensus.

In other recent news, Constellation Brands has been making notable strides in its performance and financial outlook. The company’s first-quarter results showed a strong performance, particularly in the beer segment, which experienced a 6.4% increase in depletions, surpassing expectations. This strong performance was coupled with an adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.57 and net sales of $2.66 billion.

Despite underperformance in the wine and spirits division, Deutsche Bank maintained a Hold rating on Constellation Brands, while CFRA upgraded its stance from Hold to Strong Buy, increasing the price target to $335. Citi and RBC Capital Markets also maintained their positive ratings, anticipating year-over-year increases in beer sales and operating income.

The potential sale of Constellation Brands’ Mexicali Brewery and the nearing completion of its brewery expansion in Mexico are other developments of interest. Both are expected to positively impact the company’s cash flow and volume growth.

InvestingPro Insights

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) has demonstrated a resilient financial performance, with recent data from InvestingPro underscoring the company’s stability and growth prospects. The company’s market capitalization stands at a robust $47.28 billion, reflecting investor confidence. A noteworthy InvestingPro Tip highlights that Constellation Brands has successfully raised its dividend for 9 consecutive years, indicating a commitment to returning value to shareholders. Additionally, the company’s liquid assets surpass short-term obligations, providing financial flexibility and reducing liquidity risk.

Despite some analysts revising their earnings downwards for the upcoming period, the company’s fundamentals remain solid. Constellation Brands trades with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 27.49, which aligns closely with the adjusted P/E ratio for the last twelve months as of Q4 2024, sitting at 27.31. This consistency suggests that the company’s earnings valuation is stable. Moreover, Constellation Brands boasts a gross profit margin of 50.4%, underscoring its ability to maintain profitability in its operations.

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