Molson Coors Beats On First-Quarter Results Backed By Price Hikes, Resilient Demand

By Dave Simpson
Molson Coors Beats On First-Quarter Results Backed By Price Hikes, Resilient Demand

Molson Coors Beverage Co has beaten first-quarter sales and profit expectations, benefitting from price hikes the brewer undertook over the quarters and from resilient demand for its beer brands.

Details

Like other brewers such as Constellation Brands Inc, the Coors Light maker has been lifting prices of its products from beers to hard seltzers to shield its margins from soaring material and energy costs that inflated with the war in Ukraine.

Inflation-hit consumers have been trading down from higher-priced beers to cheaper brands, benefiting companies like Molson Coors that also sell mainstream beers and malt beverages at more affordable prices even after having raised prices on them.

Analysts have said carryover price increases from Molson Coors' second round of hikes taken in 2022 would be the primary driver for the company during the first quarter.

Constellation Brands Inc in April forecast full-year profit above Wall Street estimates, expecting to gain from price increases and strong demand for its high-end beer brands.

ADVERTISEMENT

Molson Coors' net sales rose about 6% to $2.35 billion in the quarter ended March 31, beating analysts' average estimate of $2.23 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

The Chicago, Illinois-based company posted adjusted earnings of 54 cents per share, topping analysts' expectations of 26 cents.

Additional Information

But it maintained full-year 2023 net sales forecast of a low single-digit increase from 2022 on a constant currency basis.

Read More: Coca-Cola, Molson Coors To Launch Simply-Branded Alcoholic Drinks

News by Reuters, edited by Hospitality Ireland. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.