Yahoo Finance Molson Coors Beverage Co (TAP) Q1 2024 Earnings Call Transcript Highlights: Robust Growth and ...
Net Sales Revenue: Grew by 10.1%.
Underlying Pretax Income: Increased by 68.8%.
Margin Expansion: Achieved through volume leverage and ongoing cost savings.
Net Sales per Hectoliter: Rose by 4.2%, driven by both business units.
Financial Volume Growth: Increased by 5.7%, led by the Americas.
Brand Volume Growth: Consolidated growth was 4.4%, with significant contributions from core brands.
Cost of Goods Sold per Hectoliter: Increased modestly by 0.9%.
Capital Allocation: $144 million deployed in capital projects; $110 million spent on repurchasing 1.8 million shares.
Dividend: Quarterly dividend raised by 7%.
2024 Guidance: Reiterated expectations for low single-digit net sales revenue growth and mid-single-digit growth in underlying pretax income and EPS, with underlying free cash flow of approximately $1.2 billion, plus or minus 10%.
Release Date: April 30, 2024
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Q & A Highlights
Q: Were your Q1 results better than you expected, particularly regarding shipments? A: Gavin D. K. Hattersley - President, CEO & Director: Yes, Q1 shipments were higher than expected. The supply chain team exceeded expectations, especially considering the contingency plan from the Fort Worth strike. The company plans to align shipments more closely with consumption throughout the year.
Q: Can you provide insights into the softness observed in the beer industry in April? A: Gavin D. K. Hattersley - President, CEO & Director: April showed volatility in the industry, with early weeks performing poorly. This was attributed to factors like weather and holiday mismatches, such as Easter's timing. The company remains cautious about the industry outlook but confident in achieving its guidance.
Q: How do you view the sustainability of your recent shelf space gains? A: Gavin D. K. Hattersley - President, CEO & Director: The company is confident that the increased shelf space, which is significant, will translate into higher volumes. Most stores have not yet completed their shelf resets, which are expected to continue benefiting the company into Q2 and beyond.
Q: What are your expectations for the underlying income for the rest of the year given the strong Q1 performance? A: Gavin D. K. Hattersley - President, CEO & Director: The company anticipates some normalization of shipments relative to brand volumes, which were exceptionally high in Q1 due to strategic inventory build-up. This normalization is expected to impact the financial results in the coming months.
Q: How are on-premise and off-premise sales performing in different regions, particularly in the U.S. and U.K.? A: Gavin D. K. Hattersley - President, CEO & Director: In the U.K., on-premise continues to perform well, while off-premise faces challenges due to increased excise taxes and competitive activities. In the U.S., on-premise sales are outperforming off-premise, continuing a recent trend.
Q: What is your strategy regarding the Blue Moon brand and its position within the craft beer segment? A: Gavin D. K. Hattersley - President, CEO & Director: The company is committed to revitalizing Blue Moon through new campaigns, packaging, and product positioning. Early indicators are positive, and there is a strong focus on turning around the brand despite broader challenges in the craft beer segment.
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
