Boston Beer shares target cut to $270 by Bernstein

Published 28/04/2025, 12:42
Boston Beer shares target cut to $270 by Bernstein

On Monday, Bernstein analysts revised their price target for Boston Beer Company (NYSE: NYSE:SAM) shares, lowering it to $270 from the previous $275. Despite the adjustment, the firm maintained its Market Perform rating on the stock. According to InvestingPro data, the stock appears undervalued at its current price of $247.89, with seven analysts recently revising their earnings expectations downward. The company’s shares are trading at a P/E ratio of 40.21, reflecting premium market positioning. The reevaluation came after examining the company’s recent sales performance.

Boston Beer’s recent topline results showed varied outcomes. With a market capitalization of $2.7 billion and last twelve months revenue of $2.04 billion, the company reported a year-over-year depletion rate of -1%, which was notably better than the broader US beer, flavored malt beverages (FMB), and cider market performance as tracked by Nielsen data. This outperformance was attributed to two key factors: stronger sales in non-tracked channels and a significant contribution from the Sun Cruiser brand, a vodka-based ready-to-drink (RTD) product. Sun Cruiser, in particular, is anticipated to expand its distribution points in tracked channels during the second quarter.

However, not all brands under the Boston Beer umbrella are faring as well. Twisted Tea’s volume growth has been lackluster, and the company’s management now expects the brand to achieve low single-digit growth in fiscal year 2025. With a gross profit margin of 45.41% and healthy financial metrics, including more cash than debt on its balance sheet, the company maintains strong fundamentals despite these challenges. This tempered expectation contrasts with the more positive aspects of the company’s performance, such as the successful market penetration of Sun Cruiser in non-tracked sales channels.

The analyst’s commentary highlighted the complexity of the current market environment for Boston Beer. While some product lines are showing promise, others are facing challenges that require careful management and strategic initiatives to boost growth.

Investors and market watchers will be keeping a close eye on Boston Beer’s upcoming quarterly reports to see how the company’s strategies are impacting its overall performance and whether the anticipated increase in distribution for products like Sun Cruiser can offset slower growth in other areas.

In other recent news, Boston Beer Company reported its Q1 2025 earnings, showcasing a significant performance boost. The company’s earnings per share (EPS) reached $2.16, far exceeding the forecasted $0.6342, and marking more than double the previous year’s EPS. Revenue also saw a 6.5% increase, driven by product innovations and increased shipments, totaling $436.34 million. The company maintained a strong gross margin of 48.3%, an improvement of 460 basis points from the previous year. Additionally, Boston Beer repurchased $61 million in shares year-to-date, ending the quarter with a cash balance of $152.5 million. Analysts from UBS and Citigroup (NYSE:C) noted the positive impact of new products like Sun Cruiser and Truly Unruly on shipment volumes. Despite these achievements, the company faces challenges such as potential tariff impacts and macroeconomic factors that could affect profitability. Boston Beer has provided a full-year EPS guidance range of $8 to $10.50, with plans to increase advertising spending by $30 to $50 million to support its brands.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers
© 2007-2025 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.