In this photo illustration, bottles of Modelo Especial beer sit on a table on June 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
Constellation Brands on Thursday reported earnings and revenue that topped analysts’ expectations for its fiscal second quarter of 2024.
The Mexican beer powerhouse, owner of the Modelo Especial and Corona Extra brands, reported double-digit sales growth in its beer business as the division continues to dominate the overall beer and high-end categories. Meanwhile sales of wine and spirits lagged.
The company raised its fiscal 2024 earnings per share outlook to a range of $9.60 to $9.80, up from a prior range of $9.35 to $9.65.
Here’s what Constellation reported for the three months ended August 31, compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG, formerly known as Refinitiv:
- Earnings per share: $3.70 adjusted vs. $3.36 expected
- Revenue: $2.84 billion vs. $2.82 billion expected
Constellation’s beer portfolio posted 12% sales growth, boosted by 8.7% growth in shipments. The Modelo brand family was a particular bright spot: Modelo Especial grew nearly 9%, while Modelo Chelada brands posted growth of more than 40%.
Modelo Especial remains the best-selling brand in the U.S. beer category, the company said.
The company’s wine and spirits brands, however, underperformed year over year. The category posted a 14% decrease in sales and nearly 8% decrease in depletions — an industry term for the number of cases sold to retailers by a distributor.
The division wasn’t without its standout brands, though: Constellation’s Meiomi and Kim Crawford wine brands saw 7% and 6% depletion growth, respectively, while its craft spirit, Mi Campo tequila, reported more than 60% depletion growth.
“We continue to expect solid growth acceleration and margin improvement from our overall Wine and Spirits Business in the second half,” said CEO Bill Newlands.
Back in June, the company delivered an earnings beat and reiterated its forecast. In its previous quarter, beer sales rose 11% year over year driven by stable consumer demand and higher pricing.