Crown Holdings(US:CCK) ZACKSยท2025-04-30 17:25Core Insights - Crown Holdings, Inc. reported first-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.67, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.22 by 37% and marking a 64% year-over-year improvement [1][2] - The company's net sales for the quarter reached $2.89 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.87 billion and reflecting a 3.7% increase from the previous year's $2.78 billion [2] - Crown Holdings raised its full-year adjusted EPS outlook to $6.70-$7.10, up from the previous estimate of $6.60-$7.00, indicating an expected year-over-year growth of 8% [9] Financial Performance - The cost of products sold increased by 0.7% year over year to $2.26 billion, while gross profit rose 16% to $620 million, resulting in a gross margin of 21.6%, which is a 230-basis point expansion year over year [3] - Selling and administrative expenses decreased by 1.3% year over year to $152 million, contributing to a total segment operating income of $398 million, up from $308 million in the prior-year quarter [4] Segment Performance - In the Americas Beverage segment, net sales totaled $1.32 billion, an 8% increase year over year, with operating profit rising 25% to $236 million [5] - The European Beverage segment saw sales increase by 6% year over year to $512 million, with operating income jumping 31% to $67 million [5] - The Asia-Pacific segment's sales remained flat at $279 million, but operating profit increased by 12% to $47 million [6] Cash Flow and Balance Sheet - At the end of Q1 2025, Crown Holdings had cash and cash equivalents of $0.78 billion, down from $1.12 billion at the end of 2024, and generated $14 million in cash from operating activities [7] - The company's long-term debt decreased to $4.74 billion from $6.62 billion at the end of 2024 [7] Stock Performance - Crown Holdings' shares have increased by 16.7% over the past year, contrasting with a 6.3% decline in the industry [10]