Investors interested in Consumer Staples stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Anheuser-Busch Inbev (BUD) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Consumer Staples sector should help us answer this question.Anheuser-Busch Inbev is a member of our Consumer Staples group, which in ...

Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the "long context," investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.Even ...

Molson Coors Brewing (TAP) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.21 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.17 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.3 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +3.53%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this beer maker would post earnings of $1.72 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.67, delivering a surprise of -2.91%.Over the last four quarters, the co ...

Core Insights - Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM) is anticipated to report year-over-year declines in both revenues and earnings for the fourth quarter of 2025, with revenues expected at $384.5 million, a 4.4% decrease from the previous year, and a loss per share of $2.33, widening from a loss of $1.68 in the same quarter last year [1][2]. Revenue and Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is $384.5 million, reflecting a 4.4% decline from the prior-year quarter [2]. - The loss per share is estimated at $2.33, indicating a widening compared to the loss of $1.68 reported in the year-ago quarter [2]. Recent Performance - In the last reported quarter, the company achieved an earnings surprise of 12.4%, with an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 42.9% [3]. Factors Influencing Q4 Results - Seasonal and business-related challenges are expected to pressure Boston Beer’s fourth-quarter earnings, as this period is typically the weakest for the company, characterized by the lowest revenues and profit margins of the year [4]. - The company is increasingly reliant on summer-focused brands like Truly, Twisted Tea, and Sun Cruiser, which tend to sell less during colder months [4]. - Brand-specific challenges include the decline of the hard seltzer category, with Truly facing pressure from consumer shifts towards spirits-based ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages and higher-ABV options [5]. - Twisted Tea has experienced weakness in larger pack formats due to inflation and affordability concerns affecting value-conscious consumers [5]. - Broader industry headwinds include reduced discretionary spending, health-related concerns regarding alcohol consumption, and competition from hemp-derived beverages [6]. Strategic Initiatives - Boston Beer is focusing on strategic pricing, product innovation, and brand development to strengthen its market position and performance [7]. - The company is expanding its presence in the Beyond Beer category, which is growing faster than the traditional beer market [7]. - Strong price realization and ongoing procurement savings are helping to mitigate inflationary pressures [7]. Valuation Perspective - Boston Beer stock is trading at a premium compared to historical and industry benchmarks, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 20.12X, above the Beverages - Alcohol industry's average of 16.89X [9]. Stock Performance - Boston Beer shares have increased by 20% over the past three months, while the industry has grown by 23.3% [12].

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] Company Overview: Ambev (ABEV) - Ambev currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong momentum characteristics [2] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting it is positioned for potential outperformance in the market [3] Performance Metrics - ABEV shares have increased by 5.78% over the past week, outperforming the Zacks Beverages - Alcohol industry, which rose by 1.31% [5] - Over the past month, ABEV's price change is 18.46%, significantly higher than the industry's 4.04% [5] - In the last quarter, ABEV shares rose by 22.71%, and over the past year, they gained 61.26%, while the S&P 500 only increased by 2.88% and 13.25%, respectively [6] Trading Volume - ABEV's average 20-day trading volume is 26,425,038 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [7] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, one earnings estimate for ABEV has increased, raising the consensus estimate from $0.18 to $0.19 [9] - For the next fiscal year, one estimate has also moved upwards, with no downward revisions during the same period [9] Conclusion - Given the strong performance metrics and positive earnings outlook, ABEV is recommended as a solid momentum pick with a Momentum Score of A [10]

Core Viewpoint - The comparison between Ambev (ABEV) and Brown-Forman B (BF.B) indicates that ABEV presents a better value opportunity for investors at this time due to its stronger earnings outlook and favorable valuation metrics [1][7]. Valuation Metrics - ABEV has a forward P/E ratio of 16.65, while BF.B has a forward P/E of 17.47, suggesting ABEV is more attractively priced [5]. - The PEG ratio for ABEV is 2.27, compared to BF.B's PEG ratio of 7.80, indicating ABEV's earnings growth is more reasonably priced [5]. - ABEV's P/B ratio stands at 3.05, while BF.B has a P/B of 3.35, further supporting ABEV's valuation advantage [6]. Analyst Outlook - ABEV currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), reflecting a more favorable earnings estimate revision trend compared to BF.B, which has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [3]. - The solid earnings outlook for ABEV positions it as the superior value option in the beverage-alcohol sector [7]. Value Grades - ABEV has been assigned a Value grade of B, while BF.B has a Value grade of D, highlighting ABEV's stronger valuation profile [6].

Core Viewpoint - Molson Coors Beverage Company (TAP) is anticipated to report declines in both revenue and earnings for the fourth quarter of 2025, with revenue expected at $2.73 billion, reflecting a 0.4% decrease year-over-year, and earnings per share (EPS) projected at $1.17, indicating a 10% decline from the previous year [1] Financial Performance - In the last reported quarter, Molson Coors experienced a negative earnings surprise of 2.9%, with an average trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 3.3% [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for net sales in the Americas segment is projected at $2.13 billion, down 1.8% year-over-year [4] Market Conditions - The company is facing significant challenges in the U.S. beer market, with subdued financial and brand volumes due to a broader contraction in the beer category and a shift towards lower-priced options or alternative beverages [5] - Demand pressures are compounded by rising aluminum costs, with the company projecting a year-over-year sales decline of 3-4% on a constant-currency basis for 2025 and an anticipated EPS decline of 7-10% [6] Strategic Initiatives - Despite the challenges, Molson Coors' Revitalization Plan has supported market share gains through innovation and premiumization, with strategic investments in core brands and expansion efforts expected to cushion fourth-quarter performance [7] Valuation Insights - Molson Coors is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 9.86X, which is below its five-year high of 15.57X and the industry average of 16.76X, presenting a compelling value for investors [8][9]

Core Viewpoint - Anheuser-Busch InBev is expected to report year-over-year growth in both revenue and earnings for the fourth quarter of 2025, with anticipated revenues of $15.6 billion and earnings per share of 92 cents, reflecting growth of 5% and 4.6% respectively from the previous year [1][2][10] Financial Performance Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues is $15.6 billion, indicating a 5% increase from the same quarter last year [2] - The consensus estimate for earnings per share is 92 cents, suggesting a 4.6% growth compared to the prior year's figure [2] - In the last reported quarter, the company's earnings per share exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.1%, with an average earnings surprise of 8.4% over the last four quarters [3] Factors Influencing Q4 Results - AB InBev's results are expected to benefit from strategic measures such as pricing actions, premiumization, and revenue management initiatives, alongside strong consumer demand for its brand portfolio [4] - The company's focus on premium beer offerings aligns with consumer preferences, and its diverse portfolio of global and specialty brands is expected to support performance [5] - However, the company faces challenges from soft volumes in key markets like China and Brazil, indicating that revenue growth is primarily driven by price/mix rather than consumption growth [6] Cost and Macro Challenges - Elevated costs from commodity inflation, supply chain issues, and investments for long-term growth are anticipated to impact quarterly performance [7] - A challenging macroeconomic environment, particularly in China and Argentina, along with currency and interest rate fluctuations, may also weigh on results [7] Valuation and Stock Performance - The stock has a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 18X, compared to a five-year high of 23.71X and the industry average of 16.37X [11] - Over the past six months, AB InBev shares have increased by 23.5%, outperforming the industry average increase of 9.9% [13]

Core Insights - The article highlights the performance and outlook of several companies, including Microsoft, Anheuser-Busch, CVS Health, and Stran & Co., emphasizing their recent stock performance and strategic initiatives. Microsoft - Microsoft's shares have outperformed the Zacks Computer - Software industry over the past year, with a gain of 2.3% compared to a decline of 3.7% for the industry [4] - The company has strong fundamentals, with Azure holding a 25% share of the cloud market and strategic integration of AI through OpenAI [4] - Microsoft generates over $100 billion in annual operating cash flows with margins exceeding 40%, supported by diversified revenue streams [5] - The company faces intense competition from AWS and Google Cloud, along with rising regulatory scrutiny and increasing capital expenditure requirements for AI infrastructure [5] - Long-term debt stands at $43.2 billion, raising concerns about financial flexibility amid rising interest rates [6] Anheuser-Busch - Anheuser-Busch's shares have outperformed the Zacks Beverages - Alcohol industry over the past year, with a gain of 44.5% compared to 14.4% for the industry [7] - The company's pricing actions and premiumization strategies have contributed to a 3% year-over-year revenue increase in Q3 2025 [7] - EBITDA margin expansion is attributed to cost efficiencies and premiumization, with a predicted 4.1% rise in EBITDA for 2025 [8] - The Beyond Beer portfolio saw a 27% revenue increase, driven by significant growth in the Cutwater brand [8] - Digital platforms like BEES and Zé Delivery have enhanced customer engagement, although the company is experiencing volume declines due to a soft consumer landscape [9] CVS Health - CVS Health's shares have outperformed the Zacks Medical Services industry over the past year, with a gain of 57.3% compared to 5.3% for the industry [10] - The company is making progress in returning Aetna to target margins, supported by strong fundamentals and recent Star Ratings success [10] - CVS is implementing a restructuring plan to close 271 stores and aims to generate $500 million in savings this year [11] - The company's retail pharmacy script share remains strong, and it is advancing its digital strategy through investments in emerging technologies [11] - Ongoing pharmacy reimbursement pressures and macroeconomic challenges are affecting CVS Health's profitability [12] Stran & Co. - Stran & Co.'s shares have outperformed the Zacks Advertising and Marketing industry over the past year, with a gain of 100% compared to a decline of 10.5% for the industry [13] - The company, with a market capitalization of $36.58 million, is experiencing rapid scale expansion and better cost control [13] - A recent acquisition has improved the company's growth outlook by adding new vertical exposure and enhancing cross-selling potential [14] - Revenue diversification across promotional products and services reduces dependence on any single market, although the company remains unprofitable [14] - Working capital demands and reliance on discretionary marketing spend introduce macro risks [15]

Core Insights - Boston Beer Company (SAM) is experiencing an inflection point with improving operational execution despite uneven consumer demand, raising questions about the ability to offset weaker shipment and depletion trends with profitability and efficiency gains [1][3] Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, Boston Beer achieved a gross margin of 50.8%, an increase of 450 basis points year-over-year, marking the highest level since 2018 [1][8] - For the first nine months of 2025, the gross margin was 49.7%, and earnings per share (EPS) rose to $11.82 [1] - Volume pressures are evident, with depletions down 3% and shipments down nearly 14% in Q3 [1][8] Operational Strategy - The company has focused on margin expansion, cost discipline, and improving portfolio mix rather than solely relying on top-line growth [1] - Approximately 90% of domestic volume is now produced internally, enhancing scale efficiency and cost absorption [2] - The shift towards "Beyond Beer" products, such as Twisted Tea and Truly, supports higher margins compared to traditional craft beer [2] Market Position - Despite margin strength, sustained declines in top-line growth could limit operating leverage, prompting management to reinvest some margin gains into advertising and innovation [3] - The company's stock has gained 6.5% over the past six months, outperforming the Zacks Beverages - Alcohol industry's decline of 2.8% and the broader Consumer Staples sector's fall of 3.2% [4] Valuation - Boston Beer shares are trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 18.11X, which is a premium to the industry average of 14.89X, indicating investor confidence in the company's margin expansion and long-term growth potential despite near-term volume pressures [9]