We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Alcohol Stocks To Buy According to Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV)  stands against the other alcohol stocks.

An analysis by Goldman Sachs has revealed that beer and spirits volumes in the American market have shown little correlation with economic growth. This is because beer and spirits are often seen as affordable luxuries or even staples. Liquor tends to enjoy stable sales even when general consumer spending takes a hit elsewhere, while there have also been times when alcohol sales even increase during economic downturns, as they did during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Recession of 2008-09.

READ ALSO: 10 Best Liquor Stocks To Buy According to Short Sellers

However, things haven’t been exactly easy for the alcohol sector lately, especially after the recent report from the U.S. Surgeon General claimed that alcohol consumption in the country is directly linked to approximately 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 deaths annually. The report has proposed to put cancer warning labels on alcoholic beverages, signaling a shift toward more aggressive tobacco-style regulation for the sector if adopted.

The proposition, if enacted, could seriously hurt sales for a sector that is already struggling with a pullback in drinking by younger consumers. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, America’s per capita annual consumption of alcohol in 2022 was 2.5 gallons, down from 3.28 gallons in the early 1980s. The growing popularity of low-and no-alcohol products, rising prevalence of cannabis use, and anti-obesity drugs picking up steam certainly haven’t helped either.

Another looming threat for the American liquor industry is that of tariffs. The European Union is due to reimpose its retaliatory tariff on American whiskey in late March, but at a higher rate of 50%. Over the last two years, American whiskey exports to the EU have surged by more than 60%, and total US spirits exports grew to a record high of $2.2 billion in 2023. But this success story could face a devastating turn unless President Trump’s administration can swiftly negotiate a prolonged suspension or permanent removal of the tariff.

However, amidst the sharp decline in sales following the pandemic, one category that could be a bright spot for the struggling booze industry is that of spirit-based RTD’s, despite the fall in the overall spirits segment. Americans consumed over 62 million cases of ready-to-drink spirits in 2023, up almost 25% from 2022, making it the second-largest spirit category by volume, right behind vodka. A plethora of new brands have popped up in the market over the last few years, offering canned versions of many bar classics, including Negroni, Daiquiri, and even the good ol’ Jack & Coke.

The alcohol sector also seems to be responding adequately to the evolving consumer trends by investing heavily in a wide range of low- and no-alcohol beverages. The strategy seems to be paying off, as according to Nielsen, non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits collectively surpassed $565 million in sales in 2023, up 35% from the year before. Sales of Guinness 0.0, the zero-alcohol version of the highly beloved Irish stout, surged by nearly 50% between February 2023 and February 2024, putting it among the Best Selling Non Alcoholic Beers in the US. Nearly every major industry player has come up with No-Lo versions of their highly acclaimed brands, making sure they don’t miss out on their share of a market that is becoming more and more established every day.

Methodology: 

To collect data for this article, we examined all the companies in the alcohol sector that are listed on NASDAQ and NYSE and then compiled a list of the stocks with the highest upside potential according to Wall Street analysts, as of January 27, 2024. Following are the Best Alcohol Stocks According to Analysts.

At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) 

Stock Upside Potential: 71.51%

Next on our list of the Best Alcohol Stocks is Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV), one of South America’s leading beverage companies that has now merged with Anheuser-Busch InBev. With popular brands such as Skol and Brahma, Ambev claims to be the largest brewer in Latin America in terms of sales volume and one of the largest beer producers in the world.

Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) has displayed strong stability, having consistently grown its revenue and net profit since 2020. A deep-pocket global giant owner like Ab InBev grants the Brazilian brewing company the resources and the distribution network to expand its footprint. Moreover, Ambev also greatly benefits from its relationship with PepsiCo to bottle, sell, and distribute its products in several Latin American countries, including Brazil.

Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) maintains a strong balance sheet, generating BRL 68 billion (around $11 billion) in free cash flow over the last five years, while also expanding ROIC and achieving positive EVA every year. The company also remains committed to its shareholders and returned over BRL 43 billion (approx. $7 billion) to them since 2020 and even recently approved a BRL 2 billion ($330 million) share buyback program, demonstrating its financial health and its disciplined approach to capital allocation. Moreover, Ambev announced a dividend of $0.0414 per share in December 2024 and boasted an annual dividend yield of 5.75% as of January 29, 2024.

To make sure it keeps up with the evolving consumer trends, Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) has strengthened its zero-alcohol portfolio with Corona Cero and Budweiser Zero, while it also launched gluten-free, low-calorie propositions such as Stella Pure Gold and Michelob Ultra.

A total of 19 hedge funds tracked by IM held shares of Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) at the end of Q3 2024, with a total stake value of $522.4 million, a noteworthy 165% increase from the previous quarter.

Overall ABEV ranks 2nd on our list of the best alcohol stocks to buy according to analysts. While we acknowledge the potential for ABEV as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ABEV but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.