Constellation Brands cuts annual forecast for earnings, sales growth

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ ) on Tuesday revised its fiscal 2025 forecast for comparable earnings per share (EPS). The company’s shares initially fell in Tuesday's premarket trading but recovered those losses after the opening bell.

The company now expects full-year EPS in the range of $13.60 to $13.80, compared to the previous estimate of $13.50 to $13.80 and analysts' estimates of $13.68.

STZ also adjusted its outlook for net sales growth, now anticipating an increase of 4% to 6%, down from the earlier projection of 6% to 7%.

Operating cash flow expectations remain unchanged, with the company still forecasting between $2.8 billion and $3.0 billion, while the consensus estimate sits at $2.98 billion.

Moreover, Constellation Brands announced it will recognize a non-cash goodwill impairment loss for its Wine and Spirits business, estimated to be between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion, which will be reflected in the second quarter fiscal 2025 results. This impairment is included in the fiscal 2025 reported EPS outlook.

"In our Wine and Spirits Business, we are also taking incremental tactical pricing and marketing actions to support demand for our core brands but are facing operating deleveraging due to more significant top-line headwinds, which in turn we expect will also lead to an impairment charge of the goodwill associated with that Business," the company stated.

Despite the adjusted expectations due to macroeconomic challenges, Constellation Brands voiced confidence in its “ability to deliver against our initial double-digit comparable EPS growth expectations and have raised the lower-end of our initial comparable EPS guidance range for fiscal 2025."

Constellation Brands’ shares have seen a flat performance in 2024, losing less than 0.1% year-to-date.

Source: Investing.com