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Molson Coors Beverage Co.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new, 8 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales up 2.0%, flat in constant currency: Net sales rose 2.0% reported to $2,351.1 million, with currency adding 1.9 points. Constant currency growth was 0.1%, as financial volume fell 2.9%. Source
  • Underlying pre-tax income up 16.2%: Underlying pre-tax income rose 16.2% in constant currency to $147.9 million, helped by lower MG&A and higher Americas net pricing, offset by commodity inflation and lower volume. Source
  • Underlying diluted EPS rose 24.0%: Underlying diluted EPS was $0.62, up 24.0%, reflecting higher underlying pre-tax income and fewer diluted shares after repurchases. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.80. Source
  • EMEA&APAC loss widened on volume: Underlying EMEA&APAC pre-tax loss was $32.7 million. In constant currency the loss grew 47.4%, on lower financial volume and cost inflation. Source
  • Midwest Premium added about $30 million: Cost of goods sold was flat reported, with COGS per hectoliter up 3.0%. An approximate $30 million unfavorable Midwest Premium aluminum surcharge impact was among the cost inflation drivers. Source
  • Underlying free cash flow still negative: Underlying free cash flow used $212.9 million, a $51.7 million improvement on higher operating cash flow and lower capital expenditure cash outflows. Source
  • Monaco Cocktails acquisition closed April 1: The company bought Atomic Brands, maker of Monaco Cocktails, for $275 million, subject to working capital adjustment, to expand into ready-to-drink cocktails. Source

“We delivered a solid start to the year while executing our strategy in a dynamic external environment with limited near-term visibility.”

Rahul Goyal, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales Sourcefull year 2026flat, plus or minus 1% versus 2025, constant currencyKept
Underlying income before income taxes Sourcefull year 2026decline in the range of 15% to 18% versus 2025, constant currencyKept
Underlying earnings per share Sourcefull year 2026decline in the range of 11% to 15% versus 2025Kept
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2026$650 million incurred, plus or minus 5%Kept
Underlying free cash flow Sourcefull year 2026$1.1 billion, plus or minus 10%Kept
Underlying depreciation and amortization Sourcefull year 2026$720 million, plus or minus 5%Kept
Consolidated net interest expense Sourcefull year 2026$260 million, plus or minus 5%Kept
Underlying effective tax rate Sourcefull year 202622% to 24%Kept
U.S. financial volume Sourcesecond quarter 20266% to 9% lower than 2025New

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2026 targets were continued, with the same figures as in the prior release. Source
  • New guidance: A second-quarter U.S. financial volume expectation was added, 6% to 9% below 2025. Source
  • New: The company acquired Atomic Brands, maker of Monaco Cocktails, on April 1, 2026, for $275 million, subject to adjustment. Source
  • New: Management said the share-repurchase program is being expanded. Source
  • New: Committed restructuring actions were started in the EMEA&APAC segment during the quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales up 2.0%, flat in constant currency: Net sales rose 2.0% reported to $2,351.1 million, with currency adding 1.9 points. Constant currency growth was 0.1%, as financial volume fell 2.9%. Source
  • Underlying pre-tax income up 16.2%: Underlying pre-tax income rose 16.2% in constant currency to $147.9 million, helped by lower MG&A and higher Americas net pricing, offset by commodity inflation and lower volume. Source
  • Underlying diluted EPS rose 24.0%: Underlying diluted EPS was $0.62, up 24.0%, reflecting higher underlying pre-tax income and fewer diluted shares after repurchases. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.80. Source
  • GAAP pre-tax lifted by hedge gains: GAAP income before income taxes rose 24.6% to $194.7 million, mainly on a $70.5 million favorable mark-to-market change in commodity derivative positions. Source

Segments and regions

  • Americas underlying pre-tax up 14.5%: Americas net sales rose 0.4% in constant currency. Underlying pre-tax income improved 14.5%, on lower MG&A, higher net pricing and favorable mix, partly offset by cost inflation and lower financial volume. Source
  • EMEA&APAC sales down in constant currency: EMEA&APAC net sales rose 6.7% reported, but fell 1.2% in constant currency, with financial volume down 3.5% and a 7.9-point currency benefit. Source
  • EMEA&APAC loss widened on volume: Underlying EMEA&APAC pre-tax loss was $32.7 million. In constant currency the loss grew 47.4%, on lower financial volume and cost inflation. Source
  • EMEA&APAC GAAP loss widened on restructuring: GAAP loss before income taxes in EMEA&APAC widened to $51.7 million, mainly on higher restructuring-related charges, currency and volume. Source

“Based on these results, we are reaffirming our full year guidance metrics.”

Tracey Joubert, Chief Financial Officer

Products and customers

  • Premiumization lifted price and mix: Price and sales mix added 3.0% to net sales, mainly from premiumization in both segments, and Americas also cited increased net pricing. Source
  • U.S. brand volume fell on share: U.S. brand volume decreased 3.5%, driven by lower share performance in the core and value segments, within Americas brand volume down 3.0%. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Midwest Premium added about $30 million: Cost of goods sold was flat reported, with COGS per hectoliter up 3.0%. An approximate $30 million unfavorable Midwest Premium aluminum surcharge impact was among the cost inflation drivers. Source
  • Underlying COGS per hectoliter up 5.6%: Underlying COGS per hectoliter rose 5.6% in constant currency on material and manufacturing inflation, premium mix and volume deleverage, partly offset by cost savings. Source
  • MG&A fell on Fevertree fee cycling: MG&A fell 6.6% reported and underlying MG&A fell 9.1% in constant currency, helped by lower Americas employee costs and lower marketing spend. Source
  • Phasing and savings helped results: Management said expense phasing in marketing and G&A, plus delivery on cost savings, positively affected results and outweighed commodity inflation and lower volume. Source

“As we head into summer, we recognize the external environment remains fluid”

Rahul Goyal, President and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and volume trends

  • Financial volume down 2.9%: Financial volume fell 2.9% to 14.964 million hectoliters, on lower shipments in both segments. Brand volume fell 3.1% to 15.068 million hectoliters. Source
  • Americas financial volume down 2.7%: Americas financial volume decreased 2.7%, mainly on lower U.S. share in core and value brands, partly offset by shipment timing. Source
  • Canada volume fell on industry softness: Canada brand volume fell 4.0%, mainly on industry softness. U.K. volume also fell on soft market demand and heightened competition. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow turned positive: Operating cash flow was $2.5 million, up $93.2 million, helped by working capital and the cycling of a $60.6 million Keystone payment, partly offset by cash receipt timing. Source
  • Underlying free cash flow still negative: Underlying free cash flow used $212.9 million, a $51.7 million improvement on higher operating cash flow and lower capital expenditure cash outflows. Source
  • Net debt ratio at 2.51x: Net debt was $5,889.3 million, a net debt to underlying EBITDA ratio of 2.51 times, against 2.47 times a year earlier. Total debt was $6,271.9 million. Source
  • Buybacks rose, dividends paid fell: Share repurchases were $168.5 million, against $59.6 million a year earlier. Dividends paid were $93.6 million, against $99.2 million. Source

Strategy, deals and restructuring

  • Monaco Cocktails acquisition closed April 1: The company bought Atomic Brands, maker of Monaco Cocktails, for $275 million, subject to working capital adjustment, to expand into ready-to-drink cocktails. Source
  • Horizon 2030 framed the actions: Management tied the Monaco deal and expanded buyback to its Horizon 2030 plan, which it said called for decisive action. Source
  • EMEA&APAC restructuring started: Committed EMEA&APAC actions include closing a small U.K. brewery by end-2026 and other changes to modernize and simplify the segment, with $17.5 million of charges booked. Source
  • Americas supply chain actions begun: Committed Americas supply chain actions resulted in $6.5 million of restructuring charges, including accelerated depreciation, in the quarter. Source

Non-GAAP items and tax

  • Hedge gain excluded from underlying: The reconciliation shows an $89.2 million unrealized mark-to-market gain on commodity swaps in COGS, excluded from underlying results. Source
  • Fevertree stake fair value loss: The Fevertree stake showed a $10.4 million unrealized loss in the quarter, excluded from underlying. Year on year, the fair value change was $36.1 million unfavorable. Source
  • Americas restructuring cumulative charges: Cumulative charges under the Americas Restructuring Plan reached $33.1 million through March 31, 2026, and are excluded from underlying results. Source
  • Tax rate rose on lower benefit: The underlying effective tax rate was 23%, against 21% a year earlier, mainly because of a lower discrete tax benefit recognized in the quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 April 2026

  • Further restructuring charges expected: Additional EMEA&APAC charges of about $10 million to $15 million are expected, mostly in the rest of 2026. Americas supply chain charges of about $15 million to $20 million are expected, mostly in 2026 and 2027. Source
  • MG&A to rise in later quarters: MG&A is expected to increase versus 2025 in the second through fourth quarters, driven by incentive compensation, with the largest increase in the second quarter. Source
  • Midwest Premium inflation in every quarter: Midwest Premium is expected to add inflation to COGS in each quarter, with the largest increase expected in the second quarter. Source
  • Financial volume to outpace brands: Financial volumes are expected to outpace brand volumes in the second half of the year. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Worldwide financial volume (million hectoliters) Source14.964, down 2.9%
Worldwide brand volume (million hectoliters) Source15.068, down 3.1%
Americas financial volume (million hectoliters) Source11.427, down 2.7%
Americas brand volume (million hectoliters) Source11.575, down 3.0%
EMEA&APAC financial volume (million hectoliters) Source3.540, down 3.5%
EMEA&APAC brand volume (million hectoliters) Source3.493, down 3.4%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management flagged inflationary commodity cost pressures and global macroeconomic uncertainty as factors in the full-year targets. Source
  • External: Management said the external environment remains fluid, with limited near-term visibility. Source
  • Demand: Lower U.S. share in core and value segments weighed on brand volume. Source
  • Financial: The Fevertree investment carried a fair value loss versus the prior year. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said it took the decisive action it had committed to under Horizon 2030 in the first quarter. Source
  • On track: Management said first-quarter results were largely in line with its expectations. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it continues to expect the full-year 2026 targets. Source
  • Met: Management said the Americas Restructuring Plan actions are substantially complete. Source
  • Not stated: Management said delivery on cost savings initiatives positively affected results in the quarter. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.