Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:TAP) reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 outlook despite a weaker second quarter marked by declining sales, lower profit and persistent inflationary pressures, as the brewer cited volatile consumer behavior and intense competition in several markets.
On a constant-currency basis, second-quarter net sales revenue fell 3.6% from the prior year, underlying pretax income declined 27.8%, and underlying earnings per share decreased 22.9%, Chief Financial Officer Tracey Joubert said during the company’s earnings call.
Beer Demand Slows as Consumer Behavior Shifts
Molson Coors said the U.S. beer industry declined an estimated 4.2% in the second quarter, following a comparatively stronger first quarter. U.S. domestic shipments fell 7.3%, within the company’s expected range of a 6% to 9% decline.
President and Chief Executive Officer Rahul Goyal attributed some of the quarter’s pressure to higher gasoline prices and broader uncertainty related to the conflict in Iran, which affected consumer confidence and spending. He said demand patterns shifted toward convenience and dollar stores, as well as singles and smaller packs, while food and grocery channels were weaker.
“Folks were making choices in a way differently in terms of their expendable income,” Goyal said.
The World Cup created opportunities for beer consumption, particularly in on-premise locations in host cities, but did not materially lift demand across the entire U.S. market, according to Goyal. The company invested in local activations in cities including Dallas, Philadelphia and Kansas City.
Management maintained its view that full-year U.S. industry volume trends will be better than the 5% decline reported for 2025, assuming no further escalation in geopolitical events. However, executives cautioned that the category is likely to remain volatile through the second half.
Portfolio Results Were Mixed Across Brands and Markets
Goyal said Molson Coors saw improving share trends from the first quarter, though the company remains dissatisfied with its overall share performance. The company reported gains in portions of its value, core, above-premium and beyond-beer portfolio.
- Core brands: Coors Light held its position as Canada’s top light beer, while Coors Banquet grew U.S. share and brand volume. Carling faced stronger competition in the United Kingdom.
- Value brands: Share trends improved for Keystone Light and Miller High Life. Demand for the limited-release Keystone Light Apple exceeded production, and the company plans to return the product in the fall. Molson Coors also plans to bring back Keystone Ice.
- Above-premium beer: Peroni’s U.S. brand volumes rose by double digits, while the broader Blue Moon franchise remained under pressure. Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic and Peroni 0.0 both grew brand volume.
- Beyond beer: Net sales revenue growth from Monaco, Topo Chico Hard and Fever-Tree was partly offset by declines in other products, including Simply Spiked.
The company said its first full quarter of ownership of Atomic Brands, which includes Monaco Cocktails, tracked slightly ahead of acquisition expectations for both top- and bottom-line contribution. Monaco sales are concentrated in five states and primarily in convenience stores, and Goyal said the company intends to expand the brand nationally in a measured way while preserving its existing execution model.
Fever-Tree posted its highest U.S. quarterly sales since the partnership began, following a national campaign centered on at-home mixology, management said.
Cost Pressures Remain Significant
Higher aluminum-related costs, fuel prices and freight expenses weighed on the quarter. Joubert said the Midwest premium added about $40 million in year-over-year costs to second-quarter cost of goods sold.
For the full year, the company now expects Midwest premium inflation to exceed $130 million, compared with its initial expectation of at least $125 million. The company expects hedging to offset part of the ongoing pressure, though Joubert described the market as difficult and expensive to hedge.
MG&A expenses rose 3.2% in the quarter, largely because the company lapped lower employee incentive costs in the prior year and increased investment in technology and capabilities. Molson Coors now expects MG&A expenses to decline in the second half from the prior-year period as it redirects spending toward higher-return opportunities and realizes benefits from its cost program.
The company is pursuing a previously announced three-year, $450 million cost-savings program. Actions include restructuring in EMEA and APAC, including the closure of a small U.K. brewery and other operational changes. Molson Coors is also investing part of its previously announced $650 million global capital-expenditure plan in supply-chain upgrades, including work at its Rocky Mountain Metal Container can plant.
Balance Sheet and Capital Allocation
During the quarter, Molson Coors refinanced and retired a portion of its debt through public and private placement offerings. Its net debt-to-underlying EBITDA ratio was 2.53 times at quarter-end, nearing its target of less than 2.5 times by year-end.
The company paid $90 million in dividends and repurchased 1 million shares for $42 million during the quarter. Since its repurchase plan was announced in October 2023, Molson Coors has bought back 15.3% of its Class B shares outstanding and had $2.35 billion remaining under its authorization.
Management said it will continue balancing investments in brands and capabilities, acquisitions, shareholder returns and debt reduction. Goyal said the company’s Horizon 2030 strategy is intended to build growth gradually across its core beer brands, premium offerings and beyond-beer portfolio rather than relying on any single initiative to change its trajectory.
About Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:TAP)
Molson Coors Beverage Company is a leading multinational brewing and beverage enterprise formed through the 2005 merger of Canada’s Molson and the United States’ Coors. The company develops, markets and distributes an array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, focusing primarily on beer and ready-to-drink products. Its portfolio spans flagship brands such as Coors Light, Molson Canadian and Miller Lite, alongside craft-style offerings like Blue Moon and global imports including Carling and Staropramen.
In addition to its core beer business, Molson Coors has expanded into adjacent categories to capture evolving consumer tastes.
