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☆ Oasis launches a campaign at Kao Corp, but this battle is likely to be a difficult one
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Activist Commentary: Oasis Management is a global hedge fund management firm headquartered in Hong Kong with additional offices in Tokyo, Austin and the Cayman Islands. The hygiene and living care segment provides fabric, kitchen, home, sanitary and pet care products. Kao Corp is a global fast-moving consumer goods company with a diversified portfolio of products spanning from hair and skin care to cosmetics and chemicals. Oasis has proven to be a value-creating activist in many situations and would likely be a valuable board member here, but this is not a typical Oasis activist campaign. On the contrary, the day after Oasis launched its campaign, Kao stated that the firm lacked sufficient understanding of its portfolio management and restructuring plans.

Persons: Seth Fischer, Molton Brown, Kao, Kao's ROE, Beiersdorf, Aoki, Tsuruha, Oasis, ROE, Ken Squire Organizations: Oasis Management, Oasis, Business, Kao Corp, Tokyo Stock Exchange, onboarding, Kao, 13D Locations: Hong Kong, Tokyo, Austin, Cayman Islands, Asia, Europe, Japan

☆ Goldman Sachs just added stocks to its top Asian picks, giving one over 45% upside
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | In Amala-Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Goldman Sachs has refreshed its conviction list of top stocks in Asia Pacific this month, adding some names and removing others. Here are two additions to Goldman Sachs' Asian conviction list, and two removals: China Resources Beer Goldman analyst Leaf Liu said he was positive on the outlook for Chinese beer manufacturer and distributor China Resources Beer . Goldman Sachs has a 12-month price target of 51 Hong Kong dollars ($6.51) on the stock, giving it potential upside of around 46%. NTPC India's power generation company NTPC — formerly the National Thermal Power Corporation — was another addition to Goldman's conviction list. Shionogi, China Medical System Meanwhile, the Wall Street bank removed two pharmaceutical players — Japan's Shionogi and the China-headquartered China Medical System — from its conviction list.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, China Resources Beer, Leaf Liu, CRB, —, National Thermal Power Corporation —, Apoorva Bahadur, Bahadur, Goldman, — Japan's Shionogi, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: MSCI Asia, China Resources, China Resources Beer Goldman, China Resources Beer, Brands, Star, Heineken, Hong, Franklin FTSE, National Thermal Power Corporation Locations: Asia Pacific, Japan, China, ,, Tianjin, premiumization, Hong Kong, Franklin FTSE China, Shionogi

☆ Xiaomi bets big on its new electric vehicle — targets 20 million premium users
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Chinese consumer electronics company Xiaomi revealed Thurs., Dec. 28, 2023, its long-awaited electric car, but declined to share its price or specific release date. Xiaomi revealed its SU7 electric car in China in late December but has yet to announce a specific price. Building on its tech capabilities as a telecommunications and smartphone company, Huawei has swiftly become a player in China's electric car market. Apple has yet to formally enter the electric car market despite reports it has been working on one. But the system is due for rollout in the coming months to appliances and the forthcoming car, Lu said.

Persons: Xiaomi, Evelyn Cheng, it's, Weibing Lu, Lu, That's, Lu Xiaomi Organizations: CNBC, Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Porsche –, Huawei, Baic Group, Xiaomi Locations: Evelyn Cheng BEIJING, China, Barcelona, Beijing, Xiaomi, Canalys

☆ Diageo CEO: Premiumization is the right strategy
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailDiageo CEO: Premiumization is the right strategyDebra Crew, CEO of the British alcoholic beverage company, says the market is not seeing "linear progression."

Persons: Premiumization, Debra Crew Organizations: Diageo

Some of the biggest analyst calls on Monday focused on a dollar store stock and a major U.S. airline. She assigned a $235 price target, which suggests shares could climb about 23.5%. The analyst maintained his buy rating and raised his price target by $30 to $455, which implies 15.4% potential upside from Friday's close. His $175 price target — down from $185 — implies 25.3% downside for the stock from Friday's close. The bank upgraded the airline to buy from neutral, raising its price target to $20 from $14.

Persons: Bernstein, Hershey, Alexia Howard, Howard, —, — Pia Singh, Jefferies, Brent Thill, Morgan Stanley, Norfolk, Ravi Shanker, Shanker, Raymond James Raymond James, Olivia Tong, Tong, Matthew Boss, Said, ̇, Boss, Stephen Trent, Fred Imbert Organizations: CNBC, JPMorgan, Citi, American Airlines, Hershey, Meta, Norfolk, Colgate, Palmolive, CL, American Airlines American Airlines Locations: U.S, Norfolk Southern

☆ We're upgrading this beer stock after an unwarranted post-earnings slide
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Net sales for the three months ended Aug. 31 climbed 7% year-over-year, to $2.84 billion, ahead of Wall Street's expectations of $2.82 billion, according to Refinitiv. Quarterly results Beer sales climbed 12% year-over-year, to $2.4 billion. Those factors more than offset tailwinds of sales growth, positive pricing dynamics and efficiency gains. Modelo Especial remains the top brand share gainer and leading brand "in the entire U.S. beer category in dollar sales." The company expects "net sales growth and operating income growth of that business to ramp up through the remainder" of fiscal year 2024.

Persons: —, Depletions, I'm, Bill Newlands, Newlands, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Susana Gonzalez Organizations: Constellation Brands, Constellation, Modelo Especial, Cinco de, Labor, Wall Street, Management, CNBC, Constellations Brands Inc, Grupo Modelo, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: Modelo, Corona, U.S, Cinco de Mayo, Zona Rosa, Mexico City

☆ The risks to alcohol and food stocks from Ozempic-like weight loss drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The rise of new anti-obesity medications could result in less alcohol consumption, impacting Club name Constellation Brands (STZ). The risk already seems to be playing out in food stocks with exposure to snacks and junk food. We don't think Constellation Brands stock will suffer the same fate as shares of leading snack food companies like J.M. Key points The increasing popularity of new diabetes/weight loss drugs could curtail consumer appetite for junk food and alcohol. Constellation Brands (STZ), the Club name behind the Mexican beers Corona and Modelo, should be able to weather any such headwind.

Persons: Eli Lilly, it's, Mills, Lilly, Jim Cramer, Mounjaro, Morgan, Morgan Stanley, AOMs, Jefferies, Jim Cramer's, Jim, Gabby Jones Organizations: Constellation Brands, Corona, Modelo, Pacifico, Nordisk, Ozempic, Club, Novo Nordisk, Brands, Conagra Brands, Constellation, Bud Light, Jefferies, JPMorgan, CNBC, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: U.S, Oro, Brooklyn Borough, New York

☆ Bud Light lost its crown as America's 'King of Beers' — but it was going to happen even without the conservative boycott
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Modelo passed Bud Light, which has been the subject of a boycott by conservatives. It recently took the crown from Bud Light, which saw its market share drop to 7%. "Modelo and Michelob Ultra (another Anheuser-Busch brand) both were on track to eventually overtake Bud Light," Maloney wrote, citing long-term market share data. "Everybody kinda figured Bud Light was getting hit by that boycott, so it fell out of No. But Neil Reid, a professor at the University of Toledo who studies the beer industry, told Reuters that the Bud Light boycott is lingering longer than expected.

Persons: Bud Light, El Rey, Bump Williams, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Jennifer Maloney, Bud Light's, Maloney, Jack Hough, Light, Hough, Corona, Neil Reid Organizations: Modelo, Service, Anheuser, Street Journal, Busch, Fox, Northwestern University, University of Toledo, Reuters, Bud Light Locations: Wall, Silicon, El, Modelo

☆ Morgan Stanley reveals 6 of its top China stocks, including a chipmaker it expects to soar 80%
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Morgan Stanley has named a slew of Chinese stocks it says are set to outperform, despite current market conditions. Baidu has the highest R & D mix compared to peers in tech innovation over the years," said Morgan Stanley. NetEase Morgan Stanley pointed to NetEase 's strong game pipeline, and expects margins to improve as a result of non-game segments cutting losses, among other factors. Star Power Semiconductor Morgan Stanley also named one semiconductor stock: China-listed Star Power Semiconductor. It gave Star Power a price target of 420 Chinese yuan ($57.8), or potential upside of around 80%.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Alibaba Morgan Stanley, NetEase Morgan Stanley, Star Power Semiconductor Morgan Stanley, CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Alpha, Baidu, Tencent, Entertainment, Music Entertainment, Hong, Star Power Semiconductor, Power Semiconductor, Power, China 5G, Semiconductor Locations: China, U.S, Hong Kong

☆ Here are 5 key trends shaping the liquor industry as spirits overtake beer for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Jason Koerner | Getty ImagesCHICAGO — The spirits industry is overcoming economic headwinds to meet changing consumer preferences as it chips away at the dominance of beer. Despite supply chain issues and high inflation, the beverage alcohol industry has a lot to toast to these days, said Chris Swonger, president and CEO of DISCUS. "This is a great American success story," Swonger said of the industry's market share supremacy. As the spirits industry works to maintain its top spot this year amid fears of a recession, here are some key trends industry leaders who spoke to CNBC see shaping the business today. The company runs incubator and accelerator programs to develop Black talent within the spirits industry.

Persons: Casamigos, Alo, Jason Koerner, Beer, Chris Swonger, Swonger, We're, George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Wahlberg, Aron Marquez, Ryan Reynolds, Sean, Diddy, Combs, Kendall Jenner, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Jordan, David Beckham, it's, Patrick Shorb, Molson Coors, Tobin Ludwig, Pinkard Organizations: Alo Miami, Getty, CHICAGO, CNBC, Diageo, Chicago, Brands, Heineken, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Molson, Hella, Black Locations: Miami, United States, Chicago, Pennsylvania

Alcoholic beverage company Diageo will see limited upsides ahead, says Goldman Sachs. "With muted growth in the US, we see limited positive catalysts for Diageo and thus limited scope for earnings upgrades for the group," said Nicolaï. To be sure, he noted that if the company's U.S. market share gains accelerated, the company could strongly outperform the rest of the market. Goldman expects negative worsening volume trends and a weaker pricing outlook for U.S. spirits wholesalers over the next six months. The firm noted that "the secular premiumization trend is expected to be on hold after strong gains in 2020–2022."

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Oliver Nicolaï, Nicolaï, Goldman, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Diageo Locations: U.S, FY23e

☆ Constellation Brands vs. Molson Coors: Here's which beer maker is the clear winner to buy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

In a battle of beer makers, Molson Coors (TAP) has had the advantage lately over rival Constellation Brands (STZ). Molson Coors has a diverse portfolio of popular beer brands including Coors Light and Miller Lite as well as other summer favorites Blue Moon and Leinenkugel's. Shares of TAP have gained about 17% in 2023, driven by strong beer growth and strategic partnerships. TAP STZ YTD mountain Molson Coors vs. Constellation Brands YTD performance At Club holding Constellation, its core beer brands are Corona, Modelo and Pacifico. While Molson Coors is catching much of the Bud Light exodus, Constellation's popular beer brands will also be a beneficiary.

Persons: Molson, Molson Coors, Miller, Bud Light's, influencer, Bud Light, BUD, Jim Cramer, Roth, Jim, Bud, Roth MKM, STZ, Gerald Pascarelli, Seltzer, Pascarelli, it's, Filippo Falorni, Falorni, Filippo, Wedbush's, Edward Lewis, hasn't, Robert Sands, Bill Newlands, Sands, Newlands, Jim Cramer's Organizations: Molson Coors, TAP, Constellation Brands, Modelo, Coors, Miller Lite, Anheuser, Busch Inbev, Club, Constellation, Corona, Nielsen, Constellation's Modelo Especial, Molson, CNBC, Coca, Citi, Falorni, STZ, Cinco de, Getty Locations: Corona, Pacifico, STZ, North, North America, Cinco de Mayo, San Diego

☆ Ketchup inflation hits your weekend barbecue
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Planning on squirting some ketchup on your hot dog at a barbecue this weekend? Though shoppers have been starting to see some relief in the grocery aisle, food inflation has been consistently outpacing overall inflation. Ketchup prices are piling up. Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesIn the year through April, grocery prices jumped 7.1%, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index. NIQ’s own data shows that in the week through April 30, ketchup prices were up about 14% year-over-year.

☆ Budweiser-owner AB InBev reports profit hike as beer drinkers shoulder higher prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Budweiser owner AB InBev is the largest brewer in the world. Budweiser-owner Anheuser-Busch InBev on Thursday reported a jump in profit for the first quarter, saying the beer industry had proved resilient despite inflationary pressures. Underlying profit attributable to shareholders came in at $1.3 billion, up from $1.2 billion during the same quarter last year. In April — following the reporting period — AB InBev faced online backlash against its Bud Light brand after a brief social media partnership with a transgender influencer. Online personalities called for a boycott of the beer, while others said AB InBev did not show enough subsequent support for the TikTok star, Dylan Mulvaney.

☆ Goldman Sachs says these 'compelling' stocks are earnings season winners
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Sifting through the flood of financial reports this week, Goldman Sachs analysts have named a slew of stocks poised for more growth ahead. Constellation Brands Shares of the beer and wine maker are just too attractive to ignore, the firm said. Braze "Long-term fundamentals are intact," analyst Gabriella Borges said of the cloud software marketing company. Braze shares are up more than 7% this year, after coming off of a better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter report . Importantly, the company raised its full year outlook at the high end of prior range, with ~8% net sales growth and ~11% adj.

☆ Quality over quantity: As population shrinks, these companies will benefit from a 'trade-up' effect
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A big shift in consumer demand is coming as global population growth slows, and that means companies need to respond with more active approaches to generate outperformance, according to Evercore ISI. Historically, booming population growth, globalization and industrialization have supported economic growth, Julian Emanuel, the firm's senior managing director, wrote in an April 5 note. "Companies with higher value-added services and better quality will likely better capture market share than those relying solely on volume growth." "Consumer companies that focus on 'trade-up' categories and premiumization could benefit as middle-income discretionary spend continues to rise," Emanuel said. Meanwhile, McDonald's top six markets — including the U.S., U.K. and France — are all experiencing slowing population growth.

☆ UBS upgrades Procter & Gamble, says household goods giant can rally nearly 20%
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Now is the time to buy Procter & Gamble , according to UBS, which says the company's recent underperformance is "unwarranted." Analyst Peter Grom upgraded the stock to buy from neutral and raised his price target for Procter shares to $163 from $157. The analyst also noted that Procter shares are trading slightly below their average five-year valuation, making "the risk/reward at current levels is attractive." Grom added that a return to share gains, premiumization and a China reopening are leading to estimates of nearly 5% growth in organic revenue in 2024. P & G shares have fallen more than 9% in 2023, while the S & P 500 is up 3.4% in that time.

European demand is deepening a shortage of agave, the prickly plant native to Mexico's Jalisco region that's used to make tequila. Tequila prices have leapt. Compounding matters, the flow to Europe of high-quality 100% agave tequila - which has to be bottled in Mexico - has also been constrained by the supply-chain chaos from COVID-19. Michael Merolli, head of Pernod Ricard's tequila business, which includes Olmeca, said there were far fewer tequila brands in Europe than the United States, where the market was more mature and competitive, with new brands emerging every week. U.S. A-listers like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kendall Jenner and Kevin Hart have all launched tequila brands in recent years.

☆ Cheers! Spirits like gin, vodka, overtake beer's U.S. market share
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jessica Dinapoli | Thomson Reuters | New York-Based Reporter Covering U.S. Consumer Products Spanning Paper Towels To Packaged Food | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Spirits like whiskey, cognac and tequila, a celebrity favorite, have surpassed beer's U.S. market share for the first time due to price hikes and high-end cocktail trends, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. U.S. sales for spirits totaled $37.58 billion last year, while beers like Anheuser-Busch inbev SA's (ABI.BR) Bud Lite tallied $37.46 billion, according to data compiled by the Distilled Spirits Council. Spirits' market share was 42.1%, while beer's was 41.9%, according to the data. Tequila and ready-to-drink canned cocktails including Constellation Brands Inc's (STZ.N) Fresca vodka spritz were among the fastest-growing types of spirits, the Distilled Spirits Council said. "The 'premiumization' trend, where people look at distilled spirits as an affordable luxury, is affirmed by these numbers," said Chris Swonger, CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council.

☆ General Mills upgraded to buy at UBS after recent underperformance creates attractive entry point
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

General Mills was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS, which said it's optimistic about the outlook despite the stock's rocky performance, and investor concerns are overblown. The Pillsbury and Cheerios maker's stock has fallen 12% since mid-December, UBS said, vs. a 5% loss for peers, UBS said. "Investors are concerned that structural headwinds are beginning to form in Pet," analyst Cody Ross wrote in a note, referring to the pet food business. UBS foresees strong consumer demand for upgraded dog food in coming years, driving market growth of 5%. This will be critical in helping General Mills achieve 2% long-term sales growth, the note added.

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Intel, Apple, Amazon, McDonald's, Tesla, Sunrun, Meta & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Citi reiterates Apple as buy Citi says it's sticking with its buy rating heading into earnings next week. We maintain our Buy rating." Citi reiterates Intel as neutral Citi says it's standing by its neutral rating on the stock, but that Intel's earnings report on Thursday was "bad news." Wells Fargo reiterates Amazon as overweight Wells says it's standing by its buy rating heading into Amazon earnings on February 2. Argus reiterates Tesla as buy Argus says it's sticking with its buy rating after the company's earnings report earlier this week.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Diageo CEO Ivan MenezesDiageo CEO Ivan Menezes joins 'Closing Bell' to discuss repairing supply chain discontinuities, consumer shopping behavior, and ongoing brand strength in premiumization.

☆ Diageo CEO: Consumer offtake is robust in the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailDiageo CEO: Consumer offtake is robust in the U.S.Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes joins 'Closing Bell' to discuss repairing supply chain discontinuities, consumer shopping behavior, and ongoing brand strength in premiumization.

☆ Starbucks customers may soon give up their afternoon caffeine kick and drop costly drink modifications like extra syrups, analysts warn
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Starbucks previously reported that premium add-ons like syrups are a $1 billion business. A drop in traffic amid a looming 2023 recession could also hit Starbucks. Jefferies is "baking into our forecast" that a recession will lower US same-store sales at Starbucks due to negative traffic growth, Barish said. Those modifiers are big business for Starbucks, according to Sara Trilling, president of Starbucks North America. Add-ons are a $1 billion "high margin" business for Starbucks that has doubled since 2019, the company said during the November call.

☆ Jefferies downgrades Starbucks, says recession could hurt consumer spending in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

It's time to move to the sidelines on Starbucks , according to Jefferies. Analyst Andy Barish downgraded the coffee chain to hold from buy, saying shares are likely going to trade in a narrow range after their outperformance this year. Additionally, the analyst is concerned a recession in the second half of calendar year 2023, or in the first half of 2024, will hurt discretionary spending and same-store sales at the coffee chain. Our FY23/24 U.S. SSS ests are 7%/5% vs guide 7-9% in each year and Cons 8%/6%," Barish wrote. Starbucks shares are down about 16% in 2022, better than the S & P 500's more than 19% decline.

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