Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
You should read the following discussion and analysis in conjunction with both our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes included in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024 (2024 Form 10-K). Note that the results of operations for the nine months ended January 31, 2025, are not necessarily indicative of future or annual results. In this Item, “we,” “us,” “our,” “Brown-Forman,” and the “Company” refer to Brown-Forman Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, collectively.
Presentation Basis
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We report our financial results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Additionally, we use some financial measures in this report that are not measures of financial performance under GAAP. These non-GAAP measures, defined below, should be viewed as supplements to (not substitutes for) our results of operations and other measures reported under GAAP. Other companies may define or calculate these non-GAAP measures differently.
“Organic change” in measures of statements of operations. We present changes in certain measures, or line items, of the statements of operations that are adjusted to an “organic” basis. We use “organic change” for the following measures: (a) organic net sales; (b) organic cost of sales; (c) organic gross profit; (d) organic advertising expenses; (e) organic selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses; (f) organic other expense (income), net; (g) organic operating expenses1; and (h) organic operating income. To calculate these measures, we adjust, as applicable, for (1) acquisitions and divestitures, (2) other items, and (3) foreign exchange. We explain these adjustments below.
- “Acquisitions and divestitures.” This adjustment removes (a) the gain or loss recognized on sale of divested brands and certain assets, (b) any non-recurring effects related to our acquisitions and divestitures (e.g., transaction, transition, and integration costs), (c) the effects of operating activity related to acquired and divested brands for periods not comparable year over year (non-comparable periods), and (d) fair value changes to contingent consideration liabilities. Excluding non-comparable periods allows us to include the effects of acquired and divested brands only to the extent that results are comparable year over year.
During fiscal 2023, we acquired Gin Mare Brand, S.L.U. and Mareliquid Vantguard, S.L.U., which owned the Gin Mare brand (Gin Mare). This adjustment removes the fair value adjustments to Gin Mare’s earn-out contingent consideration liability that is payable in cash no earlier than July 2024 and no later than July 2027.
During fiscal 2024, we sold our Finlandia vodka business, which resulted in a pre-tax gain of $92 million, and entered into a related transition services agreement (TSA) for this business. This adjustment removes the (a) transaction costs related to the divestiture, (b) the gain on sale of the Finlandia vodka business, (c) operating activity for the non-comparable period, which is activity in the first and second quarters of fiscal 2024, and (d) net sales, cost of sales, and operating expenses recognized pursuant to the TSA related to distribution services in certain markets.
During fiscal 2024, we sold the Sonoma-Cutrer wine business in exchange for an ownership percentage of 21.4% in The Duckhorn Portfolio Inc. (Duckhorn) along with $50 million cash and entered into a related TSA for this business. This transaction resulted in a pre-tax gain of $175 million. This adjustment removes the (a) transaction costs related to the divestiture, (b) operating activity for the non-comparable period, which is activity in the first, second, and third quarters of fiscal 2024, and (c) net sales, cost of sales, and operating expenses recognized pursuant to the TSA related to distribution services in certain markets.
During the second quarter of fiscal 2024, we recognized a gain of $7 million on the sale of certain fixed assets. During the first quarter of fiscal 2025, we recognized a gain of $12 million on the sale of the Alabama cooperage. This adjustment removes the gains from our other expense (income), net and operating income.
We believe that these adjustments allow for us to better understand our organic results on a comparable basis.
- “Other items.” Other items include the additional items outlined below.
“Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails business model change (JDCC).” In fiscal 2021, we entered into a partnership with the Pabst Brewing Company for the supply, sales, and distribution of Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails in the United States while Brown-Forman continued to produce certain products. During fiscal 2024, this production fully transitioned to Pabst Brewing Company for the Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails products. This adjustment removes
1Operating expenses include advertising expense, SG&A expense, restructuring and other charges, and other expense (income), net.
the non-comparable operating activity related to the sales of Brown-Forman-produced Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails products for the first, second, and third quarters of fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025.
“Franchise tax refund.” During the first quarter of fiscal 2025, we recognized a $13 million franchise tax refund due to a change in franchise tax calculation methodology for the state of Tennessee. This modification lowered our annual franchise tax obligation and was retroactively applied to franchise taxes paid during fiscal 2020 through fiscal 2023. This adjustment removes the franchise tax refund from our other expense (income), net and operating income.
“Restructuring and other charges.” During the third quarter of fiscal 2025, our Board of Directors approved a plan to reduce our structural cost base and realign resources toward future sources of growth. This included reducing our workforce by approximately 12% and closing the Louisville-based Brown-Forman Cooperage. We also offered a special, one-time early retirement benefit to qualifying U.S. employees. Collectively, this adjustment removes the $33 million impact from our operating expenses and operating income.
- “Foreign exchange.” We calculate the percentage change in certain line items of the statements of operations in accordance with GAAP and adjust to exclude the cost or benefit of currency fluctuations. Adjusting for foreign exchange allows us to understand our business on a constant-dollar basis, as fluctuations in exchange rates can distort the organic trend both positively and negatively. (In this report, “dollar” means the U.S. dollar unless stated otherwise.) To eliminate the effect of foreign exchange fluctuations when comparing across periods, we translate current-year results at prior-year rates and remove transactional and hedging foreign exchange gains and losses from current- and prior-year periods.
We use the non-GAAP measure “organic change,” along with other metrics, to: (a) understand our performance from period to period on a consistent basis; (b) compare our performance to that of our competitors; (c) calculate components of management incentive compensation; (d) plan and forecast; and (e) communicate our financial performance to the Board of Directors, stockholders, and investment community. We provide reconciliations of the “organic change” in certain line items of the statements of operations to their nearest GAAP measures in the tables under “Results of Operations - Fiscal 2025 Year-to-Date Highlights” and “Results of Operations - Year-Over-Year Period Comparisons.” We have consistently applied the adjustments within our reconciliations in arriving at each non-GAAP measure. We believe these non-GAAP measures are useful to readers and investors because they enhance the understanding of our historical financial performance and comparability between periods. When we provide guidance for organic change in certain measures of the statements of operations we do not provide guidance for the corresponding GAAP change, as the GAAP measure will include items that are difficult to quantify or predict with reasonable certainty, such as foreign exchange, which could have a significant impact to our GAAP income statement measures.
Definitions
Aggregations.
From time to time, to explain our results of operations or to highlight trends and uncertainties affecting our business, we aggregate markets according to stage of economic development as defined by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and we aggregate brands by beverage alcohol category. Below, we define the geographic and brand aggregations used in this report.
Geographic Aggregations.
In “Results of Operations - Fiscal 2025 Year-to-Date Highlights,” we provide supplemental information for our top markets ranked by percentage of net sales. In addition to markets listed by country name, we include the following aggregations:
•**“Developed International” markets are “advanced economies” as defined by the IMF, excluding the United States. Our top developed international markets were Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Spain. This aggregation represents our net sales of branded products to these markets.
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“Spain” includes Spain and certain other surrounding territories.
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“Emerging” markets are “emerging and developing economies” as defined by the IMF. Our top emerging markets were Mexico, Poland, and Brazil. This aggregation represents our net sales of branded products to these markets.
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“Brazil” includes Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and certain other surrounding territories.
•**“Travel Retail” represents our net sales of branded products to global duty-free customers, other travel retail customers, and the U.S. military, regardless of customer location.
•**“Non-branded and bulk” includes net sales of used barrels, contract bottling services, and non-branded bulk whiskey, regardless of customer location.
Brand Aggregations.
In “Results of Operations - Fiscal 2025 Year-to-Date Highlights,” we provide supplemental information for our top brands ranked by percentage of net sales. In addition to brands listed by name, we include the following aggregations outlined below.
Beginning in fiscal 2025, we aggregated the “Wine” and “Vodka” product categories with “Rest of Portfolio,” due to the divestitures of Sonoma-Cutrer and Finlandia. Please refer to the new definition of "Rest of Portfolio” for more information. The fiscal 2024 "Rest of Portfolio" amounts have been adjusted accordingly for comparison purposes.
•**“Whiskey” includes all whiskey spirits and whiskey-based flavored liqueurs. The brands included in this category are the Jack Daniel’s family of brands (excluding the “Ready-to-Drink” products defined below), the Woodford Reserve family of brands (Woodford Reserve), the Old Forester family of brands (Old Forester), The Glendronach, Glenglassaugh, Benriach, Slane Irish Whiskey, and Coopers’ Craft.
•**“American whiskey” includes the Jack Daniel’s family of brands (excluding the “Ready-to-Drink” products defined below), Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, and Coopers’ Craft.
•**“Super-premium American whiskey” includes Woodford Reserve, Gentleman Jack, and other super-premium Jack Daniel's expressions.
•**“Ready-to-Drink” includes all ready-to-drink (RTD) and ready-to-pour (RTP) products. The brands included in this category are Jack Daniel’s RTD and RTP products (JD RTD/RTP), New Mix, and other RTD/RTP products.
•**“Jack Daniel’s RTD/RTP” products include all RTD line extensions of Jack Daniel’s, such as Jack Daniel’s & Cola, Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD, Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails, Jack Daniel’s Double Jack, and other malt- and spirit-based Jack Daniel’s RTDs, along with Jack Daniel’s Winter Jack RTP.
- “Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD” includes all Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD products and Jack Daniel’s bulk whiskey shipments for the production of these products.
•**“Tequila” includes el Jimador, the Herradura family of brands (Herradura), and other tequilas.
- “Rest of Portfolio” includes Sonoma-Cutrer (which was divested on April 30, 2024), Korbel California Champagnes, Diplomático, Gin Mare, Chambord, Finlandia Vodka (which was divested on November 1, 2023), Fords Gin, Korbel Brandy, and other agency brands (brands we do not own, but sell in certain markets).
•**“Non-branded and bulk” includes net sales of used barrels, contract bottling services, and non-branded bulk whiskey and wine.
- “Jack Daniel’s family of brands” includes Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey (JDTW), JD RTD/RTP, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey (JDTH), Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple (JDTA), Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire (JDTF), Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Collection (JDSB), Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye Whiskey (JDTR), Jack Daniel’s Triple Mash Blended Straight Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Bottled-in-Bond, Jack Daniel’s American Single Malt, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year Old, Jack Daniel’s 10 Year Old, and other Jack Daniel’s expressions.
Other Metrics.
- “Shipments.” We generally record revenues when we ship or deliver our products to our customers. In this report, unless otherwise specified, we refer to shipments when discussing volume.
•**“Depletions.” This metric is commonly used in the beverage alcohol industry to describe volume. Depending on the context, depletions usually means either (a) where Brown-Forman is the distributor, shipments directly to retail or wholesale customers or (b) where Brown-Forman is not the distributor, shipments from distributor customers to retailers and wholesalers. We believe that depletions measure volume in a way that more closely reflects consumer demand than our shipments to distributor customers do.
- “Consumer takeaway.” When discussing trends in the market, we refer to consumer takeaway, a term commonly used in the beverage alcohol industry that refers to the purchase of product by consumers from retail outlets, including products purchased through e-commerce channels, as measured by volume or retail sales value. This information is provided by
outside parties, such as Nielsen and the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA). Our estimates of market share or changes in market share are derived from consumer takeaway data using the retail sales value metric. We believe consumer takeaway is a leading indicator of consumer demand trends.
- “Estimated net change in distributor inventories.” We generally recognize revenue when our products are shipped or delivered to customers. In the United States and certain other markets, our customers are distributors that sell downstream to retailers and consumers. We believe that our distributors’ downstream sales more closely reflect actual consumer demand than do our shipments to distributors. Our shipments increase distributors’ inventories, while distributors’ depletions (as described above) reduce their inventories. Therefore, it is possible that our shipments do not coincide with distributors’ downstream depletions and merely reflect changes in distributors’ inventories. Because changes in distributors’ inventories could affect our trends, we believe it is useful for investors to understand those changes in the context of our operating results.
We perform the following calculation to determine the “estimated net change in distributor inventories”:
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For both the current-year period and the comparable prior-year period, we calculate a “depletion-based” amount by (a) dividing the organic dollar amount (e.g. organic net sales) by the corresponding shipment volumes to arrive at a shipment per case amount, and (b) multiplying the resulting shipment per case amount by the corresponding depletion volumes. We subtract the year-over-year percentage change of the “depletion-based” amount from the year-over-year percentage change of the organic amount to calculate the “estimated net change in distributor inventories.”
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A positive difference is interpreted as a net increase in distributors’ inventories, which implies that organic trends could decrease as distributors reduce inventories; whereas, a negative difference is interpreted as a net decrease in distributors’ inventories, which implies that organic trends could increase as distributors rebuild inventories.
Important Information on Forward-Looking Statements:
This report contains statements, estimates, and projections that are “forward-looking statements” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws. Words such as “aim,” “ambition,” “anticipate,” “aspire,” “believe,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “envision,” “estimate,” “expect,” “expectation,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “pursue,” “see,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and similar words indicate forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date we make them. Except as required by law, we do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors (many beyond our control) that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:
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Our substantial dependence upon the continued growth of the Jack Daniel's family of brands
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Substantial competition from new entrants, consolidations by competitors and retailers, and other competitive activities, such as pricing actions (including price reductions, promotions, discounting, couponing, or free goods), marketing, category expansion, product introductions, or entry or expansion in our geographic markets or distribution networks
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Risks from changes to the trade policies, tariff and import and export regulations by the U.S. or foreign governments and the effectiveness of our actions to mitigate the negative impact on our margins, sales, and/or distributors
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Route-to-consumer changes that affect the timing of our sales, temporarily disrupt the marketing or sale of our products, or result in higher fixed costs
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Disruption of our distribution network or inventory fluctuations in our products by distributors, wholesalers, or retailers
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Changes in consumer preferences, consumption, or purchase patterns – particularly away from larger producers in favor of small distilleries or local producers, or away from brown spirits, our premium products, or spirits generally, and our ability to anticipate or react to them; further legalization of marijuana; bar, restaurant, travel, or other on-premise declines; shifts in demographic or health and wellness trends; or unfavorable consumer reaction to new products, line extensions, package changes, product reformulations, or other product innovation
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Production facility, aging warehouse, or supply chain disruption
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Imprecision in supply/demand forecasting
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Higher costs, lower quality, or unavailability of energy, water, raw materials, product ingredients, or labor
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Risks associated with acquisitions, dispositions, business partnerships, or investments – such as acquisition integration, termination difficulties or costs, or impairment in recorded value
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Impact of health epidemics and pandemics, and the risk of the resulting negative economic impacts and related governmental actions
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Unfavorable global or regional economic conditions and related economic slowdowns or recessions, low consumer confidence, high unemployment, weak credit or capital markets, budget deficits, burdensome government debt, austerity
measures, higher interest rates, higher taxes, political instability, higher inflation, deflation, lower returns on pension assets, or lower discount rates for pension obligations
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Product recalls or other product liability claims, product tampering, contamination, or quality issues
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Negative publicity related to our company, products, brands, marketing, executive leadership, employees, Board of Directors, family stockholders, operations, business performance, or prospects
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Failure to attract or retain key executive or employee talent
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Risks associated with being a U.S.-based company with a global business, including commercial, political, and financial risks; local labor policies and conditions; compliance with local trade practices and other regulations; terrorism, kidnapping, extortion, or other types of violence; and health pandemics
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Failure to comply with anti-corruption laws, trade sanctions and restrictions, or similar laws or regulations
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Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, particularly due to a stronger U.S. dollar
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Changes in laws, regulatory measures, or governmental policies, especially those affecting production, importation, marketing, labeling, pricing, distribution, sale, or consumption of our beverage alcohol products
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Tax rate changes (including excise, corporate, sales or value-added taxes, property taxes, payroll taxes, import and export duties, and tariffs) or changes in related reserves, changes in tax rules or accounting standards, and the unpredictability and suddenness with which they can occur
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Decline in the social acceptability of beverage alcohol in significant markets
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Significant additional labeling or warning requirements or limitations on availability of our beverage alcohol products
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Counterfeiting and inadequate protection of our intellectual property rights
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Significant legal disputes and proceedings, or government investigations
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Cyber breach or failure or corruption of our key information technology systems or those of our suppliers, customers, or direct and indirect business partners, or failure to comply with personal data protection laws
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Our status as a family “controlled company” under New York Stock Exchange rules, and our dual-class share structure
For further information on these and other risks, please see the risks and uncertainties described in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our 2024 Form 10-K, and those described from time to time in our reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Overview
Unless otherwise indicated, all related commentary is on a reported basis and is for the nine months ended January 31, 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Divestitures
During the third quarter of fiscal 2024, we sold the Finlandia vodka business for $196 million cash and entered into a TSA for this business. The absence of the brand negatively impacted our net sales and operating income for the three months and nine months ended January 31, 2025. Gross margin was positively impacted for the three months and nine months ended January 31, 2025.
During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, we sold the Sonoma-Cutrer wine business in exchange for an ownership percentage of 21.4% in Duckhorn along with $50 million cash and entered into a TSA for this business. The absence of the brand negatively impacted our net sales and operating income for the three months and nine months ended January 31, 2025. Gross margin was positively impacted for the three months ended January 31, 2025 and negatively impacted for the nine months ended January 31, 2025. On December 24, 2024, Duckhorn was acquired by Butterfly Equity and we recognized a $78 million gain on the sale of our investment in Duckhorn during the three months ended January 31, 2025. See Note 5 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.
Restructuring and other charges
During the third quarter of fiscal 2025, our Board of Directors approved a plan to reduce our structural cost base and realign resources toward future sources of growth. This included reducing the company’s workforce by approximately 12% and closing the Louisville-based Brown-Forman Cooperage. We also offered a special, one-time early retirement benefit to qualifying U.S. employees. Collectively, these actions negatively impacted our operating expenses and operating income for the three months and nine months ended January 31, 2025. See Note 6 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.
Fiscal 2025 Year-to-Date Highlights
- We delivered net sales of $3.1 billion for the nine months ended January 31, 2025, a decrease of 4%. The decrease was driven by (a) the negative effect of acquisitions and divestitures; (b) the negative effect of foreign exchange; and (c) the impact of JDCC. The decrease was partially offset by higher volumes.
**◦**From a brand perspective, net sales declines were led by the Finlandia and Sonoma-Cutrer divestitures, our Tequila portfolio, and the impact of JDCC, partially offset by growth of Woodford Reserve and the non-branded and bulk business (primarily used barrel sales).
◦From a geographic perspective, net sales declined across geographic aggregations.
*•*We delivered gross profit of $1.8 billion for the nine months ended January 31, 2025, a decrease of 6%. Gross margin decreased 1.5 percentage points to 59.4% from 60.9% in the same period last year. The decrease in gross margin was largely driven by the higher costs and the negative effect of foreign exchange, partially offset by favorable price/mix, the impact of JDCC, and the positive effect of acquisitions and divestitures.
*•*We delivered operating income of $902 million for the nine months ended January 31, 2025, a decrease of 13%, largely driven by (a) higher costs, (b) the absence of the gain on sale of the Finlandia vodka business; (c) the negative effect of foreign exchange; and (d) restructuring and other costs. The decrease was partially offset by (a) lower SG&A and advertising expenses; (b) favorable price/mix; (c) the franchise tax refund; and (d) the gain on sale of the Alabama cooperage.
- We delivered diluted earnings per share of $1.53 for the nine months ended January 31, 2025, a decrease of 4% from the $1.58 reported for the same period last year, driven primarily by the decrease in operating income, partially offset by the gain on sale of our investment in Duckhorn and the benefit of the lower effective tax rate.
| Summary of Operating Performance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Three Months Ended January 31, | Nine Months Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | 2024 | 2025 | Reported Change | Organic Change****1 | 2024 | 2025 | Reported Change | Organic Change****1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 1,069 | $ | 1,035 | (3 | %) | 6 | % | $ | 3,214 | $ | 3,081 | (4 | %) | 2 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of sales | 434 | 416 | (4 | %) | 7 | % | 1,257 | 1,251 | — | % | 6 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | 635 | 619 | (3 | %) | 5 | % | 1,957 | 1,830 | (6 | %) | (1 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Advertising | 143 | 125 | (13 | %) | (9 | %) | 414 | 377 | (9 | %) | (6 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SG&A | 203 | 178 | (13 | %) | (7 | %) | 595 | 551 | (7 | %) | (4 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Restructuring and other charges | — | 31 | nm4 | nm4 | — | 33 | nm4 | nm4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gain on sale of business | (90) | — | nm4 | nm4 | (90) | — | nm4 | nm4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other expense (income), net | 6 | 5 | nm4 | nm4 | (1) | (33) | nm4 | nm4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 373 | 280 | (25 | %) | 23 | % | 1,039 | 902 | (13 | %) | 5 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses**2 | $ | 352 | $ | 339 | (4 | %) | (9 | %) | $ | 1,008 | $ | 928 | (8 | %) | (6 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity method investment income and gain on sale | — | (81) | nm4 | nm4 | — | (83) | nm4 | nm4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As a percentage of net sales**3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | 59.4 | % | 59.8 | % | 0.4 | pp | 60.9 | % | 59.4 | % | (1.5) | pp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 34.9 | % | 27.1 | % | (7.8) | pp | 32.3 | % | 29.3 | % | (3.0) | pp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Effective tax rate | 16.5 | % | 18.7 | % | 2.2 | pp | 20.3 | % | 19.5 | % | (0.8) | pp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diluted earnings per share | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.57 | (5 | %) | $ | 1.58 | $ | 1.53 | (4 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Note: Totals may differ due to rounding |
1See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for details on our use of “organic change,” including how we calculate these measures and why we believe this information is useful to readers.
2Operating expenses include advertising expense, SG&A expense, restructuring and other charges, and other expense (income), net.
3Year-over-year changes in percentages are reported in percentage points (pp).
4Percentage change is not meaningful.
Results of Operations – Fiscal 2025 Year-to-Date Highlights
Market Highlights
The following table provides supplemental information for our largest markets. We discuss results of the markets most affecting our performance below the table. Unless otherwise indicated, all related commentary is on a reported basis and is for the nine months ended January 31, 2025 compared to the same period last year.
| Top Markets | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Nine months ended January 31, 2025 | Net Sales % Change vs. Prior Year Period | |||||||||||||||||||
| Geographic area****1 | Reported | Acquisitions and Divestitures | JDCC****2 | Foreign Exchange | Organic****3 | |||||||||||||||
| United States | (5 | %) | 3 | % | 2 | % | — | % | (1 | %) | ||||||||||
| Developed International | (5 | %) | 2 | % | — | % | 2 | % | (1 | %) | ||||||||||
| Germany | (6 | %) | — | % | — | % | 1 | % | (4 | %) | ||||||||||
| Australia | (1 | %) | 1 | % | — | % | 2 | % | 1 | % | ||||||||||
| United Kingdom | (5 | %) | — | % | — | % | — | % | (5 | %) | ||||||||||
| France | (3 | %) | — | % | — | % | 2 | % | (2 | %) | ||||||||||
| Canada | (6 | %) | 5 | % | — | % | 2 | % | 2 | % | ||||||||||
| Spain | (9 | %) | 1 | % | — | % | 1 | % | (7 | %) | ||||||||||
| Rest of Developed International | (6 | %) | 7 | % | — | % | 3 | % | 5 | % | ||||||||||
| Emerging | (4 | %) | 6 | % | — | % | 6 | % | 8 | % | ||||||||||
| Mexico | (9 | %) | — | % | — | % | 9 | % | — | % | ||||||||||
| Poland | (13 | %) | 24 | % | — | % | (5 | %) | 5 | % | ||||||||||
| Brazil | 6 | % | — | % | — | % | 8 | % | 14 | % | ||||||||||
| Rest of Emerging | — | % | 7 | % | — | % | 5 | % | 12 | % | ||||||||||
| Travel Retail | (5 | %) | 2 | % | — | % | 1 | % | (2 | %) | ||||||||||
| Non-branded and bulk | 38 | % | 1 | % | — | % | — | % | 39 | % | ||||||||||
| Total | (4 | %) | 3 | % | 1 | % | 2 | % | 2 | % | ||||||||||
| Note: Results may differ due to rounding |
1See “Definitions” above for definitions of market aggregations presented here.
2“JDCC” is included in “other items”. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for additional details.
3See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for details on our use of “organic change” in net sales, including how we calculate this measure and why we believe this information is useful to readers.
The United States’ net sales declined 5% driven by (a) the divestiture of Sonoma-Cutrer; (b) lower volumes of Korbel California Champagnes, JDTW, and el Jimador; and (c) the impact of JDCC. The decline was partially offset by higher volumes and favorable price/mix of Woodford Reserve. An estimated net increase in distributor inventories positively impacted net sales.
Developed International
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Germany’s net sales declined 6% driven by lower volumes of JDTW and JD RTDs, as well as the negative effect of foreign exchange. The decline was partially offset by positive contribution from Diplomático.
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Australia’s** net sales declined 1% driven by the negative effect of foreign exchange and declines of agency brands, partially offset by growth of JD RTDs and JDTW.
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The United Kingdom’s net sales declined 5% led by lower volumes of the American whiskey portfolio.
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France’s net sales decreased 3% led by declines across the Jack Daniel’s family of brands and the negative effect of foreign exchange, partially offset by positive contribution from Diplomático.
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Canada’s** net sales declined 6% driven by the divestitures of Finlandia and Sonoma-Cutrer, as well as the negative effect of foreign exchange. The decline was partially offset by growth of JD RTDs.
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Spain’s net sales declined 9% driven by lower volumes of JDTW, partially offset by positive contributions from Diplomático and Gin Mare.
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Net sales in the Rest of Developed International declined 6% driven by (a) the divestiture of Finlandia; (b) declines of the Jack Daniel’s family of brands in South Korea; (c) the absence of Glenglassaugh high-value cask sales as compared to the same prior-year period; and (d) lower volumes of The Glendronach in Taiwan. The decline was partially offset by higher volumes across our portfolio in Japan, led by JDTW, primarily due to changes in distributor ordering patterns as compared to the same prior-year period (transitioned to owned distribution in Japan on April 1, 2024).
Emerging
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Mexico’s net sales declined 9% driven by lower volumes of the Tequila portfolio and the negative effect of foreign exchange. The decline was partially offset by growth of New Mix, the distribution of new agency brands, and higher volumes of JD RTDs.
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Poland’s** net sales declined 13% driven by the divestiture of Finlandia, partially offset by growth of JDTW and the positive effect of foreign exchange.
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Brazil’s net sales increased 6% led by higher volumes of JDTW and JDTA, partially offset by the negative effect of foreign exchange.
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Net sales in the Rest of Emerging were flat as higher prices of JDTW in Türkiye and volumetric growth of JDTW in the United Arab Emirates and Sub-Saharan Africa were offset by (a) the divestiture of Finlandia; (b) the negative effect of foreign exchange (reflecting the strengthening of the dollar primarily against the Turkish lira); and (c) and lower volumes across the Jack Daniel’s family of brands in Chile. An estimated net increase in distributor inventories positively impacted net sales.
Travel Retail’s net sales declined 5% driven by lower volumes of the other super-premium Jack Daniel’s expressions, the divestiture of Finlandia, and the negative effect of foreign exchange. The decline was partially offset by growth of Diplomático.
Non-branded and bulk’s net sales increased 38% driven by higher prices for used barrels.
Brand Highlights
The following table provides supplemental information for our largest brands. We discuss results of the brands most affecting our performance below the table. Unless otherwise indicated, all related commentary is on a reported basis and is for the nine months ended January 31, 2025 compared to the same period last year.
| Major Brands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nine months ended January 31, 2025 | Net Sales % Change vs. Prior Year Period | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Product category / brand family / brand****1 | Reported | Acquisitions and Divestitures | JDCC****2 | Foreign Exchange | Organic****3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Whiskey | — | % | — | % | — | % | 1 | % | 2 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| JDTW | 1 | % | — | % | — | % | 2 | % | 2 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| JDTH | (1 | %) | — | % | — | % | 2 | % | 2 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Gentleman Jack | 2 | % | — | % | — | % | 1 | % | 3 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| JDTA | (4 | %) | — | % | — | % | 4 | % | — | % | ||||||||||||||||
| JDTF | (4 | %) | — | % | — | % | 1 | % | (3 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
| Woodford Reserve | 10 | % | — | % | — | % | — | % | 10 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Old Forester | 12 | % | — | % | — | % | — | % | 12 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Rest of Whiskey | (21 | %) | — | % | — | % | 1 | % | (20 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
| Ready-to-Drink | (4 | %) | — | % | 6 | % | 5 | % | 6 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| JD RTD/RTP | (7 | %) | — | % | 8 | % | 2 | % | 3 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| New Mix | 2 | % | — | % | — | % | 11 | % | 13 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Tequila | (15 | %) | — | % | — | % | 2 | % | (13 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
| el Jimador | (13 | %) | — | % | — | % | 1 | % | (11 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
| Herradura | (13 | %) | — | % | — | % | 2 | % | (11 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
| Rest of Portfolio | (31 | %) | 31 | % | — | % | — | % | — | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Non-branded and bulk | 38 | % | 1 | % | — | % | — | % | 39 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Note: Results may differ due to rounding |
1See “Definitions” above for definitions of brand aggregations presented here.
2“JDCC” is included in “other items”. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for additional details.
3See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for details on our use of “organic change” in net sales, including how we calculate this measure and why we believe this information is useful to readers.
Whiskey
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Net sales for JDTW increased 1% driven by higher volumes in Japan following the transition to owned-distribution and higher prices in Türkiye in response to high inflation and currency devaluation. The growth was partially offset by lower volumes in the United States. An estimated net increase in distributor inventories positively impacted net sales.
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Net sales for JDTH declined 1% driven by the negative effect of foreign exchange and lower volumes in developed international markets, partially offset by growth in emerging international markets. An estimated net increase in distributor inventories positively impacted net sales.
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Net sales for Gentleman Jack increased 2% led by higher prices in Türkiye, partially offset by the negative effect of foreign exchange. An estimated net increase in distributor inventories positively impacted net sales.
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Net sales for JDTA decreased 4% driven by South Korea and the negative effect of foreign exchange, partially offset by higher volumes in Brazil and higher prices in Türkiye.
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Woodford Reserve’s net sales increased 10% driven by higher volumes, partially reflecting an estimated net increase in distributor inventories, and favorable price/mix in the United States.
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Old Forester’s net sales increased 12% driven by favorable product mix in the United States.
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Net sales for Rest of Whiskey decreased 21% driven by the other super-premium Jack Daniel's expressions and The Glendronach, as well as the absence of Glenglassaugh high-value cask sales as compared to the same prior-year period.
Ready-to-Drink
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Net sales for the JD RTD/RTP brands declined 7% driven by the impact of JDCC, the negative effect of foreign exchange, and lower volumes in Germany. The decline was partially offset by growth of Jack Daniel’s bulk whiskey shipments for the production of Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD products along with higher volumes in the United States reflecting an estimated net increase in distributor inventories.
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New Mix net sales increased 2% driven by higher volumes, partially offset by the negative effect of foreign exchange.
Tequila
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el Jimador’s net sales declined 13% driven by lower volumes in the United States and Mexico, partially offset by higher prices in the United States.
-
Herradura’s net sales declined 13% led by lower volumes in Mexico.
Net sales for Rest of Portfolio declined 31% driven by the divestitures of Finlandia and Sonoma-Cutrer. Positive contributions from Diplomático and Gin Mare were offset by lower volumes of Korbel California Champagnes in the United States. An estimated net increase in distributor inventories positively impacted net sales.
Non-branded and bulk’s net sales increased 38% driven by higher prices for used barrels.
Year-Over-Year Period Comparisons
| Net Sales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Months | 9 Months | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Percentage change versus the prior year period ended January 31 | Volume | Price/mix | Total | Volume | Price/mix | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in reported net sales | (2 | %) | (1 | %) | (3 | %) | (8 | %) | 4 | % | (4 | %) | ||||||||||||||
| Acquisitions and divestitures | 7 | % | (2 | %) | 4 | % | 5 | % | (2 | %) | 3 | % | ||||||||||||||
| JDCC1 | 4 | % | (3 | %) | 1 | % | 5 | % | (4 | %) | 1 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Foreign exchange | — | % | 4 | % | 4 | % | — | % | 2 | % | 2 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Change in organic net sales | 8 | % | (2 | %) | 6 | % | 1 | % | — | % | 2 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Note: Results may differ due to rounding |
1“JDCC” is included in “other items”. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for additional details.
For the three months ended January 31, 2025, net sales were $1.0 billion, a decrease of $33 million, or 3%, driven by (a) the negative effect of acquisitions and divestitures; (b) the negative effect of foreign exchange; (c) unfavorable price/mix; and (d) the impact of JDCC, partially offset by higher volumes. Higher volumes were led by New Mix, JDTW, and JD RTDs. Price/mix primarily reflects a portfolio mix shift to our lower priced brands.
For the nine months ended January 31, 2025, net sales were $3.1 billion, a decrease of $133 million, or 4%, driven by (a) the negative effect of acquisitions and divestitures; (b) the negative effect of foreign exchange; and (c) the impact of JDCC, partially offset by higher volumes. Higher volumes were primarily led by New Mix and JDTW. Price/mix reflects an unfavorable portfolio mix shift offset by growth of the non-branded and bulk business (primarily used barrel sales). See “Results of Operations - Fiscal 2025 Year-to-Date Highlights” above for further details on net sales for the nine months ended January 31, 2025.
| Cost of Sales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Months | 9 Months | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Percentage change versus the prior year period ended January 31 | Volume | Cost/mix | Total | Volume | Cost/mix | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in reported cost of sales | (2 | %) | (2 | %) | (4 | %) | (8 | %) | 8 | % | — | % | ||||||||||||||
| Acquisitions and divestitures | 7 | % | 2 | % | 9 | % | 5 | % | (1 | %) | 4 | % | ||||||||||||||
| JDCC1 | 4 | % | (2 | %) | 2 | % | 5 | % | (3 | %) | 2 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Foreign exchange | — | % | 1 | % | 1 | % | — | % | — | % | — | % | ||||||||||||||
| Change in organic cost of sales | 8 | % | (2 | %) | 7 | % | 1 | % | 5 | % | 6 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Note: Results may differ due to rounding |
1“JDCC” is included in “other items”. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for additional details.
For the three months ended January 31, 2025, cost of sales were $416 million, a decrease of $17 million, or 4%, driven by (a) the positive effect of the acquisitions and divestitures; (b) the impact of JDCC; (c) a shift in portfolio mix toward our lower-cost brands; and (d) the positive effect of foreign exchange. The declines were partially offset by higher input costs, unfavorable fixed cost absorption related to decreased production levels of our full-strength portfolio, and higher volumes of New Mix and JDTW.
For the nine months ended January 31, 2025, cost of sales were $1.3 billion, a decrease of $6 million, as the positive effect of acquisitions and divestitures and the impact of JDCC were offset by higher input costs, unfavorable fixed cost absorption related to decreased production levels of our full-strength portfolio, and higher volumes of New Mix and JDTW.
| Gross Profit | ||||||||||||||
| Percentage change versus the prior year period ended January 31 | 3 Months | 9 Months | ||||||||||||
| Change in reported gross profit | (3 | %) | (6 | %) | ||||||||||
| Acquisitions and divestitures | 2 | % | 3 | % | ||||||||||
| JDCC1 | — | % | — | % | ||||||||||
| Foreign exchange | 6 | % | 3 | % | ||||||||||
| Change in organic gross profit | 5 | % | (1 | %) | ||||||||||
| Note: Results may differ due to rounding |
1“JDCC” is included in “other items”. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for additional details.
| Gross Margin | |||||||||||
| For the period ended January 31 | 3 Months | 9 Months | |||||||||
| Prior year gross margin | 59.4 | % | 60.9 | % | |||||||
| Price/mix | 1.3 | % | 1.6 | % | |||||||
| Cost | (1.6) | % | (3.2) | % | |||||||
| Acquisitions and divestitures | 1.6 | % | 0.3 | % | |||||||
| JDCC1 | 0.4 | % | 0.5 | % | |||||||
| Foreign exchange | (1.3 | %) | (0.7 | %) | |||||||
| Change in gross margin | 0.4 | % | (1.5 | %) | |||||||
| Current year gross margin | 59.8 | % | 59.4 | % | |||||||
| Note: Results may differ due to rounding | — | — | |||||||||
1“JDCC” is included in “other items”. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for additional details.
For the three months ended January 31, 2025, gross profit of $619 million decreased $16 million, or 3%, compared to the same period last year. Gross margin increased to 59.8% from 59.4% as compared to the same period last year. The increase in gross margin was largely driven by the positive effect of acquisitions and divestitures, favorable price/mix, and the impact of JDCC, partially offset by higher costs and the negative effect of foreign exchange.
For the nine months ended January 31, 2025, gross profit of $1.8 billion decreased $127 million, or 6%, compared to the same period last year. Gross margin decreased to 59.4% from 60.9% as compared to the same period last year. The decrease in gross margin was largely driven by higher costs and the negative effect of foreign exchange, partially offset by favorable price/mix, the impact of JDCC, and the positive effect of acquisitions and divestitures.
| Operating Expenses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Percentage change versus the prior year period ended January 31 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Months | Reported | Acquisitions and Divestitures | Other Items****1 | Foreign Exchange | Organic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Advertising | (13 | %) | 1 | % | — | % | 3 | % | (9 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||
| SG&A | (13 | %) | 3 | % | — | % | 3 | % | (7 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses****2 | (4 | %) | 3 | % | (9 | %) | 1 | % | (9 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 Months | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Advertising | (9 | %) | 2 | % | — | % | 1 | % | (6 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||
| SG&A | (7 | %) | 2 | % | — | % | 1 | % | (4 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses****2 | (8 | %) | 3 | % | (2 | %) | 1 | % | (6 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Note: Results may differ due to rounding |
1“Other items” includes “restructuring and other charges” and “franchise tax refund”. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for additional details.
2Total operating expenses include advertising expense, SG&A expense, restructuring and other charges, and other expense (income), net.
For the three months ended January 31, 2025, operating expenses totaled $339 million, a decrease of $13 million, or 4%, compared to the same period last year. The decrease in operating expenses was primarily driven by the decrease in SG&A and advertising expenses, the impact of of our recently divested brands, and the positive effect of foreign exchange, partially offset by restructuring and other charges.
-
Advertising expense decreased 13% for the three months ended January 31, 2025 driven by timing of lower JDTW and JDTA spend, as well as the positive effect of foreign exchange and the impact of our recently divested brands.
-
SG&A expense decreased 13% for the three months ended January 31, 2025 reflecting (a) lower compensation-and-benefit-related expenses; (b) the absence of transaction-related expenses for the recent divestitures; (c) the positive effect of foreign exchange; and (d) lower discretionary spend.
For the nine months ended January 31, 2025, operating expenses totaled $928 million, a decrease of $80 million, or 8%, compared to the same period last year. The decrease in operating expenses was primarily driven by (a) the decrease in SG&A and advertising expenses; (b) the impact of our recently divested brands; (c) the positive effect of foreign exchange; (d) the franchise tax refund; and (e) the gain on sale of the Alabama cooperage, partially offset by restructuring and other charges.
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Advertising expense decreased 9% for the nine months ended January 31, 2025 driven by (a) timing of lower JDTW and JDTA spend; (b) lower Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola RTD spend as compared to the prior-year period launch in the United States; (c) the impact of our recently divested brands; and (d) the positive effect of foreign exchange.
-
SG&A expense decreased 7% for the nine months ended January 31, 2025 driven by (a) lower compensation-and-benefit-related expenses; (b) the absence of transaction-related expenses for the recent divestitures; (c) the positive effect of foreign exchange; and (d) lower discretionary spend.
| Operating Income | |||||||||||
| Percentage change versus the prior year period ended January 31 | 3 Months | 9 Months | |||||||||
| Change in reported operating income | (25 | %) | (13 | %) | |||||||
| Acquisitions and divestitures | 24 | % | 11 | % | |||||||
| Other items1 | 11 | % | 2 | % | |||||||
| Foreign exchange | 12 | % | 4 | % | |||||||
| Change in organic operating income | 23 | % | 5 | % | |||||||
| Note: Results may differ due to rounding |
1“Other items” includes “JDCC”, “restructuring and other charges”, and“franchise tax refund”. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” above for additional details.
For the three months ended January 31, 2025, operating income totaled $280 million, a decrease of $93 million, or 25%, compared to the same period last year. Operating margin decreased 7.8 percentage points to 27.1% from 34.9% in the same period last year driven by (a) the negative effect of acquisitions and divestitures (largely due to the absence of the gain on sale of the Finlandia vodka business); (b) restructuring and other charges; (c) the negative effect of foreign exchange; and (d) higher costs. The decrease was partially offset by lower SG&A and advertising expenses along with favorable price/mix.
For the nine months ended January 31, 2025, operating income totaled $902 million, a decrease of $137 million, or 13%, compared to the same period last year. Operating margin decreased 3.0 percentage points to 29.3% from 32.3% in the same period last year driven by (a) higher costs; (b) the negative effect of acquisitions and divestitures (largely due to the absence of the gain on sale of the Finlandia vodka business); (c) the negative effect of foreign exchange; and (d) restructuring and other charges. The decrease was partially offset by (a) lower SG&A and advertising expenses; (b) favorable price/mix; (c) the franchise tax refund; and (d) the gain on sale of the Alabama cooperage.
The effective tax rate for the three months ended January 31, 2025 was 18.7% compared to 16.5% for the same period last year. The increase in our effective tax rate was driven primarily by increased unfavorable tax effects of foreign earnings, the absence of the beneficial impact of tax rate differences on the sale of the Finlandia vodka business in the prior fiscal year, and higher state taxes, partially offset by the beneficial impact of prior fiscal year true-ups recorded in the current period and the beneficial impact of a change in tax status with respect to one of our foreign subsidiaries.
The effective tax rate for the nine months ended January 31, 2025 was 19.5% compared to 20.3% for the same period last year. The decrease in our effective tax rate was primarily due to the beneficial impact of prior fiscal year true-ups recorded in the current year, partially offset by higher state taxes, the increased unfavorable tax effects of foreign earnings, and the absence of the beneficial impact of tax rate differences on the sale of the Finlandia vodka business in the prior fiscal year.
Diluted earnings per share of $0.57 for the three months ended January 31, 2025, decreased 5% from the $0.60 reported for the same period last year driven primarily by the decrease in operating income, partially offset by the gain on sale of our investment in Duckhorn. Diluted earnings per share of $1.53 for the nine months ended January 31, 2025, decreased 4% from the $1.58 reported for the same period last year driven primarily by the decrease in operating income, partially offset by the gain on sale of our investment in Duckhorn and the benefit of the lower effective tax rate.
Fiscal 2025 Outlook
Below we discuss our outlook for fiscal 2025, which reflects the trends, developments, and uncertainties (including those described above) that we expect to affect our business.
The operating environment continues to be increasingly volatile due to geopolitical uncertainties and global macroeconomic conditions. Based on the currently known factors, we anticipate a return to organic net sales and organic operating income growth for fiscal 2025. Accordingly, we reaffirm the following expectations:
-
Organic net sales growth in the 2% to 4% range.
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Organic operating income growth in the 2% to 4% range.
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Capital expenditures planned to be in the range of $180 to $190 million.
The forecasted effective tax rate range has been updated to approximately 20% to 22% from 21% to 23%.
Liquidity and Financial Condition
Liquidity. We generate strong cash flows from operations, which enable us to meet current obligations, fund capital expenditures, and return cash to our stockholders through regular dividends and, from time to time, through share repurchases and special dividends. We believe our investment-grade credit ratings (A1 by Moody’s and A- by Standard & Poor’s) provide us with financial flexibility when accessing global debt capital markets and allow us to reserve adequate debt capacity for investment opportunities and unforeseen events.
Our cash flows from operations are supplemented by our cash and cash equivalent balances, as well as access to other liquidity sources. Cash and cash equivalents were $446 million at April 30, 2024, and $599 million at January 31, 2025. As of January 31, 2025, approximately 37% of our cash and cash equivalents were held by our foreign subsidiaries whose earnings we expect to reinvest indefinitely outside of the United States. We continue to evaluate our future cash requirements and may decide to repatriate additional cash held by our foreign subsidiaries, which may require us to provide for and pay additional taxes.
We have a $900 million commercial paper program that we use, together with our cash flows from operations, to fund our short-term operational needs. See Note 8 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report for outstanding commercial paper balances, interest rates, and days to maturity at April 30, 2024, and January 31, 2025. The average balances, interest rates, and original maturities during the periods ended January 31, 2024 and 2025, are presented below.
| Three Months Average | Nine Months Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| January 31, | January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average commercial paper (par amount) | $575 | $422 | $429 | $463 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average interest rate | 5.51% | 4.80% | 5.44% | 5.16% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average days to maturity at issuance | 33 | 56 | 34 | 42 |
Our commercial paper program is supported by available commitments under our $900 million bank credit facility that expires on May 26, 2028. Although unlikely, under extreme market conditions, one or more participating banks may not be able to fund its commitments under our credit facility. To manage this counterparty credit risk, we partner with banks that have investment grade credit ratings, limit the amount of exposure we have with each bank, and monitor each bank’s financial conditions.
Our most significant short-term cash requirements relate primarily to funding our operations (such as expenditures for raw materials, production and distribution, advertising and promotion, and current taxes), repayment of our notes maturing in April 2025, dividend payments, and capital investments. We expect to meet our planned short-term liquidity needs through cash generated from operations and borrowings under our commercial paper program. If we have additional liquidity needs, we believe that we could access financing in the capital markets. Our most significant longer-term cash requirements primarily include payments related to our long-term debt, employee benefit obligations, and deferred tax liabilities.
We believe our current liquidity position, supplemented by our ability to generate positive cash flows from operations in the future, and our ample debt capacity enabled by our strong short-term and long-term credit ratings, will be sufficient to meet all of our expected future short- and long-term financial commitments.
Cash flows. Cash provided by operations of $446 million during the nine months ended January 31, 2025, increased $84 million from the same period last year, reflecting lower working capital requirements offset partially by lower earnings.
Cash provided by investing activities was $284 million during the nine months ended January 31, 2025, compared to $63 million provided by investing activities during the same period last year. The $221 million increase largely reflects (a) proceeds of $350 million from the sale of our equity method investment in Duckhorn in December 2024, (b) a $38 million increase in proceeds from other asset sales (primarily attributable to proceeds of $51 million received from the sale of our Alabama cooperage in May 2024), and (c) a $31 million decline in capital expenditures, partially offset by (d) proceeds of $194 million from our divestiture of Finlandia in November 2023.
Cash used for financing activities was $546 million during the nine months ended January 31, 2025, compared to $212 million in cash used for financing activities during the same prior-year period. The $334 million increase largely reflects a $719 million increase in net repayments of short-term borrowings, partially offset by a $400 million decline in share repurchases.
Dividends. See Note 9 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report for information about cash dividends declared per share on our Class A and Class B common stock during fiscal 2025.
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