EX-99 2 d916249dex99.htm EX-99 EX-99

Exhibit 99

 

Investor Relations Contact:

Media Contact:

Jennifer Larson

Jessica Paar

(617) 368-5152

(617) 368-5060

BOSTON BEER REPORTS

FIRST QUARTER 2015 RESULTS

BOSTON, MA (4/29/15) — The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM) reported first quarter 2015 net revenue of $199.5 million, an increase of $15.7 million, or 8.5%, over the same period last year, mainly due to core shipment growth of 6%. Net income for the first quarter was $13.7 million, or $1.00 per diluted share, an increase of $5.4 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, from the first quarter of 2014. This increase was primarily due to shipment increases and slightly improved gross margins.

Highlights of this release include:

 

    Depletions for the 13 week period ending March 28, 2015 grew by 8% from the comparable 13 week period ending March 29, 2014 and full year estimated depletion growth remains unchanged at between 8% and 12%.

 

    The Company achieved price increases of approximately 2% during the quarter.

 

    First quarter gross margin was 50%, the Company maintains its full year gross margin target of between 51% and 53%.

 

    Advertising, promotional and selling expense decreased by $1.0 million or 2% in the quarter primarily due to the timing of spend related to new product launches during the first quarter of 2014.

 

    Estimated full year 2015 earnings per diluted share at $7.10 to $7.50 remain unchanged.

 

    Estimated full year 2015 capital spending remains unchanged at between $80 million to $110 million.

Jim Koch, Chairman and Founder of the Company, commented, “I am proud that we continue to lead the craft industry in both innovation and variety. In the first quarter, our spring seasonal, Samuel Adams Cold Snap, a unique and approachable white ale brewed with a blend of exotic spices was well received by drinkers, retailers and distributors. Late in the first quarter, we had a smooth transition from Cold Snap to our Summer Seasonal, Samuel Adams Summer Ale, which is now in its twentieth year and still the leading Summer Seasonal beer in the craft industry. During the quarter, we rolled out our new session IPA, Samuel Adams Rebel Rider IPA, and our new double IPA, Samuel Adams Rebel Rouser IPA which complement our Samuel Adams Rebel IPA, a West Coast style IPA brewed with hops from the Pacific Northwest. Rebel continues to receive great support from distributors and on and off-premise retailers. We are pleased with the health of our brand portfolio and remain positive about the future of craft beer.”

Martin Roper, the Company’s President and CEO stated; “We are pleased with the start of the year and the continued growth of our business. In the first quarter, our depletions growth of 8% benefited from strength in our Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea and Traveler


brands that offset slight declines in some of our Samuel Adams styles, as the comparables were tough due to our 30th Anniversary celebration, the rollout of Samuel Adams Rebel IPA, and the launch of Samuel Adams Cold Snap all in the first quarter last year. We continue to invest in our brands and in new opportunities such as Traveler, and we will increase investments in advertising, promotional and selling expenses commensurate with the opportunities and the increased competition that we see. Our national rollout of our Traveler brand is currently in progress and supported by national media. Thus far, the rollout is being well supported by distributors, retailers and drinkers, but it is too early to tell how successful the rollout may be. We will continue to look for complementary opportunities to leverage our capabilities, provided that they do not distract us from our primary focus on our Samuel Adams brand.”

Mr. Roper went on to say, “Our supply chain focus for the year continues to be taking greater advantage of our increased capacity through improved training, stable scheduling, and operating efficiency and reliability improvements. We will continue to make supply chain improvements intended to improve the freshness of our beers and enhance our customer service. Our sales focus for 2015 is to ensure successful second year growth of our 2014 launches and to support the national launch of our Traveler brand. Looking forward, we expect to maintain a high level of brand investment, as we pursue sustainable growth and innovation. We remain prepared to forsake the earnings that may be lost as a result of these investments in the short term, as we pursue long term profitable growth.”

1st Quarter 2015 Summary of Results

Depletions grew 8% from the comparable 13-week period in 2014, primarily due to depletion increases across our Angry Orchard®, Twisted Tea® and Traveler® brands, partially offset by slight declines in our Samuel Adams® brand.

Core shipment volume was approximately 885,000 barrels, a 6% increase compared to the first quarter of 2014.

The Company believes distributor inventory at March 28, 2015 was at an appropriate level. Inventory at distributors participating in the Freshest Beer Program at March 28, 2015 decreased slightly in terms of days of inventory on hand when compared to March 29, 2014. The Company has over 68% of its volume on the Freshest Beer Program and it believes participation in the Program could reach between 72% and 78% of its volume by the end of 2015.

Gross margin increased to 50% compared to 49% in the first quarter of 2014. The margin increase was a result of price increases partially offset by product mix effects.

Advertising, promotional and selling expenses decreased $1.0 million compared to the first quarter of 2014. The decrease resulted primarily from decreases in point of sale and local marketing due to the timing of new product launches that were only partially offset by increased investments in media advertising and higher costs of freight to distributors attributable to higher volumes.


General and administrative expenses increased by $1.3 million over the first quarter of 2014, primarily due to increases in salary costs.

The Company expects that its March 28, 2015 cash balance of $122.2 million, together with its future operating cash flows and its available $150.0 million line of credit, will be sufficient to fund future cash requirements.

During the first quarter and the period from March 29, 2015 through April 24, 2015, the Company repurchased approximately 53,000 shares of its Class A Common Stock for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $14.3 million. As of April 24, 2015 the Company had approximately $28.3 million remaining on the $350.0 million share buyback expenditure limit set by the Board of Directors.

Depletion estimates

Year-to-date depletions through the 16 weeks ended April 18, 2015 are estimated by the Company to be up approximately 8% from the comparable period in 2014.

Fiscal 2015 Outlook

The Company has left unchanged its projected 2015 earnings per diluted share of between $7.10 and $7.50. The Company’s actual 2015 earnings per share could vary significantly from the current projection. Underlying the Company’s current projection are the following estimates and targets:

 

    Depletions and shipments percentage growth of between 8% and 12%.

 

    National price increases of between 1% and 2%.

 

    Gross margin of between 51% and 53%.

 

    Increased investment in advertising, promotional and selling expenses of between $25 million and $35 million. This does not include any increases in freight costs for the shipment of products to the Company’s distributors.

 

    Increased expenditures of between $10 million to $15 million for continued investment in Traveler and other existing brands developed by Alchemy & Science brands, which are included in the full-year estimated increases in advertising, promotional and selling expenses. These estimates could change significantly and 2015 volume from these brands is unlikely to cover these and other potential Alchemy & Science brand investments.

 

    Effective tax rate of approximately 38% based upon current tax laws and underlying regulations.

 

    Estimated capital spending of between $80 million and $110 million, which could be higher, depending on capital required to meet future growth. These estimates include capital investments for existing Alchemy & Science projects of between $3 million and $5 million.


About the Company

The Boston Beer Company began in 1984 with a generations-old family recipe that Founder and Brewer Jim Koch uncovered in his father’s attic. Inspired and unafraid to challenge conventional thinking about beer, Jim brought the recipe to life in his kitchen. Pleased with the results of his work, Jim decided to sample his beer with bars in Boston in the hopes that drinkers would appreciate the complex, full-flavored beer he brewed fresh in America. That beer was aptly named Samuel Adams Boston Lager®, in recognition of one of our nation’s great founding fathers, a man of independent mind and spirit. Little did Jim know at the time, Samuel Adams Boston Lager would soon become a catalyst of the American craft beer revolution.

Today, The Boston Beer Company brews more than 60 styles of beer. It relentlessly pursues the development of new styles and the perfection of classic beers by searching the world for the finest ingredients. Using the traditional four vessel brewing process, the Company often takes extra steps like dry-hopping, barrel-aging and a secondary fermentation known as krausening. The Company has also pioneered another revolution, the ‘extreme beer’ movement, where it seeks to challenge drinker’s perceptions of what beer can be. The Boston Beer Company has been committed to elevating the image of American craft beer by entering festivals and competitions around the globe, and is one of world’s most awarded breweries at international beer competitions. As an independent company, brewing quality beer remains its single focus. Although Boston Beer Company is America’s largest-selling craft brewer, its Samuel Adams beers account for only a little over one percent of the U.S. beer market. The Boston Beer Company will continue its independently-minded quest to brew great beer and to advocate for the growth of craft beer across America. In addition to Samuel Adams beers and the other craft brands brewed by Alchemy & Science, its craft brew incubator, the Company’s brands include Twisted Tea® and Angry Orchard® hard cider. For more information, please visit www.samueladams.com, www.twistedtea.com, www.angryorchard.com, and www.alchemyandscience.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this press release that state the Company’s or management’s intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements. It is important to note that the Company’s actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained from time to time in the Company’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, the Company’s report on Form 10-K for the years ended December 27, 2014 and December 28, 2013. Copies of these documents may be found on the Company’s website, www.bostonbeer.com, or obtained by contacting the Company or the SEC.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015


THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

 

     Thirteen weeks ended  
     March 28,
2015
    March 29,
2014
 

Barrels sold

     889        838   

Revenue

   $ 212,834      $ 197,370   

Less excise taxes

     13,331        13,525   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net revenue

  199,503      183,845   

Cost of goods sold

  99,888      93,326   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

  99,615      90,519   

Operating expenses:

Advertising, promotional and selling expenses

  60,247      61,257   

General and administrative expenses

  17,230      15,871   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

  77,477      77,128   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income

  22,138      13,391   

Other expense, net:

Interest expense

  (3   (4

Other expense, net

  (325   (136
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense, net

  (328   (140
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income before income tax provision

  21,810      13,251   

Provision for income taxes

  8,067      4,936   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income

$ 13,743    $ 8,315   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income per common share - basic

$ 1.04    $ 0.64   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income per common share - diluted

$ 1.00    $ 0.62   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted-average number of common shares - Class A basic

  9,598      8,999   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted-average number of common shares - Class B basic

  3,617      3,905   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted-average number of common shares - diluted

  13,633      13,435   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income, net of tax:

Foreign currency translation adjustment

  6      —     

Comprehensive income

$ 13,749    $ 8,315   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 


THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share data)

(unaudited)

 

     March 28,
2015
    December 27,
2014
 
Assets     

Current Assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 122,156      $ 76,402   

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $102 and $144 as of March 28, 2015 and December 27, 2014, respectively

     44,346        36,860   

Inventories

     55,796        51,307   

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     10,428        12,887   

Income tax receivable

     8,996        21,321   

Deferred income taxes

     8,685        8,685   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

  250,407      207,462   

Property, plant and equipment, net

  391,366      381,569   

Other assets

  10,168      12,447   

Goodwill

  3,683      3,683   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

$ 655,624    $ 605,161   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

Current Liabilities:

Accounts payable

$ 39,361    $ 35,576   

Current portion of debt and capital lease obligations

  58      55   

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

  62,638      74,539   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

  102,057      110,170   

Deferred income taxes

  50,712      50,717   

Debt and capital lease obligations, less current portion

  471      528   

Other liabilities

  7,265      7,606   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

  160,505      169,021   

Commitments and Contingencies

Stockholders’ Equity:

Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value; 22,700,000 shares authorized; 9,677,950 and 9,452,375 issued and outstanding as of March 28, 2015 and December 27, 2014, respectively

  97      95   

Class B Common Stock, $.01 par value; 4,200,000 shares authorized; 3,617,355 issued and outstanding as of March 28, 2015 and December 27, 2014

  36      36   

Additional paid-in capital

  279,627      224,909   

Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax

  (1,127   (1,133

Retained earnings

  216,486      212,233   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

  495,119      436,140   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$ 655,624    $ 605,161   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 


THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASHFLOWS

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     Thirteen weeks ended  
     March 28,
2015
    March 29,
2014
 

Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:

    

Net income

   $ 13,743      $ 8,315   

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:

    

Depreciation and amortization

     10,312        7,195   

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment

     335        —     

Bad debt (recovery) expense

     (42     175   

Stock-based compensation expense

     1,621        1,936   

Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation arrangements

     (12,538     (8,060

Deferred income taxes

     (5     (97

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Accounts receivable

     (7,444     (4,141

Inventories

     (4,489     (4,610

Prepaid expenses, income tax receivable and other assets

     29,535        (5,869

Accounts payable

     2,138        (1,011

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     (12,108     (2,740

Other liabilities

     167        97   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

  21,225      (8,810
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows used in investing activities:

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

  (18,688   (44,170

Cash paid for other intangible assets

  (100   —     

Decrease in restricted cash

  57      55   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

  (18,731   (44,115
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows provided by financing activities:

Repurchase of Class A Common Stock

  (9,490   —     

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

  39,745      22,996   

Cash paid on note payable

  (54   (53

Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation arrangements

  12,538      8,060   

Net proceeds from sale of investment shares

  521      374   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

  43,260      31,377   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Change in cash and cash equivalents

  45,754      (21,548

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

  76,402      49,524   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$ 122,156    $ 27,976   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:

Income taxes paid

$ 417    $ 1,951   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Increase in accounts payable for purchase of property, plant and equipment

$ 1,647    $ 5,492   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Copies of The Boston Beer Company’s press releases, including quarterly financial results, are available on the Internet at www.bostonbeer.com