Heineken NV, the world’s second-largest brewer, wants to challenge leader Anheuser-Busch InBev NV in one of its key markets, and that’s going to cost the Dutch brewer some lost profit.
The operating profit margin will expand about 25 basis points in 2018, below the target it had for past years, the brewer said Monday, warning of a headwind as it integrates a business in Brazil that it bought from rival Kirin for 2.2 billion real ($666 million). The stock fell 2.2% as of 11.31 a.m. in Amsterdam.
The Dutch company became the second-largest brewer last year in South America’s largest economy, after Kirin stumbled amid competition with AB InBev. Heineken’s namesake brand had double-digit volume growth in Brazil in 2017, which is improving after a slump caused by a currency devaluation and political upheaval.
The integration is progressing “very well” and the dilutive impact on profit is less than the company first expected, chief financial officer Laurence Debroux said on a call with reporters. Heineken will give a long-term forecast for profit growth next year, she said, as the company moves past an earlier guidance set in 2014 for 40 basis points of annual margin expansion.
Heineken still expects underlying margin improvement in the “ballpark” of the past two to three years, Debroux said on a call with analysts.
Rising bond yields could weigh on M&A valuations, Debroux also said.
Targeted Acquisitions
“We grow through targeted acquisitions in countries where we’re not, or where we think we’ll add some power,” the CFO said on Bloomberg TV. The company has acquired California-based Lagunitas Brewing Co. and a stake in London’s Brixton Brewery, as well as South African brewer Stellenbrau.
Major beermakers including AB InBev have been snapping up craft brewers as growth of their mainstream brands slows. Constellation Brands, Inc. paid $1 billion for Ballast Point Brewing Co. in 2015 and entered the cannabis market with a minority stake in Canada’s Canopy Growth Corp. last year.
Asked in the Bloomberg TV interview on whether Heineken is thinking about investing in the marijuana business, Debroux said, “I’m going to be clear: no. It’s a situation that, of course, we’re looking at, and that we’ve had a number of questions about, with marijuana becoming legalised in a number of states in the US.”
The CFO said, “It’s too early. We don’t see any impact right now.”
Revenue rose by 5% on a so-called 'organic' basis in 2017, the company said. Analysts expected 5.7% growth. Volume growth was led by Asia Pacific, where Vietnam is one of Heineken’s largest markets.
Adjusted operating profit rose by 9.3% on an organic basis, to €3.76 billion ($4.6 billion), beating the consensus estimate of €3.65 billion.
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