Exchange rates, taxes hurt Molson’s profits

Article Excerpt

MOLSON COORS CANADA INC. (Toronto symbols TPX.A $89 and TPX.B $89; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 193.0 million; Market cap: $17.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.3; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.molsoncoors.com) reported that its sales fell 14.2% in the first quarter of 2015, to $700.0 million from $816.0 million a year earlier (all amounts except share prices and market cap in U.S. dollars). Earnings per share declined 16.4%, to $0.46 from $0.55. The company’s worldwide beer volumes fell 3.5% on weaker sales in North America and Europe. Currency exchange rates and higher taxes also weighed on its results. However, Molson Coors’ ongoing cost controls and international expansion—it recently acquired two breweries in India—improve its long-term prospects. The class B shareholders elect three directors, while the A shareholders elect 12. However, the class B shares are more liquid and receive the same dividend. Molson Coors B is a buy. buy…