Alcohol consumption remains under pressure, with 2024/25 period sales falling nearly 2% Y/Y to $25.8B - despite an equivalent rise in price.

The main driver is per person consumption, which fell nearly 10% to eight drinks per week - with declines in all categories except for ciders and coolers…

… making the growth outlook challenging. There could be organic levers within categories though, wine in particular - which saw its first decline in imported sales on record. With every 1% increase in domestic share representing ~$75M…

… industry players like Andrew Peller (ADW) would be well-positioned if that shift were to continue, given its scale (2nd largest in Canada) and improved cost structure.

Beyond that, industry conditions could drive consolidation - which management appears to have prepared the balance sheet for

… if the right opportunity comes up. If they can execute against a tough backdrop, there could be room for multiple expansion

… with shares trading well below the long-term average valuation.

About Bullpen: Bullpen Finance Inc. publishes content on Canadian markets and provides paid research coverage of select Canadian issuers. Bullpen is paid in cash by covered issuers, does not accept stock or options, does not hold positions in covered securities, and does not conduct investment banking business. Bullpen and LodeRock Advisors Inc. are affiliated; LodeRock provides investor relations services to issuers, some of whom are covered by Bullpen Research. When a post discusses a covered issuer, a specific disclosure appears at the top of the post. This post is published for general information purposes. It is not personalized investment advice and is not tailored to any individual reader’s circumstances. Bullpen is not a registered investment adviser or dealer. For full disclosures, including analyst certification, jurisdictional statements, and conflict of interest policies, please see our Legal & Disclosures section on our website.

You might be interested in…