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Apr 30, 2020

Brown-Forman Q4 2020 Earnings Report

Brown-Forman's Q4 2020 earnings were impacted by COVID-19, leading to a sales decline.

Key Takeaways

Brown-Forman reported a 5% decrease in net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020, totaling $709 million. Diluted earnings per share also decreased by 20% to $0.27. The company's performance was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted on-premise and travel retail channels.

Net sales decreased by 5% to $709 million in Q4 2020.

Operating income decreased by 18% to $187 million.

Diluted earnings per share decreased by 20% to $0.27.

COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted results, especially in on-premise and travel retail channels.

Total Revenue
$709M
Previous year: $744M
-4.7%
EPS
$0.27
Previous year: $0.33
-18.2%
Gross Margin
63.9%
Operating Margin
26.4%
Effective Tax Rate
22.9%
Gross Profit
$453M
Previous year: $482M
-6.0%
Cash and Equivalents
$675M
Previous year: $307M
+119.9%
Free Cash Flow
$186M
Previous year: $188M
-1.1%
Total Assets
$5.77B
Previous year: $5.14B
+12.2%

Brown-Forman

Brown-Forman

Forward Guidance

Due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown-Forman is not providing quantitative guidance for fiscal year 2021. The company expects to continue funding investments and paying regular dividends.

Positive Outlook

  • Strong balance sheet
  • Solid cash flows
  • Ample liquidity
  • Attractive portfolio of brands
  • Resilient supply chain

Challenges Ahead

  • Substantial uncertainty related to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic
  • Effect on the global economy
  • Difficult to quantify or predict impact with reasonable certainty
  • Estimated net change in distributor inventories
  • Foreign exchange fluctuations