Beam Reports 2012 Fourth Quarter And Full Year Results

Beam Inc. (NYSE: BEAM), a leading global premium spirits company, today reported results for the fourth quarter and full year 2012.

For the full year 2012, reported net sales increased 7% to a record $2.5 billion. Sales for the year were up 6% on a comparable basis, significantly outperforming the company’s global market. Growth of the company’s premium global Power Brands and broad-based growth across geographies fueled the full-year comparable sales performance. New product innovations, higher pricing in select categories, and trading up by consumers contributed to favorable price/mix and margin enhancement. On a reported basis (GAAP), full-year diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were $2.48 versus $0.85 in 2011. Full-year diluted EPS before charges/gains was $2.40, up 13%, exceeding the company’s 2012 target for low-double-digit growth and ahead of the company’s long-term target of high-single-digit growth. Reported earnings comparisons largely reflect the impact of costs in 2011 associated with the separation of Fortune Brands’ businesses.

For the fourth quarter, reported net sales increased 11% and net sales were up 5% on a comparable basis. Comparable sales growth reflected strong results in the core markets of the United States, Australia and Germany. Diluted EPS before charges/gains for the quarter was $0.67, down 3%, reflecting the company’s previously projected 20% increase in brand-building investment. Diluted EPS from continuing operations for the quarter was up 36% on a reported basis.

Bourbon, Premium Innovations and Pricing Benefit Q4 Results

“We closed the year with another strong sales quarter as we continued to outperform our market,” said Matt Shattock, president and chief executive officer of Beam. “We exceeded our expectations with better-than-anticipated global sales of Bourbon and higher-than-expected accretion from the Pinnacle acquisition. We also benefited from premium innovations across categories that improved product mix, as well as higher pricing in select categories. As we called out three months ago, Q4 EPS before charges/gains was modestly lower due to our substantial increase in brand investment in the quarter to support long-term growth.”

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