There is a substantial amount of evidence that suggests that any alcohol consumption, however moderate, can have negative health consequences. Even low levels of drinking can increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and even certain types of cancer. Understanding that there is no such thing as risk-free drinking, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines moderate drinking as 2 drinks or less per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women. Still, despite the well-publicized health risks, more than two-thirds of adult drinkers regularly exceed those levels.
In 2019, the global alcohol consumption, measured in liters of pure alcohol per person of 15 years of age or older, was 5.5 liters, which is a 4.7% relative decrease from 5.7 liters in 2010. As we mentioned in our article – 20 Countries with the Highest Alcohol Consumption per Capita in 2024 – the global alcoholic beverages market size was valued at $1.62 trillion in 2021 and is projected to reach $2 trillion by 2031, with a CAGR of 2.2% during the forecast period.
The market is likely to be driven by the increasing global young-adult demographic, coupled with high disposable income and consumer demand for premium/super-premium products. Globally, beer drives the market for alcoholic beverages. Regionally, North America and Asia-Pacific are expected to dominate the market during the forecast period.
The American Liquor Market:
The American liquor industry is overcoming economic headwinds to meet changing consumer preferences as it chips away at the dominance of beer. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the spirits revenue market share grew from 28.7% in 2000 to 42.1% in 2022, while beer held a 41.9% market share that year. Thus, in 2022, the spirits industry surpassed beer in revenue for the first time ever. The trend continued in 2023 when the spirits market share again totaled more than 42%. The spirits supplier sales in the United States totaled $37.7 billion last year, while volumes rose 1.2% to 308.8 million 9-liter cases.
The rise to the top for spirit-makers is fueled in part by the resurgent cocktail culture, including the growing popularity of ready-to-drink concoctions, as well as strong growth in the tequila and American whiskey segments.
The Financial Impact of Alcohol in America:
As stated in our article – 20 Drunkest States in the US – booze plays an enormous role in the American economy. As of 2021, the total share of the beverage alcohol market in the U.S. represented almost $250 billion and over 3.4 billion cases sold. Beer/FMB/hard seltzer accounted for 43.5% of value share, followed closely by spirits at 39.5%, and wine at a 17% share.
The U.S. alcohol beverage industry is responsible for sustaining more than 4 million jobs and generating almost $70 billion in annual tax revenue. And that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the economic benefits the industry provides to late-night restaurants and pizza shops. According to the Beer Institute, the beer industry alone supports 1.75 million jobs. From the farmers harvesting the barley in your beer, to the beer truck driver, to your local bartender, every aspect of your drink exists because of someone in the alcohol industry working hard behind the scenes.
However, there’s obviously also a downside to the heavy alcohol consumption in America. According to the CDC, excessive drinking costs the country around $249 billion annually, when combining healthcare expenditures, lost earnings and productivity, criminal justice implications, vehicle crashes, property damage, and more. The federal government picks up roughly $100 billion of the tab, largely through Medicare and Medicaid payments. Several evidence-based strategies can help reduce excessive drinking, including increasing alcohol excise taxes, limiting alcohol outlet density, and commercial host liability.
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Is Ambev S.A. (ABEV) The Best Alcohol Stock To Own According to Hedge Funds?
A close-up on several cans of freshly brewed beer in a commercial brewery.
Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV), formally Companhia de Bebidas das Américas, is a Brazilian brewing company that has now merged with Anheuser-Busch InBev. It offers beer under several brand names such as Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, etc. It is the largest beverage firm in Brazil with a well-established presence in the country and also enjoys a footprint in other Latin American nations and non-alcoholic goods.
The São Paulo-based company reported a revenue of around $3.6 billion in Q2 of 2024, up 6.5% from the same quarter last year, thanks to a growth in volume in Brazil and CAC. One of its core premium brands, Spaten, is one of the fastest-growing beers in the Brazilian market, with Corona and Budweiser also gaining significant ground.
Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) boasts a 60% share in the Brazilian beer market and has almost doubled its revenue in the local currency in the last ten years, from around R$37 billion to almost R$80 billion, despite the intense competition from the likes of Heineken N.V. However, its over-reliance on the Brazilian market and beer losing its share to spirits internationally could also prove to be risky.
The shares of Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) were held by 18 hedge funds at the end of Q2 2024 in the Insider Monkey database, 4 more than the previous quarter. The largest stake of over 310 million shares was held by First Eagle Investment Management, valued at around $635.8 million.
Overall ABEV ranks 8th on our list of the best alcohol stocks to own according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the potential of ABEV as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ABEV but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
