BUD

Anheuser-Busch InBev

Fundamental data last updated:April 13, 2026

company profile

SECTOR

Consumer Defensive

industry

Beverages - Brewers

Exchange

NYSE

County of HQ

Belgium

Next Earnings Date

05/14/26

Business Summary

Anheuser-Busch InBev generates cash by producing and distributing mass-market and premium beer brands at enormous global scale, monetizing brand equity through pricing power and distribution dominance. The model thrives on high-volume sales, tight control over production costs, and leveraging fixed infrastructure across geographies. Its moat is built on entrenched consumer habits, retailer relationships, and marketing muscle that smaller brewers cannot replicate. Cash flow stability comes from repeat purchase behavior in a defensive category, reinforced by global scale that lowers per-unit costs and protects shelf space.

VALUATION

P/E

22.3

Market Cap ($M USD)

$145,124

Forward P/E

15.7

PEG

1.9

PRICE TO SALES

2.6

PRICE TO BOOK

1.7

EV / EBITDA

13.7

5-Year Average P/E

DIVIDEND

Yield

1.70%

Annual Payout

$1.30

Payout Ratio

37.80%

Consecutive Years of Dividend Growth

3

5-Year Dividend Growth Rate

18.00%

Financial Health & Profitability

Earnings Per Share

$3.44

Next Year EPS Growth Estimate

$4.84

Next Year Revenue Growth Estimate

3.80%

Return on Equity (ROE)

4.10%

Operating Margin

26.70%

Debt-to-Equity

0.8

Piotroski F-Score

8

Altman Z-Score

1.5

Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)

5.40%%

Current Ratio

0.7

Quick Ratio

Gainseekers Quantitative Analysis

Summary

At 22.3x earnings and 15.7x forward earnings, the market is pricing BUD as a moderate-growth consumer staple, yet the 1.5 Altman Z-Score signals balance sheet fragility that does not align with a defensive multiple. A PEG Forward of 1.9 implies growth is not cheap, especially with Return on Equity at just 3.80% and Operating Margin at 4.10%, both underwhelming for a global brewer. The 15.7 Forward P/E suggests earnings expansion is expected, but with an Altman score in the distress zone and a Current Ratio of 0.7, the valuation embeds optimism that the balance sheet does not fully justify. This is not a screaming mispricing; it is a cautiously priced turnaround with financial risk embedded beneath a consumer defensive label.

AI Exposure / Tech Reliance

As a Beverages - Brewers company in the Consumer Defensive sector, BUD operates in a category that is largely insulated from AI disruption at the demand level. Technology integration will likely focus on supply chain optimization and marketing efficiency rather than core product transformation. Its resilience comes from brand power and distribution scale, not technological innovation leverage.

The Bull Case

A Piotroski F-Score of 8 signals strong operational quality and improving fundamentals, which is precisely what disciplined value and GARP investors screen for in turnaround candidates. Despite modest profitability metrics, ROIC of 5.40% and positive Operating Margin of 4.10% demonstrate the company is generating returns above zero while stabilizing operations. Institutional Ownership at 89.80% suggests sophisticated capital sees durability in the franchise, and a Forward P/E of 15.7 offers a discount to the current 22.3 multiple, implying earnings normalization ahead. With a TTM Yield of 0.8 and a Dividend 5-Year Avg (%) of 3, income investors have some baseline support, and the combination of improving quality metrics and reasonable forward valuation creates a classic “quality recovery at a fair price” setup.

The Bear Case

Debt / Equity of 26.70% combined with a Current Ratio of 0.7 and an Altman Z-Score of 1.5 is the structural red flag cluster that cannot be ignored. Profitability is thin, with Return on Equity at 3.80% and Operating Margin at 4.10%, leaving little margin for error in a rising cost or slowing demand environment. A PEG Forward of 1.9 suggests growth is not sufficiently strong to justify premium optimism, while Short % of Float at 18.00% indicates a meaningful cohort is betting against the equity. When you layer low balance sheet flexibility on top of modest returns and elevated short interest, the downside scenario becomes less about volatility and more about solvency risk compression.

Market Sentiment & Smart Money

Short Interest %

0.70%

Analyst Consensus

1.57

Average Analyst Price Target

$89.80

Institutional Ownership %

5.90%

1-Year Beta

0.23

Insider Buying % (6 Mo)

0.00%%

Distance to 52-Week High

92.90%%

Distance to 52-Week Low

132.90%%