AB InBev to Invest $300M to Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing Capabilities

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV BUD, alias AB InBev, has been keen on making investments to drive overall growth. The company has been investing in developing a diverse portfolio of global, international, and crafts and specialty premium brands in its markets.Lately, AB InBev’s American subsidiary intends to invest $300 million in its manufacturing operations in the United States in 2025. This funding will strengthen the company’s training centres and recruitment efforts to upgrade the workforce, alongside boosting local production.This investment follows the company’s nearly $2-billion investment in its U.S. facilities in almost half a decade. It is quite focused on boosting the economy and reinforcing the local communities through sustaining jobs. Last year, BUD had unveiled a $14-million investment in its Houston brewery, which is a cornerstone of its U.S. operations.Hence, the company’s investments look forward to strengthen and make advancements to its U.S. manufacturing facilities’ internal systems to boost brewery efficiency, and drive workforce and economic prosperity.More on AB InBevRecently, AB InBev reported first-quarter 2025 results. The company painted a mixed picture with robust earnings performance and soft sales results. Bottom-line growth reflected positive business momentum, owing to the strength of its diversified footprint and consumer demand for its megabrands. Megabrands revenues increased 4.4%, led by strong performance in the Corona brand.AB InBev has been keen on making investments in its portfolio over the years and rapidly growing its digital platform, including BEES and Zé Delivery. Its digital transformation initiatives have been on track, with B2B digital platforms contributing about 72% to its revenues in first-quarter 2025. Its omnichannel, direct-to-consumer ecosystem of digital and physical products generated $275 million in revenues in first-quarter 2025.BUD has been focused on expanding its Beyond Beer portfolio, which has also been aiding the top line. Notably, the Beyond Beer portfolio recorded a 16.6% revenue rise, driven by double-digit growth in key brands such as Cutwater and Nütrl in the United States, and Beats in Brazil.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchOver the past three months, BUD’s shares have gained 25.5% compared with the industry’s 18.9% growth. This current Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company’s pricing actions, ongoing premiumization and other initiatives have been yielding.3 Stocks Looking GoodNomad Foods NOMD, which manufactures frozen foods, currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.NOMD delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 5%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Nomad Foods’ current financial-year earnings per share (EPS) indicates growth of 3.1% from the year-ago number.United Natural Foods UNFI, which is a distributor of natural, organic and specialty food in the United States, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).UNFI delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 408.7%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UNFI’s current financial-year sales and EPS indicates growth of 1.9% and 485.7%, respectively, from the year-ago numbers.Utz Brands UTZ manufactures salty snacks under popular brands and has a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. UTZ delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 8.8%.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UTZ’s current financial-year sales and EPS implies growth of 1.2% and 10.4%, respectively, from the year-ago numbers.Only $1 to See All Zacks' Buys and SellsWe're not kidding.Several years ago, we shocked our members by offering them 30-day access to all our picks for the total sum of only $1. No obligation to spend another cent.Thousands have taken advantage of this opportunity. Thousands did not - they thought there must be a catch. Yes, we do have a reason. We want you to get acquainted with our portfolio services like Surprise Trader, Stocks Under $10, Technology Innovators,and more, that closed 256 positions with double- and triple-digit gains in 2024 alone.See Stocks Now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (BUD): Free Stock Analysis Report United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI): Free Stock Analysis Report Nomad Foods Limited (NOMD): Free Stock Analysis Report Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks