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BF.A vs. BUD: Brown-Forman vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev Stock Comparison

How do Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) both belong to the Beverages industry, though BF.A is classified under Distillers & Vintners while BUD falls under Brewers.

Brown-Forman (BF.A) trades as ordinary local shares, while Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD)
Profile ItemBF.ABUD
NameBrown-Forman Corporation Class A Common StockAnheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesBelgium
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupFood, Beverage & TobaccoFood, Beverage & Tobacco
GICS IndustryBeveragesBeverages
GICS Sub-IndustryDistillers & VintnersBrewers
Market Capitalization14.44 billion USD165.33 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMay 3, 1973July 1, 2009
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BF.A
BUD
GSPC
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD)
MetricBF.ABUD
Total Return (1Y)21.31%35.80%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-17.39%14.02%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-12.15%8.59%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BF.A
BUD
GSPC
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD)
MetricBF.ABUD
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)38.10%25.37%
Beta (5Y)0.260.51
Max Drawdown (5Y)-67.09%-33.13%
Avg. Volume (3M)138.95K2.32M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BF.A and BUD are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD)
MetricBF.ABUD
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.451.24
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.681.95

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Brown-Forman (BF.A) earns 18.12% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) has no ROE this period.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

18.12%

Max
32.02%
BF.A
18.12%
Q3
16.61%
Median
10.05%
Q1
4.10%
Min
-10.50%

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

--

Max
32.02%
Q3
16.61%
Median
10.05%
Q1
4.10%
Min
-10.50%
BUD
--
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): BUD does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; BF.A is benchmarked against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Brown-Forman (BF.A) at 18.42% and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at 15.42% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

18.42%

Max
24.83%
BF.A
18.42%
Q3
11.22%
Median
5.94%
Q1
2.05%
Min
-11.49%

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

15.42%

Max
24.83%
BUD
15.42%
Q3
11.22%
Median
5.94%
Q1
2.05%
Min
-11.49%
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their net margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Brown-Forman (BF.A) at 27.55% and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at 27.48% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

27.55%

Max
34.91%
BF.A
27.55%
Q3
17.57%
Median
11.06%
Q1
4.15%
Min
-15.06%

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

27.48%

Max
34.91%
BUD
27.48%
Q3
17.57%
Median
11.06%
Q1
4.15%
Min
-15.06%
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their operating margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD)
MetricBF.ABUD
ROE (TTM)18.12%--
ROA (TTM)8.63%--
Net Margin (TTM)18.42%15.42%
Operating Margin (TTM)27.55%27.48%
Gross Margin (TTM)60.66%56.47%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Brown-Forman (BF.A) at -1.18% and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at -0.75% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Brown-Forman (BF.A) at -16.85% and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at 16.10% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD)
MetricBF.ABUD
Revenue Growth (YoY)-1.18%-0.75%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-2.42%0.88%
EPS Growth (YoY)-16.85%16.10%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-2.09%5.22%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: Brown-Forman (BF.A) shows current ratio of 3.26 against its industry benchmark, while Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) has no reading this period.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

3.26

Max
4.01
BF.A
3.26
Q3
2.35
Median
1.53
Q1
1.02
Min
0.33

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

--

Max
4.01
Q3
2.35
Median
1.53
Q1
1.02
Min
0.33
BUD
--
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): BUD does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; BF.A is benchmarked against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Brown-Forman (BF.A) at 0.62 and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at 0.72 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

0.62

Max
2.19
Q3
1.11
Median
0.68
BF.A
0.62
Q1
0.33
Min
0.00

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

0.72

Max
2.19
Q3
1.11
BUD
0.72
Median
0.68
Q1
0.33
Min
0.00
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD)
MetricBF.ABUD
Current Ratio (MRQ)3.26--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.620.72
Net Debt / EBITDA1.803.19

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Brown-Forman (BF.A) at 2.89% and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at 1.91% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

2.89%

Max
9.38%
Q3
3.77%
BF.A
2.89%
Median
1.76%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.91%

Max
9.38%
Q3
3.77%
BUD
1.91%
Median
1.76%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Brown-Forman (BF.A) at 59.32% and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at 27.35% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

59.32%

Max
199.19%
Q3
81.03%
BF.A
59.32%
Median
41.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

27.35%

Max
199.19%
Q3
81.03%
Median
41.52%
BUD
27.35%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD)
MetricBF.ABUD
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.89%1.91%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)59.32%27.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Brown-Forman (BF.A) at 20.30 and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at 17.07 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

20.30

Max
52.52
Q3
30.78
BF.A
20.30
Median
18.76
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

17.07

Max
52.52
Q3
30.78
Median
18.76
BUD
17.07
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Brown-Forman (BF.A) at 3.69 and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at 2.58 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

3.69

Max
4.64
BF.A
3.69
Q3
2.27
Median
1.17
Q1
0.52
Min
0.00

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

2.58

Max
4.64
BUD
2.58
Q3
2.27
Median
1.17
Q1
0.52
Min
0.00
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Brown-Forman (BF.A) at 3.64 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) at 10.60 prices even higher, above its industry range.

BF.A

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

3.64

Max
6.35
BF.A
3.64
Q3
3.07
Median
1.58
Q1
0.82
Min
0.00

BUD

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

10.60

BUD
10.60
Max
6.35
Q3
3.07
Median
1.58
Q1
0.82
Min
0.00
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Brown-Forman (BF.A) vs. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Brown-Forman (BF.A) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD)
MetricBF.ABUD
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.3017.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.692.58
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.6410.60
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.75%--