Beverages

FX risks dilute appeal of Heineken’s Africa tipple

15 Nov 2021

The Dutch brewer is buying South Africa’s Distell for $3 bln and taking over Namibia Breweries. With modest cost savings, CEO Dolf van den Brink can make a spirited return. But he’ll have to flog more Amarula liquor beyond the continent to ease the headache of wobbly currencies.

Sweetgreen IPO is flavored with star power

10 Nov 2021

The Naomi Osaka-backed upstart touches all the food fads: online ordering and appeal to the health-and-time conscious. But it is asking for a premium valuation compared to established fast food companies like Chipotle as a result. Osaka can’t compensate for salads’ lack of spice.

Capital Calls: Couch-potato habits help Roblox

9 Nov 2021

Concise views on global finance: The video game app’s shares surged 36% on Tuesday after it said sales nearly doubled in the quarter.

Unilever’s tea makes for a tasty buyout brew

2 Nov 2021

The Dove maker is selling brands like PG Tips and Pukka, worth perhaps 4 bln pounds. Bringing sales to a proper boil could give private equity giants like Carlyle or Advent an invigorating 19% return. CEO Alan Jope’s struggling personal care lines may not hit the same sweet spot.

Coke dons extra armor in fight against Pepsi

1 Nov 2021

The soda company is leveling the playing field by buying the rest of sports drinks maker BodyArmor that it doesn’t already own for $5.6 bln. The fast-growing brand helps Coke grow in a category dominated by PepsiCo’s Gatorade, just as beverage sales are picking up again.

Capital Calls: Aussie climate plan stumbles

28 Oct 2021

Concise views on global finance: The federal government won’t sign a pledge to reduce methane emissions.

Capital Calls: McDonald’s, GM, Worldline

27 Oct 2021

Concise views on global finance: The $177 bln fast-food chain boosted sales by making it easier to get burgers and nuggets; supply shortages are exacerbating the carmaker’s heavy investment bill; shares in the French payments group tumbled despite ambitious growth targets.

Rapid grocery delivery will keep investors waiting

19 Oct 2021

Loss-making startups from Getir to Deliveroo are ferrying booze and nibbles to homes in under half an hour. Economies of scale will eventually help, although most operators will at best break even. Until delivery robots come along, shareholders will be subsidising lazy living.

Review: PepsiCo CEO memoir leaves work unfinished

8 Oct 2021

In “My Life in Full”, former boss Indra Nooyi describes fending off activists and making big acquisitions at the soda giant. She traces her path from southern India to hobnobbing with world leaders with humility. Her vision of an ethical consumer group looks far off, though.

Kweichow Moutai will take longer to sober up

16 Sep 2021

After a stock rally as fiery as its liquor, the Chinese distiller has lost some $200 bln of market value since February. The industry is facing fresh regulatory scrutiny, which could keep prices flat. A new state-picked chairman also builds a case against the top-shelf valuation.

Capital Calls: Microsoft’s buyback, Railway M&A

15 Sep 2021

Concise views on global finance: the software giant’s $60 bln stock repurchase plan is smaller than it sounds; meanwhile, a tangled takeover battle for train operator Kansas City Southern takes a messy new track.

Capital Calls: Amazon’s wage rise

14 Sep 2021

Concise views on global finance: The e-commerce giant’s salary strategy could catch on.

Capital Calls: New York City is on climate notice

2 Sep 2021

Concise views on global finance: Cities with a higher number of wealthier residents will be able to combat climate related events.

Capital Calls: Walmart plays both ends of the trade

17 Aug 2021

Concise views on the global economy: The U.S. retailer expects strong sales throughout the year despite a surge in Covid-19.

Fear of fatness fuels Pepsi’s $3.3 bln juice deal

3 Aug 2021

The maker of Mtn Dew Cake-Smash is selling seemingly healthier juices lines like Tropicana. Though he’s keeping a finger in the bottle, CEO Ramon Laguarta seems focused on flogging zero-calorie tipple to increasingly obese consumers. That’s why French LBO firm PAI got it cheap.

Capital Calls: Covid fibs, M&A flop, Hard seltzer

23 Jul 2021

Concise views on global finance: Forcing social media to take down vaccine misinformation is a good step on U.S. content rules. Meanwhile, a German real estate deal fails to get enough shareholder votes, and Boston Beer’s hard seltzer sales fizzle.

Capital Calls: Schwarzman’s double tax speak

23 Jun 2021

Concise views on global finance: The founder of Blackstone has a love-hate relationship with capital gains changes.

Capital Calls: GameStop is a SPAC now

22 Jun 2021

Concise views on global finance: The meme-stock video-game retailer has raised more cash, making it look like an overvalued cash shell.

Capital Calls: Netflix, Flackless SPAC

21 Jun 2021

Concise views on global finance: The streaming service strikes an agreement with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners; Helicopter-taxi company Blade’s phony spokesperson speaks poorly to investors.

Pizza-oven takeover may offer extra toppings

1 Jun 2021

Italy’s Ali Group is barging into America’s fast-food kitchens with gusto, throwing down $3.3 bln in cash to upset Welbilt’s agreed sale to Middleby. It’s a spicy move for an unlisted, virtually unknown family firm without fancy corporate-finance tools. And it just may work.