If beer is a source of joy, no one spreads as much joy as Belgium's Anheuser-Busch InBev. It is the world's largest brewer, with brands such as Budweiser, Corona, Michelob Ultra, and Stella Artois, and it has just posted record earnings.
Volumes were expected to decline, but instead rose by 0.8%. The positive results sent the stock price soaring by 7% on Euronext Brussels. CEO Michel Doukeris is overjoyed with the results and says in an official statement:
"Cheers to beer - the strength of the category and the consistent execution of our consumer-centric strategy drove continued momentum across our footprint."
Looking ahead, they expect to sell even more beer, as this summer's World Cup is a significant factor. The press release states, among other things:
"We are encouraged by our performance in the first quarter and, looking ahead, we are well positioned to activate the category in some of the biggest moments of celebration of the year, including the FIFA World Cup."