Brown Forman's Competitiveness
A competitive positioning analysis and financial ratio benchmarking of Brown Forman (BFA) against its publicly traded competitors: sales growth, net income, profitability, valuation and market share, plus each peer's market capitalization, revenue, income and employees. Free below: the top 5 peers. Subscriber access adds the full competitor list and CSV downloads.
Key Findings: Brown Forman vs Its Competitors
- TTM: Trailing 12-month revenue of 5,201M vs 57,951M combined for its competitors (8.2% combined share).
- Trending: Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is accelerating (+60.9% annualized vs trailing 12 months), vs accelerating (+48.3%) for its tracked peer group.
- Growth: Brown Forman generated 155.4% revenue growth year over year in Q1 2026, vs 92.5% for its competitors combined.
- Profitability: Its 8.4% net margin compares with 15.2% for the peer group.
- Peer revenue share: Brown Forman accounted for 8.9% of combined revenue among its tracked peer group, up from 6.8% a year earlier.
- Peer differentiation: Revenue per employee of $1.06M compares with $0.70M for the peer group (1.5x).
Every figure above is sourced and cited in detail further down this page (Market Structure, Profitability & Cost Structure, Productivity vs Peers).
BFA Sales vs. its Competitors, Q1 2026
Brown Forman reported revenue growth of 155.43 % year on year in Q1 2026, above its competitors' combined revenue growth of 92.47 %.
With a net margin of 8.41 %, Brown Forman reported lower profitability than its competitors (15.19 %).
Brown Forman generated 8.87 % of the combined sales of its peer group, up from 6.84 % a year earlier.
API endpoints for this dataset
Brown Forman vs. its Competitors, Q1 2026
Revenue growth, year on year
Net income growth, year on year
Net margin
Revenue run-rate vs trailing 12 months
TTM net margin
TTM = trailing twelve months. Run-rate annualizes the latest quarter (×4) and compares it to TTM. In millions of $. High-Confidence Competitors are named as a competitor directly in Brown Forman reports; Similar-Size Competitors are the closest peers by market-cap rank within the same industry; Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors are the closest peers by combined revenue growth, operating margin and ROIC, all independent of the competitor list.
TTM revenue, latest-quarter run-rate and net income/margin benchmarked across Brown Forman and its 4 competitor groupings. Available under Commercial License.
| Entity | TTM Revenue | Rev Run-rate vs TTM |
|---|---|---|
| Brown forman Corporation | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Competitors combined | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| High-Confidence Competitors (2) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Similar Growth & Profitability (8) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
TTM revenue, run-rate and net margin benchmarking across Brown Forman's competitor groups requires a Commercial License.
For context: the Nonalcoholic Beverages industry grew revenue 8.1% year over year, combined, vs 155.4% for Brown Forman. Brown Forman's share of combined industry revenue moved from 0.45% to 1.07%, a gain of 0.61 percentage points.
Brown Forman's Competitor Quality Breadth
Group definitions: see Methodology: Performance Group Definitions.
| Entity | Profitable | Expanding | Above Industry Growth | Distressed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown forman Corporation | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Competitors combined (13) | ||||
| High-Confidence Competitors (4) | ||||
| Similar Growth & Profitability (8) | 87.50 % (7 of 8) | 100.00 % (8 of 8) | 100.00 % (8 of 8) | 12.50 % (1 of 8) |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Altman Z-Score is not shown here: it is not populated in the underlying data for any company. Percentages are of companies in each group that report the relevant metric, not of the full group size.
BFA Stock Performance relative to its Competitors
BFA Stock Performance relative to High-Confidence Competitors
BFA Stock Performance relative to Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors
5 Best-Performing Tracked Competitors, Trailing 12 Months
| # | Competitor | TTM Share Price Return | vs U.S.A. 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anheuser busch Inbev Sa | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 2 | Altria Group Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 3 | Beam Therapeutics Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 4 | Constellation Brands Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 5 | Diageo Plc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
TTM share price return and U.S.A. 500 outperformance for Brown Forman's best-performing competitors requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months.
Brown Forman's Comment on Competition and Industry Peers
Publicly Traded Peers of Brown forman Corporation
Revenue and income for trailing 12 months, in millions of $, except employees| Company | Market Cap | Revenues |
|---|---|---|
 Brown forman Corporation |
14,461.03 | 5,201.00 |
 Diageo Plc |
222,265.28 | 27,964.00 |
 Anheuser busch Inbev Sa |
150,892.91 | 59,320.00 |
 Altria Group Inc |
127,027.59 | 20,817.00 |
 Molson Coors Beverage Company |
7,569.94 | 11,079.90 |
 Seaboard Corporation |
3,379.25 | 10,503.00 |
| SUBTOTAL | 531,092.19 | 154,660.89 |
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Sources: see Methodology: Peer & Competitor Identification, Sourcing.
Updated on:
Focus of this report: publicly traded companies. Ten additional tables on Brown forman Corporation versus competitors, including market share analysis, are in the navigation menu under Competition. To download the tables, please subscribe.
Brown Forman's Competitors Named by the Company
Competitive relationships identified from Brown Forman reports and corroborating sources, each with a basis and confidence.| Competitor | Basis | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Constellation Brands Inc | Company report | 85% |
| The Duckhorn Portfolio Inc | Company report | 85% |
| EAST | Company report | 85% |
| Beeline Holdings Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Pacific Ventures Group Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Diageo Plc | Company report | 85% |
| Crimson Wine Group Ltd | Company report | 85% |
| The Boston Beer Company Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Mgp Ingredients Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Molson Coors Beverage Company | Company report | 85% |
| Altria Group Inc | Company report | 85% |
Company report basis, confidence, active dates and source counts for Brown Forman's named competitors require a Commercial License.
Methodology: see Methodology: Peer & Competitor Identification, Sourcing.
Brown Forman's Business Segment Mix vs Peers
Revenue by operating segment or division, as named and reported by each company. Segment names are the filer's own and are not standardized across companies. Do not assume a same-named or similarly-named segment is defined identically between two companies. Shares are of each company's own total revenue and are not required to sum to 100% (intersegment revenue, unallocated items).| Company | Largest Segment |
|---|---|
| Altria Group Inc | Smokeable Products 88.58 % |
| Molson Coors Beverage Company | Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific 36.11 % |
| Seaboard Corporation | Commodity Trading and Milling 54.17 % |
| The Boston Beer Company Inc | Single Reportable Segment 100.00 % |
| Mgp Ingredients Inc | Branded Spirits 49.36 % |
Source: operating segment revenue as reported in each company's reports (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API, leaf-level reportable segments only (parent roll-up segments are excluded where sub-segments are separately disclosed).
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Brown Forman's Productivity vs Peers Comparison
Revenue and income per employee, trailing 12 months, in $; market cap in millions of $| Company | Market Cap | Revenue / Employee | Income / Employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown forman Corporation | 14,461 | 1,061,429 | 147,143 |
| Diageo Plc | 222,265 | 1,016,873 | 92,291 |
| Anheuser busch Inbev Sa | 150,893 | 432,993 | 61,876 |
| Altria Group Inc | 127,028 | 3,528,305 | 1,375,593 |
| Molson Coors Beverage Company | 7,570 | 683,944 | -145,426 |
| Seaboard Corporation | 3,379 | 750,214 | 39,857 |
| PEERS TOTAL | 516,631 | 696,893 | 88,802 |
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Brown Forman's Geographic Revenue Exposure vs Peers
Revenue by country/region as reported in each company's most recent report. Disclosure granularity varies by filer (some report by country, others by broad region) and is shown as disclosed.| Company | Largest Market |
|---|---|
| Brown forman Corporation | Developed International 31.33 % |
| Constellation Brands Inc | Non-US 2.50 % |
Source: revenue geography as reported in each company's reports (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API. Percentages are of that company's own total consolidated revenue for its most recent reported period.
Brown Forman's Profitability & Cost Structure
Trailing 12-month margins from SEC-filed financials. Operating margin is compared to the Nonalcoholic Beverages industry median; gross margin, EBITDA margin and capital intensity are compared to the live industry average (54 companies). See the full Nonalcoholic Beverages industry profitability benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 45.66 % | 31.40 % (avg) | +14.3 pp |
| Operating Margin | 19.09 % | industry median | +9.0 pp |
| EBITDA Margin | 20.05 % | 7.87 % (avg) | +12.2 pp |
| Capital Intensity (Capex / Revenue) | - | 5.50 % (avg) | - |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. SG&A and R&D as a share of revenue have limited coverage as this data is backfilled and appear only where reported. Higher capital intensity is not inherently negative; it reflects the industry's asset requirements.
Brown Forman's Valuation vs Competitive Position
Valuation multiples vs the Nonalcoholic Beverages industry average (54 companies, excluding loss-making/negative-equity outliers), alongside returns on capital for context on whether a premium or discount lines up with measurably stronger or weaker returns. See the full Nonalcoholic Beverages industry valuation benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E | 18.1x | 42.3x | -24.2x |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.5x | 17.7x | -3.2x |
| P/B | 3.2x | 6.2x | -3.1x |
| Return on Equity | 17.90 % | industry aggregate | -11.03 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 8.92 % | 5.18 % (avg) | 3.74 % |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. A valuation premium or discount is not, by itself, a judgment of over- or under-valuation. Compare it against the return and growth context shown elsewhere on this page.
Brown Forman's Multi-Year Financial Trajectory
Fiscal-year revenue growth, operating margin, return on invested capital and P/E, as reported in company reports.| Metric | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth | 3.41 % | 1.68 % | 0.74 % | 11.25 % | -9.97 % | -23.05 % | 3.02 % | -0.75 % |
| Operating Margin | 24.80 % | 26.02 % | 27.04 % | 23.09 % | 24.49 % | 39.58 % | 36.70 % | 32.14 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 18.86 % | 17.56 % | 15.93 % | 13.64 % | 12.72 % | 13.36 % | 12.47 % | 9.80 % |
| P/E | - | - | 38.9x | - | - | - | - | - |
Source: CSIMarket API, fiscal-year figures. P/E is this company's own historical ratio at each fiscal year end and can swing sharply around an earnings trough: that is real, not a data error.
Brown Forman's Strategic Group Map
Brown Forman is shown in red; its closest peers by combined growth, margin and ROIC are labeled. See Methodology: Strategic Group Map for how this chart is built.
Brown Forman's trailing-12-month revenue growth of 52.2% and operating margin of 19.1% compares with an average of 33.2% growth and 12.4% margin across its 8 closest peers by combined growth, margin and ROIC -- Brown Forman sits above that peer average on growth and above it on margin.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Extreme outlier values (from near-zero-revenue companies) are excluded from the plotted cloud but never from the highlighted company or its labeled peers.
Brown Forman's Industry Attractiveness & Competitive Strength
See Methodology: GE/McKinsey Matrix for how the two axes are built.
Brown Forman falls in the Low attractiveness / High strength cell: Selective.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Each axis score is a simple 1(low)/2(medium)/3(high) average across its three inputs -- a transparent, disclosed simplification, not a validated academic scoring model.
Brown Forman's SWOT
Every point below is a fixed rule applied to a metric already shown elsewhere on this page (Market Structure, Profitability, Valuation, Run-Rate, Stock Performance, Quality Breadth) not an independent strategic assessment. A blank quadrant means no rule was met, not that none apply.Strengths
- Operating margin 9.0 points above the industry median.
- Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is accelerating (+60.9% annualized vs trailing 12 months).
Weaknesses
- Return on equity 11.0 points below the industry aggregate.
Opportunities
- Trades at a lower P/E than the industry average (18.1x vs 42.3x) despite a higher return on invested capital -- a possible re-rating opportunity.
Threats
No rule matched.
Methodology: see Methodology: SWOT Analysis.
Brown Forman's Financial Strength vs Peers Comparison
Quick ratio, working capital, debt to equity and asset turnover, trailing 12 months| Company | Quick Ratio | Working Capital | Debt / Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown forman Corporation | 0.28 | 3.31 | 0.65 |
| Diageo Plc | 0.21 | 1.63 | 1.58 |
| Anheuser busch Inbev Sa | 0.34 | 0.72 | - |
| Altria Group Inc | 0.39 | 0.59 | - |
| Molson Coors Beverage Company | 0.21 | 0.64 | 0.69 |
| Seaboard Corporation | 0.09 | 2.49 | 0.29 |
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Quick ratio = cash / current liabilities; working capital ratio = current assets / current liabilities; asset turnover = revenue / total assets. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Brown Forman's Revenue and Income Growth vs Peers
Quarterly revenue and net income growth, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Revenue Y/Y | Income Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown forman Corporation | Q2 2026 | +155.4 % | +3.5 % |
| Diageo Plc | Q2 2025 | +0.3 % | -39.1 % |
| Anheuser busch Inbev Sa | Q4 2025 | -0.7 % | +14.3 % |
| Altria Group Inc | Q3 2026 | +32.4 % | +6.0 % |
| Molson Coors Beverage Company | Q2 2026 | +268.0 % | -47.8 % |
| Seaboard Corporation | Q3 2026 | +9.1 % | -73.6 % |
| PEERS TOTAL | +12.2 % | -4.2 % |
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Growth is shown only where both periods are positive. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Brown Forman's Peers' Costs of Sales and Capital Expenditures
Context for revenue growth: peer costs and capex, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Costs Y/Y | Capex Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown forman Corporation | Q2 2026 | +35.6 % | -61.3 % |
| Diageo Plc | Q2 2025 | +0.0 % | - |
| Anheuser busch Inbev Sa | Q4 2025 | -2.0 % | -5.4 % |
| Altria Group Inc | Q3 2026 | +166.9 % | +101.9 % |
| Molson Coors Beverage Company | Q2 2026 | +277.1 % | -36.6 % |
| Seaboard Corporation | Q3 2026 | +12.7 % | -39.5 % |
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Brown Forman's Returns and Turnover vs Peers
ROA, ROI and ROE (trailing 12 months), receivables and inventory turnover| Company | ROA | ROI | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown forman Corporation | 9.01% | 10.16% | 17.90% |
| Diageo Plc | 5.15% | 15.44% | 19.26% |
| Anheuser busch Inbev Sa | 3.87% | 5.84% | 8.67% |
| Altria Group Inc | 23.62% | 26.82% | - |
| Molson Coors Beverage Company | - | - | - |
| Seaboard Corporation | 6.54% | 7.81% | 10.31% |
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ROA = net income / total assets; ROI = net income / investments; ROE = net income / equity; turnover ratios use trailing 12 month revenue (receivables) and cost of sales (inventory).
Brown Forman's Valuation vs Peers
P/E, price to sales, PEG, price to cash flow and price to book| Company | P/E | Price / Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brown forman Corporation | 20.34 | 2.78 |
| Diageo Plc | 94.38 | 7.95 |
| Anheuser busch Inbev Sa | 24.77 | 2.54 |
| Altria Group Inc | 15.73 | 6.10 |
| Molson Coors Beverage Company | - | 0.68 |
| Seaboard Corporation | 6.13 | 0.32 |
| PEERS AVERAGE | 26.87 | 3.43 |
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P/E = price / diluted EPS (trailing 12 months); PEG = P/E divided by EPS growth; the average row divides the peers' combined market cap by their combined income, sales, cash flow and equity.