Morgan Stanley Cuts Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM) Price Target to $235.00

Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM) had its price target decreased by analysts at Morgan Stanley from $245.00 to $235.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 10.78% from the company’s previous close.

SAM has been the topic of several other reports. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating and set a $245.00 price objective on shares of Boston Beer in a report on Friday. Citigroup decreased their target price on Boston Beer from $250.00 to $220.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Piper Sandler dropped their price target on Boston Beer from $230.00 to $220.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 21st. Weiss Ratings raised Boston Beer from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Boston Beer in a research note on Monday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Boston Beer presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $243.28.

Boston Beer Stock Down 6.7%

SAM traded down $15.32 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $212.14. 89,143 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 163,203. Boston Beer has a one year low of $185.34 and a one year high of $260.00. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $216.59 and its 200 day moving average is $213.88. The firm has a market cap of $2.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 1.03.

Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported ($2.12) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.33) by $0.21. Boston Beer had a net margin of 4.38% and a return on equity of 12.29%. The firm had revenue of $385.68 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $381.75 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned ($1.68) earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 4.1% on a year-over-year basis. Boston Beer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.500-11.000 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Boston Beer will post 9.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Calamos Advisors LLC boosted its position in Boston Beer by 12.1% during the 3rd quarter. Calamos Advisors LLC now owns 65,364 shares of the company’s stock valued at $13,819,000 after acquiring an additional 7,035 shares in the last quarter. Savoir Faire Capital Management L.P. grew its stake in Boston Beer by 28.4% in the third quarter. Savoir Faire Capital Management L.P. now owns 38,825 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,208,000 after purchasing an additional 8,585 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Boston Beer during the second quarter valued at $12,795,000. Savant Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Boston Beer during the 3rd quarter valued at $2,030,000. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC increased its stake in shares of Boston Beer by 835.1% in the 3rd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 5,667 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,198,000 after acquiring an additional 5,061 shares in the last quarter. 81.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Boston Beer

Here are the key news stories impacting Boston Beer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS and revenue topped estimates — Boston Beer reported adjusted EPS of ($2.12) vs. consensus ($2.33) and revenue of $385.7M vs. ~$381.8M, a beat that partially cushioned the reaction. Boston Beer (SAM) Reports Q4 Loss, Tops Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Gross-margin gains and brand expansion drive FY-2026 EPS target — Management cited margin improvements and the expansion of its Sun Cruiser brand as drivers behind a FY-2026 EPS target of $8.50–$11. These operational positives support medium-term profitability expectations. Boston Beer outlines 2026 EPS target of $8.50–$11 amid margin gains and Sun Cruiser expansion
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call context — Management discussed industry headwinds, cost actions and the route to margin recovery in the Q4 call; the full transcript provides color on inventory, pricing and promotional cadence but offered no decisive near-term reversal. The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Volume and revenue trends remain weak — Depletions fell ~6%, shipments ~7.5%, and net revenue declined 4.1% year-over-year, signaling continued demand pressure that could limit near-term upside. Boston Beer Reports Fourth Quarter Financial Results
• Negative Sentiment: Net loss and guidance short of Street — The company reported a Q4 net loss (~$22.5M) and set FY-2026 EPS guidance of $8.50–$11, which comes in below the consensus (~$10.96), leaving uncertainty around near-term upside to estimates. Boston Beer Co Inc (SAM) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights
• Negative Sentiment: Macroeconomic / policy risk — Management warned that shifting tariff policies could materially affect the year’s outlook, adding an external risk that could force guidance revisions. Boston Beer Posts Lower Fourth-Quarter Revenue

About Boston Beer

The Boston Beer Company, Inc (NYSE: SAM) is a leading craft brewer headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Since its founding in 1984 by Jim Koch, the company has focused on producing high-quality, distinctive beers and beverages for retail, on-premise, and distribution partners across the United States. Its operations include brewing, packaging, marketing and distribution, supported by a network of wholly owned brewing facilities and strategic partnerships with regional breweries.

Boston Beer’s flagship brand, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, helped establish the modern U.S.