By Katherine Hamilton

Boston Beer posted a wider loss in the fourth quarter and missed Wall Street's expectations for revenue.

The brewer, which owns the Samuel Adams and Truly brands, posted a loss of $38.8 million, or $3.38 a share, in the three- months ended Dec. 28, compared with a loss $18.1 million, or $1.49 a share, a year earlier.

Stripping out certain one-time items, adjusted per-share earnings came in at a loss of $1.68, higher than the $1.31 loss per share forecast of analysts, according to FactSet.

Revenue rose 2.2% to $402.3 million. Analysts surveyed by FactSet forecast revenue of $389 million.

Alcohol companies across the board are struggling to keep younger customers. Shares of Boston Beer have declined more than 20% since the start of the new year, when many people partake in Dry January and abstain from consuming alcohol. A warning at the start of the month from the surgeon general highlighting alcohol's link to cancer has also dampened confidence.

In December, Boston Beer founder Jim Koch said his wife will inherit his controlling interest in the company. Cynthia Fisher, a healthcare entrepreneur, joined the brewer's board in 2012. Koch isn't the chief executive, but remains deeply involved in operations as the chairman.

Write to Katherine Hamilton at katherine.hamilton@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

Boston Beer missed analysts' expectation on adjusted earnings. "Boston Beer 4Q Loss Widens as Dry January Cuts Into Sales" at 4:48 p.m. ET on Feb. 25 incorrectly said it missed on revenue.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 26, 2025 10:21 ET (15:21 GMT)

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