Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM) Cut to “Strong Sell” at Zacks Research

Zacks Research lowered shares of Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report released on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

SAM has been the subject of several other research reports. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Boston Beer from $245.00 to $235.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Boston Beer from $220.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and set a $245.00 price objective on shares of Boston Beer in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Boston Beer from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their target price on Boston Beer from $234.00 to $230.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $233.31.

Boston Beer Trading Up 3.6%

Shares of SAM opened at $225.60 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $217.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $213.99. Boston Beer has a 12 month low of $185.34 and a 12 month high of $260.00. The company has a market capitalization of $2.40 billion, a PE ratio of 23.16, a PEG ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 1.03.

Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported ($2.12) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.33) by $0.21. Boston Beer had a return on equity of 12.16% and a net margin of 5.20%.The company had revenue of $385.68 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $381.75 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned ($1.68) earnings per share. The firm’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. Equities research analysts predict that Boston Beer will post 9.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Boston Beer

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of SAM. California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its position in shares of Boston Beer by 0.7% during the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 8,414 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,605,000 after buying an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS grew its stake in shares of Boston Beer by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 2,115 shares of the company’s stock worth $404,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Boston Beer by 5.3% in the second quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 1,192 shares of the company’s stock valued at $227,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in Boston Beer by 81.7% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 189 shares of the company’s stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE grew its position in Boston Beer by 28.2% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 386 shares of the company’s stock worth $82,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. 81.13% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More Boston Beer News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations — Boston Beer reported a narrower-than-feared Q4 loss (EPS -$2.12 vs. consensus -$2.33) and revenue slightly above estimates, showing better-than-expected top-line resilience. Boston Beer (SAM) Reports Q4 Loss, Tops Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Company set FY2026 EPS target of $8.50–$11 and highlighted margin gains plus expansion of the Sun Cruiser brand — this forward-looking guidance gives investors a clear path to normalization of earnings and helped lift sentiment. Boston Beer outlines 2026 EPS target of $8.50–$11
• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup raised its price target to $230 (neutral rating) — a modest endorsement that signals some analyst confidence in the company’s recovery plan. Citigroup raises PT to $230
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley trimmed its price target from $245 to $235 but kept an “equal weight” rating — a cautious tone that still implies limited upside from current levels. Morgan Stanley lowers PT to $235
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparison pieces (e.g., BUD vs SAM) are circulating — these may reframe investor expectations vs. larger peers but are not company-specific catalysts. BUD vs. SAM: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded SAM from “hold” to “strong sell,” which can amplify short-term selling pressure and increase volatility. Zacks downgrade coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Management warned that retailer depletions could fall again in 2026 and Q4 showed lower volumes — ongoing weak on-premise/alcohol consumption trends plus flagged tariff and margin pressures are tangible risks to near-term revenue and margins. Boston Beer warns depletions could fall again in 2026 Q4: lower volumes hurt revenues

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.