Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM) Shares Gap Down Following Analyst Downgrade

Shares of The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE:SAM) gapped down before the market opened on Wednesday after Weiss Ratings downgraded the stock from a hold (c-) rating to a sell (d+) rating. The stock had previously closed at $227.45, but opened at $207.70. Boston Beer shares last traded at $222.15, with a volume of 55,686 shares trading hands.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on SAM. Morgan Stanley cut 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. UBS Group lowered their price target on shares of Boston Beer from $234.00 to $230.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Monday. 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, February 20th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Boston Beer from $220.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of Boston Beer from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Boston Beer currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $233.31.

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Boston Beer

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of SAM. California State Teachers Retirement System increased its stake in shares of Boston Beer by 0.7% in 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 in the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS grew its holdings in Boston Beer by 2.8% during 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 during the last quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. increased its position in Boston Beer by 5.3% in the 2nd quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 1,192 shares of the company’s stock valued at $227,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of Boston Beer by 81.7% in the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 189 shares of the company’s stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE grew its stake in shares of Boston Beer by 28.2% during the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 386 shares of the company’s stock valued at $82,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.13% of the company’s stock.

Boston Beer Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $2.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.16, a PEG ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 1.03. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $217.54 and its 200 day moving average price is $213.99.

Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported ($2.12) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($2.33) by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $385.68 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $381.75 million. Boston Beer had a return on equity of 12.16% and a net margin of 5.20%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned ($1.68) EPS. Boston Beer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.500-11.000 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that The Boston Beer Company, Inc. will post 9.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.