We recently published a list of 10 Consumer Stocks to Buy for a Retirement Portfolio. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) stands against other consumer stocks to buy for a retirement stock portfolio.
Today’s retirees face growing uncertainty about the future of Social Security. While many financial advisors and economists specializing in Social Security recommend delaying retirement benefits until age 70 to maximize monthly payouts, only 10% of pre-retirees intend to wait until that age, according to the Schroders 2024 U.S. Retirement Survey. A large majority plan to claim benefits earlier, often before reaching their full retirement age of 67 (for those born in 1960 or later). Specifically, 43% of non-retirees plan to file before 67, with 23% intending to claim at 65 and 12% planning to claim as early as 62. This trend is further influenced by financial insecurity. According to the Transamerica Institute, only 1 in 5 middle-class individuals feel confident in their ability to retire comfortably or maintain their lifestyle during retirement.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index (CPI), which tracks the average change in prices for consumer goods and services, rose 2.6% year-over-year in October. This marks an increase from the 2.4% annual growth rate recorded in September. Month-over-month, prices grew by 0.2%, matching consensus expectations and maintaining the same pace observed over the past three months. However, President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed policies, including increased tariffs and expanded government spending, could stimulate economic growth while also exacerbating inflationary pressures. Despite inflation easing from its peak in mid-2022, it continues to weigh heavily on U.S. households.
Job creation in October slowed to its weakest pace since late 2020, reflecting the impact of storms in the Southeast and a major labor strike. Nonfarm payrolls rose by just 12,000, a sharp decline from September and far below the Dow Jones estimate of 100,000. October’s report marked the smallest monthly gain since December 2020. Despite the weak job growth, the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, meeting expectations. A broader measure of unemployment, which accounts for discouraged workers and those in part-time roles for economic reasons, also remained unchanged at 7.7%. The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that the Boeing strike likely accounted for a loss of 44,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector, which saw an overall reduction of 46,000 positions. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, speaking on the labor market early in November, expressed concerns regarding the labor market:
“The labor market has cooled a great deal from its overheated state of two years ago and is now essentially in balance. It is continuing to cool, albeit at a modest rate, and we don’t need further cooling.”
These developments have raised concerns at the Federal Reserve, as cracks in the labor market emerge even as year-over-year inflation moderates. Elevated interest rates, implemented to combat inflation, could pose risks to the labor market and broader economic growth. In response to these challenges, the Fed took the unusual step in September of lowering its benchmark short-term interest rate by half a percentage point—twice the typical quarter-point adjustments policymakers prefer—despite the economy still expanding.
READ ALSO: Retirement Stock Portfolio: 12 Safe Tech Stocks To Consider.
Although workers’ and retirees’ confidence in achieving a financially secure retirement hasn’t fully recovered from the sharp decline in 2023, there are encouraging signs of recovery, according to the Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI). The EBRI’s 2024 Retirement Confidence Survey revealed that 68% of workers and 74% of retirees feel confident about having sufficient funds to live comfortably throughout retirement. These figures show modest improvement from 2023, when 64% of workers and 73% of retirees expressed similar confidence. However, inflation remains a significant concern, with 31% of workers and 40% of retirees citing it as a key reason for their lack of confidence. On a positive note, about 80% of workers see the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022’s provision for employer-sponsored emergency savings accounts as a valuable benefit. Recent guidance from the Department of Labor and IRS has also provided clarity on how plan sponsors can integrate these emergency savings accounts into their offerings.
During economic turbulence, investors often turn to low-risk stocks that offer stable returns in the face of heightened uncertainty. In that regard, consumer staples stocks typically emerge as a favored option during such periods, given their ability to weather macroeconomic challenges. The demand for essential goods remains steady regardless of economic conditions, as consumers maintain consistent purchasing habits in both good times and bad.
A winemaker examining a glass of red wine from a barrel in a cellar.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 10 best consumer stocks for a retirement portfolio, we focused on companies within the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund. These companies were chosen for their historical resilience during economic downturns and well-established operations. Additionally, we prioritized consumer stocks that offer stable dividend yields, supported by sustainable payout ratios (less than 70%) and a proven history of dividend payments. The selected stocks were ranked based on their hedge fund sentiment, as of Q3 2024.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ)
Dividend Yield: 1.69%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 36
Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) is a prominent producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits, renowned for its portfolio of premium imported beer brands such as Corona Extra, Modelo Especial, and the Modelo Cheladas series.
In its second-quarter fiscal 2025 results, the company reported adjusted earnings of $4.32 per share, marking a 14% year-over-year increase and surpassing analysts’ expectations of $4.08. Net sales reached $2.9 billion, a 2.9% increase from the prior year, though slightly below the consensus estimate of $2.95 billion. While management acknowledged ongoing macroeconomic pressures affecting the beverage and alcohol market, it also highlighted the strength of the Beer Business segment, which accounts for over 80% of revenues. This segment experienced a 6% increase in net sales, driven by a 4.6% growth in shipment volumes.
On October 15, BMO Capital adjusted its price target for Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) to $305 from $315 while maintaining an Outperform rating. The revision followed the company’s Q2 earnings report and discussions with Investor Relations. Despite the reduced target, BMO remains confident in Constellation’s strong beer business fundamentals, expecting further improvements in beer margins to bolster the company’s financial performance.
Coho Relative Value Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:
“We also eliminated Conagra (CAG) in favor of a better risk/return for Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ). We are encouraged by the Constellation Board’s decision to eliminate the dual voting share class and reprioritize capital allocation away from acquisitions and towards returns to shareholders. With capital spending expected to decline and leverage near the company’s target, more cash flow should be available for shareholders. STZ is now focused on the higher growth and the higher margin premium beer category, which they dominate with Corona Extra, Modelo Especial and Pacifico. Additionally, the Wine and Spirits business, which has been disappointing is no longer a meaningful part of STZ’s business as it now accounts for less than 10% of overall earnings. We expect STZ to deliver low double-digit growth in both earnings and dividends for many years to come, which is consistent with the Board’s recent approval of a 13.5% dividend hike.”
Overall, STZ ranks 8th on our list of consumer stocks to buy for a retirement stock portfolio. While we acknowledge the potential of STZ, our conviction lies in the belief that certain AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than STZ but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.