Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) Declares Special Dividend of $0.05

Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) announced a special dividend on Thursday, December 11th. Investors of record on Monday, December 22nd will be given a dividend of 0.049 per share on Friday, January 9th. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 22nd.

Ambev has decreased its dividend by an average of 0.1%per year over the last three years. Ambev has a dividend payout ratio of 22.2% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities analysts expect Ambev to earn $0.17 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.04 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 23.5%.

Ambev Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:ABEV traded up $0.05 during trading on Friday, reaching $2.55. The stock had a trading volume of 25,809,473 shares, compared to its average volume of 35,254,770. The firm has a market capitalization of $40.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.14, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. Ambev has a 52 week low of $1.76 and a 52 week high of $2.63. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $2.37 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $2.34.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $0.04 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.04. Ambev had a return on equity of 15.81% and a net margin of 17.90%.The company had revenue of $3.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.97 billion. As a group, analysts anticipate that Ambev will post 0.18 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Zacks Research raised Ambev from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating and issued a $2.88 price target on shares of Ambev in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Ambev in a report on Monday. Finally, UBS Group cut their price target on Ambev from $2.50 to $2.20 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 20th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $2.53.

Ambev Company Profile

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, malt and food, other alcoholic beverages, and non-alcoholic and non-carbonated products in Brazil, Central America and Caribbean, Latin America South, and Canada. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Balboa ICE, Balboa, Atlas Golden Light, Atlas, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clásica, Paceña, Taquiña, Huari, Becker, Cusqueña, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Bud 66, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith’s, and Kokanee brands.