Brown-Forman - M&A Summary and Business Overview

BeveragesCompany

Brown-Forman M&A Summary

Brown-Forman has acquired 12 companies, including 2 in the last 5 years. It has also divested 8 assets.

Brown-Forman’s largest acquisition to date was in 2006, when it acquired Tequila Herradura SA de CV for $876M. It’s largest disclosed sale occurred in 2023, when it sold Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards to The Duckhorn Portfolio for $400M. Brown-Forman has acquired in 3 different US states, and 8 countries. The Company’s most targeted sectors include beverages (92%).

Brown-Forman Business Overview

Where is Brown-Forman headquartered?

Brown-Forman is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.

What is Brown-Forman’s revenue?

Brown-Forman disclosed revenue of 4,178M USD for 2024 and 4,228M USD for 2023.

How many employees does Brown-Forman have?

Brown-Forman has 5,200 employees.

What sector is Brown-Forman in?

Brown-Forman is a beverages company.

When was Brown-Forman founded?

Brown-Forman was founded in 1870.

M&A Summary

  • M&A Total Activity18
    • M&A Buy Activity11
    • M&A Sell Activity7
  • Total Sectors Invested 1
  • Total Countries Invested 8
  • M&A Buy/Sell Connections 6
  • M&A Advisors 11

Brown-Forman

Brown-Forman Corp.

850 Dixie Highway,
Louisville, Kentucky 40210
United States,
(502) 585-1100
www.brown-forman.com

Brown-Forman manufactures, bottles, imports, exports, and markets a wide variety of alcoholic beverage brands. Its portfolio of brands includes Jack Daniel’s, Antiguo Tequila, el Jimador Tequila, Herradura Tequila, Pepe Lopez Tequila, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Canadian Mist Whisky, Chambord, Collingwood Canadian Whiskey, Early Times Bourbon and Whisky, Korbel Champagne, Old Forester Bourbon, and Sonoma-Cutrer Wines. Brown-Forman was incorporated in 1870 and is based in Louisville, Kentucky.


M&A Summary

Buy vs Sell

Year ≤ '19 '20 '21 '22 '23 '24 T
Buy (0.2/yr) # 10 - - 1 - - 11
vol $1.7B $1.7B
Sell (0.6/yr) # 4 1 - - 1 1 7
vol $428M $400M $828M
  18

Most Recent M&A

Company Date Value Type
Brown-Forman - Cooperage 2024-02-16 - Divestiture
Trinity, Alabama
Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards 2023-11-16 400M USD Divestiture
Windsor, California · www.sonomacutrer.com
Diplomático Rum Brand 2022-10-06 - Divestiture
Madrid, Spain
Brown-Forman Corp. - Early Times, Canadian Mist, and Collingwood Brands 2020-06-15 - Divestiture
Louisville, Kentucky
The 86 Company 2019-06-10 - Add-on Acquisition
New York, New York · www.fordsgin.com
The BenRiach Distillery Co. Ltd. 2016-04-27 439M GBP Add-on Acquisition
Edinburgh, United Kingdom · www.benriachdistillery.co.uk
Distillerie Tuoni e Canepa (dba Tuaca Liqueur) 2016-01-14 - Divestiture
Toscana, Italy
Southern Comfort Corporation 2016-01-14 - Divestiture
, United States · www.southerncomfort.com
Slane Castle Whiskey Limited 2015-06-03 - Add-on Acquisition
Dublin, Ireland
Maximus Vodka 2011-06-30 - Divestiture
, Finland · www.maximusvodka.com
View All >>

M&A by Sector

Sector Buy # Value Sell # Value
Beverages 11 (100%) 1.7B (100%) 6 (86%) 638M (77%)
Retail - - 1 (14%) 190M (23%)
Total 11 $1.7B 7 $828M

By Geo

State/Country Buy Value Sell Value
United States 3 95M 6 828M
  California 1 - 2 638M
  New York 1 - - -
  Pennsylvania - - 1 190M
  Kentucky - - 1 -
  Alabama - - 1 -
Italy 2 - 2 -
Finland 2 - - -
France 1 255M - -
Ireland 1 - - -
Mexico 1 876M - -
Spain 1 - - -
United Kingdom 1 439M - -
Domestic 3 (25%) 95M (6%) 6 (75%) 828M (100%)
Cross-border 9 (75%) 1.6B (94%) 2 (25%) -
Total 12 $1.7B 8 $828M

Top M&A Advisors

Financial Deals
Goldman Sachs
3
Lazard Ltd.
1
Greenhill & Co., Inc.
1
Legal Deals
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
5
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
1
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
1

Deal Values

buy # Total
$100M to $1B 3 $1.6B
< $100M 1 $95M
TOTAL $1.7B
Largest Tequila Herradura SA de CV
$876M (2006-08-28)
sell # Total
$100M to $1B 3 $828M
TOTAL $828M
Largest Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards
$400M (2023-11-16)

M&A Connections

Deals
Acquired from
Investor(s)
9%
1 (9%)
Strategic(s)
18%
2 (18%)
Divested to
Strategic(s)
100%
7 (100%)

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