Brown-Forman Up 1% In Fiscal First Quarter
August 28, 2025Brown-Forman saw sales rise 1% organically to $924 million in its fiscal first quarter ended in July, with operating income up 2% on an organic basis to $260 million. Net sales in the U.S. declined by 2%, which the company attributed to lower sales for Jack Daniel’s and Herradura, as well as the end of its partnership with Korbel, which recently moved to the Freixenet-Mionetto USA portfolio.
For Brown-Forman’s whiskey portfolio, organic net sales were flat, with the company reporting strong early orders for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Blackberry. The company’s Tequilas were up 1% despite a 15% organic decline for Herradura, with El Jimador’s 16% increase driving growth. El Jimador’s positive results were attributed to distributor transitions, a new bottle design leading to stocking up, and the launch of a Cristalino expression for the brand.
The company’s RTDs grew as well, with sales up 9% organically. New Mix shot forward 36% organically, but Jack Daniel’s RTDs were down 1%, which Brown-Forman attributed to soft sales in Canada canceling out gains in the U.S.
Looking ahead, the company expects to see low single-digit declines for both net sales and operating income for the quarters to come. “Our solid first-quarter performance reflects the decisive actions we’ve taken to strengthen our business in a challenging environment,” said Lawson Whiting, president and CEO. “Superior innovation and bold route-to-consumer strategies, in particular, have positioned us to deliver resilient results in the face of persistent headwinds.—Shane English
| Brown-Forman—Key Brands in the U.S. | ||||||
| Brand | Origin/Type | Total 2024 U.S. Volume1 |
Control States Volume Growth 2025 YTD2 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Daniel’s3 | Tennessee Whiskey | 4,956 | -5.3% | |||
| Woodford Reserve4 | Bourbon | 1,472 | -1.5% | |||
| Jack Daniel’s RTDs5 | Pre-mixed Cocktail | 902 | -0.5% | |||
| El Jimador | Tequila | 771 | -12.2% | |||
| Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey6 | Flavored Whiskey | 661 | -5.4% | |||
| Old Forester | Bourbon | 501 | -5.9% | |||
| Gentleman Jack | Tennessee Whiskey | 374 | -2.3% | |||
| Herradura | Tequila | 352 | -11.5% | |||
| Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire6 | Flavored Whiskey | 326 | -6.9% | |||
| Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple | Flavored Whiskey | 154 | -0.5% | |||
| Chambord | Imported Liqueur | 83 | 2.9% | |||
| Fords | Imported Gin | 62 | 24.4% | |||
| Diplomatico | Imported Rum | 60 | 10.0% | |||
| Total Brown-Forman | 10,764 | -4.3% | ||||
| 1 Thousands of 9-liter case depletions. 2 Year-to-date July. 3 Excludes flavors and RTDs. 4 Includes Batch Proof, Double Oaked, Rye, Straight Wheat, and Straight Malt. 5 Excludes Country Cocktails (malt-based); includes Jack & Coke. 6 Excludes RTDs. Source: NABCA and IMPACT DATABANK © 2025 |
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