Brown-Forman
 |
|
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Traded as | NYSE: BFA NYSE: BFB S&P 500 Component |
| Industry | Distilled beverage Wines |
| Founded | 1870 |
| Headquarters | Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Key people | Paul C. Varga, Chairman & CEO |
| Revenue |  US$ 3.404 billion (2011)[1] |
| Operating income | US$ 855 million (2011)[1] |
| Net income | US$ 572 million (2011)[1] |
| Total assets | US$ 3.712 billion (2011)[1] |
| Total equity | US$ 2.060 billion (2011)[1] |
| Employees | 3,900 (2011) [1] |
| Website | www.brown-forman.com |
The Brown-Forman Corporation is one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business.
Some well-known brands of the corporation include Jack Daniel's, Southern Comfort, Finlandia Vodka, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Canadian Mist, Early Times, Old Forester, and Korbel champagne.
Contents |
[edit] Company history
The company was founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown, a young pharmaceuticals salesman in Louisville, who had the then-novel idea of selling top-grade whiskey in sealed glass bottles. Since then, it has grown into a company that in fiscal 2006 had sales of $2.4 billion. The Brown family controls more than 70% of the voting shares.[2]
[edit] Stock information
Brown Forman has two classes of common stock, both of which are traded publicly on the New York Stock Exchange. The Class A shares carry voting privileges and are thinly traded due to control by the Brown family while the Class B shares are Non-voting stock.
[edit] History since 2005
In 2005, the company sold its Lenox division (one of the oldest and most famous manufacturer of fine china in the United States), which had been acquired in 1983, to Department 56 for $USD 160 million. The income generated by the sale was distributed to the shareholders in the form of a one time special dividend.[citation needed]
In 2006, the company acquired the Chambord liqueur brand (a super-premium, black raspberry liqueur produced in France) for $US 250 million.[citation needed]
In 2007, the company acquired Tequila Herradura, a Mexican company that produces the Casa Herradura tequila brand (a super-premium tequila produced in Mexico) for $US 776 million.[3]
In 2007, the company sold its Hartman Luggage division (one of the leaders in the travel goods industry and originally a subdivision of Lenox), to Clarion Capitol Partners.[citation needed] The terms of the sale were not disclosed.
In 2008, the company sold the Bolla and Fontana Candida Italian wine brands to Gruppo Italiano Vini (GIV).[citation needed] The terms of the sale were not disclosed.
In 2011, the company sold Fetzer Vineyards and associated brands to the Chilean wine producer Viña Concha y Toro S.A. for $US 238 million.[citation needed]
[edit] Brands
[edit] Whiskey
- Woodford Reserve,[4] Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Early Times,[5] Kentucky Whisky
- Jack Daniel's,[6] Tennessee Whiskey
- Gentleman Jack Rare,[7] Tennessee Whiskey
- Jack Daniel's Single Barrel,[8] Tennessee Whiskey
- Southern Comfort,[9] New Orleans Whiskey-flavored Liqueur
- Old Forester, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky (the first bottled bourbon sold exclusively in sealed bottles and the oldest bourbon continuously on the market – first bottled in 1870)[10]
- Canadian Mist, Blended Canadian Whisky[11]
[edit] Wine
[edit] Vodka
[edit] Tequila
[edit] Environmental track record
In 2009, Newsweek magazine ranked Brown-Forman in their "Green Rankings"[15] which examines 500 of the largest corporations on their environmental track record. Brown-Forman was ranked 63rd out of 500 overall, and was ranked 3rd in their industry.[16]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f [media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/98/98415/Annual_Report_FY11.pdf "Annual_Report_FY11"]. Brown-Forman Corporation. media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/98/98415/Annual_Report_FY11.pdf.
- ^ "Brown-Forman - Company Overview - Hoover's". Hoovers.com. http://www.hoovers.com/brown-forman/--ID__11781--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ Chris Mercer (2007-11-29). "US: Casa Herradura helps offset costs for Brown-Forman Q2: Beverage News & Comment". Just-drinks.com. http://www.just-drinks.com/article.aspx?ID=92353&lk=fs. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Woodford Reserve". Woodford Reserve. http://www.woodfordreserve.com/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Early Times". Early Times. http://www.earlytimes.com/home/home.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey". Jackdaniels.com. http://www.jackdaniels.com/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey". Jackdaniels.com. http://www.jackdaniels.com/GentlemanJack/default.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey". Jackdaniels.com. http://www.jackdaniels.com/singlebarrel/default.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Southern Comfort. New Orleans Original". Southerncomfort.com. http://www.southerncomfort.com/OurBrands.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Love Life. Sip Responsibly". Old Forester. http://www.oldforester.com. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Canadian Mist". Canadian Mist. http://www.canadianmist.com/. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "KORBEL Champagne Cellars - Welcome". Korbel.com. http://www.korbel.com/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Herradura Tequila, since 1870". Herradura.com. http://www.herradura.com. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "el Jimador Tequila". Eljimador.com. http://www.eljimador.com/. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Newsweek, Greenest Big Companies in America – The 2009 List". retrieved July 21, 2010. http://www.newsweek.com/2009/09/20/the-greenest-big-companies-in-america.html.
- ^ "Newsweek – Green Ranking - Brown-Forman". retrieved July 21, 2010. http://greenrankings.newsweek.com/companies/view/brown-forman.
