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Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) Agrees to Acquire Kalil Bottling Assets

Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. KDP appears encouraging, thanks to its robust business strategies. The company has been gaining from expansion initiatives, innovation, brand strength and pricing actions. In the latest development, it has agreed to acquire the entire production, sales and distribution assets of independent bottler Kalil Bottling Co. (Kalil).

Let’s Delve Deeper

The acquisition is likely to conclude in the third quarter of 2024. However, the terms of the agreement have been kept under cover. This acquisition will encompass bottling and distribution rights in Arizona for major KDP brands, including Canada Dry, 7UP, A&W, Snapple and Core Hydration. This will service 7.4 million consumers and about 4,500 retail outlets.

After the completion of the transaction, Keurig Dr Pepper will operate a production facility in Tucson, and sales and distribution centers in Tucson and Tempe. The company anticipates adding nearly 425 employees to support the new state-wide operations apart from working with Kalil to actively recruit from the existing talent base.

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Markedly, the acquisition will reinforce the company’s unique national direct-store-delivery capabilities and offer opportunities for advanced scale and brand building in a fast-growing region for beverages.

What’s More?

Continued brand strength and significant pricing have been aiding Keurig Dr Pepper’s performance for a while now. The company has also been experiencing momentum in the Refreshment Beverages segment. In the first quarter, sales in the U.S. Refreshment Beverages segment totaled $2.1 billion, up 4.3% year over year, reflecting a higher net price realization of 5.6%.

In addition, management highlighted an evolving enterprise strategy, which focuses on five pillars to deliver sustainable growth. These comprise a road map to guide the company’s employees' actions every day with directives to champion consumer-obsessed brand building, shape its now and next beverage portfolio, amplify the route-to-market advantage, produce fuel for growth and dynamically allocate capital.

Buoyed by such strengths, shares of this energy drinks and alternative beverages’ marketer have gained 12.4% versus the industry’s 1.6% rise over the past year. The company carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Stocks to Consider

The Chef’s Warehouse CHEF, which engages in the distribution of specialty food products, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). CHEF has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 23.4%, on average. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for The Chef’s Warehouse’s current fiscal year sales and earnings indicates growth of 9.5% and 7.9%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers.

Vital Farms Inc. VITL offers a range of produced pasture-raised foods. It currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. VITL has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 102.1%.

The consensus estimate for Vital Farms’ current financial-year sales and earnings implies growth of 17.2% and 37.3%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers.

Utz Brands Inc. UTZ, which manufactures a diverse portfolio of salty snacks, currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. UTZ has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 2%, on average.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Utz Brands’ current financial-year earnings indicates growth of 24.6% from the year-ago reported numbers.

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The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc (KDP) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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