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| Company | Brown-Forman Corporation |
| Headquarters | 850 Dixie Highway Louisville 40210, Kentucky, USA |
| Chairman and CEO | Paul C. Varga |
| CFO | Jane C. Morreau |
| Industry | Spirits, Wines |
| Founder | George Garvin Brown |
| Founded | 1870 |
| Type | Public |
| NYSE stock symbol | BF.A and BF.B |
| Revenue | $4.096 billion (2015) |
| Net income | $684 million (2015) |
| Earnings per share | $3.21 USD (2015) |
| Employees | 4,400 (2015) |
| Website | http://www.brown-forman.com |
| Investor relations contact number: | 781-575-4735 |
| Investor relations email: | [email protected] |
The Brown-Forman Corporation is one of America’s largest spirits and wine companies, based in Louisville, Kentucky.
The company was founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown, a young pharmaceuticals salesman, who sold top-grade whiskey in sealed glass bottles.
Brown’s company became well known for producing the country’s first bottled bourbon (Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky).
Brown-Forman went public in 1933 on the New York Stock Exchange – the same year the prohibition ended – providing the company with enough capital to increase its strength in the American market.
It is now one of the top 10 largest global spirits companies, selling its products in over 135 countries, with the help of over 4,000 employees.
Brown-Forman has a portfolio of more than 25 brands of wines and spirits, including iconic brand names such as: Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Old Forester, el Jimador, Herradura, Early Times, Tuaca, Finlandia Vodka, Canadian Mist, Chambord, and Korbel champagne.
| Operating data (in $ millions) | 2015* | 2014* |
| Net sales | $4,096 | $3,946 |
| Cost of sales | $951 | $913 |
| Gross profit | $2,183 | $2,078 |
| Advertising expenses | $437 | $436 |
| Selling, general, and administrative expenses | $697 | $686 |
| Other (income) expense, net | $22 | $(15) |
| Operating income | $1,027 | $971 |
| Income before income taxes | $1,002 | $947 |
| Net income | $684 | $659 |
| Comprehensive income | $572 | $682 |
| Balance sheet data (in $ millions) | ||
| Total assets | $4,193 | $4,103 |
| Total liabilities | $2,288 | $2,071 |
| Total stockholders’ equity | $2,032 | $1,905 |
| Common share data (in $) | ||
| Basic earnings per share | $3.23 | $3.08 |
| Diluted earnings per share | $3.21 | $3.06 |
| Cash flow data (in $ millions) | ||
| Cash provided by operating activities | $608 | $649 |
| Cash used for investing activities | $(125) | $(127) |
| Cash used for financing activities | $(531) | $(288) |
| Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | $437 | $204 |
| Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | $370 | $437 |
*Years Ended April 30
Source: “Brown-Forman Corporation Form 10-K 2015”