Guinness and Tanqueray gin maker Diageo has today narrowly beaten full-year earnings estimates as sales of its more expensive liquor brands offset lower volumes.
The world's largest spirits maker tapped into higher demand from amateur cocktail makers during the Covid-19 pandemic that has driven at-home sales since.
Households began trading up along the way, investing in brands such as Bulleit Bourbon and Don Julio tequila.
Once lockdowns ended, many people stuck to these brands, buying them in bars and restaurants.
Diageo's most expensive brands accounted for 57% of its overall organic net sales growth, it said.
The maker of Johnnie Walker whisky, Captain Morgan's rum and Ketel One vodka said organic net sales rose 6.5% in the year to June 30, edging the 6.4% expected by analysts, a company-provided consensus showed.
Diageo said full-year sales were driven by a strong first half.
Diageo said that net sales of Guinness grew by 20% in Europe during the year and gained share in the on-trade in the UK and Ireland.
The company said its overall net sales in Ireland grew by 16%, which the company said was mainly driven by growth in Guinness and reflected share gains in a recovering on-trade business.
"Results were roughly in line with expectations," said Tineke Frikkee, a portfolio manager at Diageo investor Waverton Investment Management.
"The next 12 months will be second-half weighted as comparatives will be tough for the rest of this calendar year," the manager added.
Looking to fiscal 2024, Diageo's new CEO Debra Crew said in a statement: "I expect operating environment challenges to persist, with continued cost pressure and ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty."
Crew was appointed CEO in June after the death of long-time boss Ivan Menezes.
Diageo said its organic net sales increase reflected gains of 7.3 percentage points from higher prices and a more premium mix while organic sales volumes fell 0.8%.
Its organic operating profit rose 7%, beating the 6.3% expected by analysts.
