Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) Stock Rating Upgraded by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Ambev from “hold” to “buy,” but broader analyst sentiment remains cautious, with a consensus “reduce” rating and average price target of $3.09.
• Ambev’s latest quarter met EPS expectations at $0.04, while revenue of $3.89 billion missed the $4.05 billion consensus estimate; the stock opened at $3.10 and has traded between $2.10 and $3.45 over the past year.
• Institutional investors increased their holdings, though company insiders sold substantial stakes, including 136,250 shares sold by Paulo Andre Zagman and 468,040 shares sold by director Ricardo Manuel Frangat Moreira.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV - Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday.

Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Barclays upped their target price on Ambev from $3.00 to $3.50 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Weiss Ratings cut Ambev from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. UBS Group lifted their price target on Ambev from $2.65 to $2.90 and gave the company a "sell" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Finally, Scotiabank cut Ambev from a "sector outperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $3.09.

Ambev Price Performance

Shares of NYSE ABEV opened at $3.10 on Friday. Ambev has a 1 year low of $2.10 and a 1 year high of $3.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 0.78. The company's 50-day moving average is $3.13 and its 200 day moving average is $3.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $48.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.47, a P/E/G ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 0.64.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.04. Ambev had a net margin of 18.47% and a return on equity of 17.71%. The company had revenue of $3.89 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.05 billion. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Ambev will post 0.2 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Ambev news, insider Paulo Andre Zagman sold 136,250 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3.41, for a total value of $464,612.50. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 230,535 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $786,124.35. The trade was a 37.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Ricardo Manuel Frangat Moreira sold 468,040 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3.08, for a total value of $1,441,563.20. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 3,000,000 shares in the company, valued at $9,240,000. This trade represents a 13.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ambev

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. GQG Partners LLC grew its position in Ambev by 9.1% during the 4th quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 172,969,655 shares of the company's stock valued at $427,235,000 after purchasing an additional 14,468,963 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its stake in shares of Ambev by 291.2% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 45,462,628 shares of the company's stock worth $112,293,000 after buying an additional 33,842,540 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in shares of Ambev by 9.9% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 27,505,192 shares of the company's stock valued at $66,288,000 after buying an additional 2,479,310 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its holdings in shares of Ambev by 6.5% during the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 27,354,300 shares of the company's stock valued at $79,875,000 after buying an additional 1,674,900 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Brandes Investment Partners LP increased its position in shares of Ambev by 4.0% during the fourth quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 22,600,124 shares of the company's stock valued at $55,822,000 after acquiring an additional 874,657 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.13% of the company's stock.

Ambev News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Ambev this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ambev’s board approved approximately R$2.7 billion in interest-on-capital payments for 2026, including the third and final installment. The payout supports the stock’s income appeal and signals continued cash-return capacity. Ambev Approves R$2.7 Billion in Interest on Capital Payments for 2026
• Positive Sentiment: The brewer is preparing for hotter conditions associated with El Niño. Warmer weather could support demand for beer and other beverages, although the eventual effect will depend on regional weather patterns and operating costs. Ambev se prepara para clima mais quente com El Niño
• Neutral Sentiment: Barclays reaffirmed its Hold rating, indicating the analyst does not see a sufficiently compelling near-term catalyst to change its stance. Barclays Reaffirms Their Hold Rating on Ambev SA
• Neutral Sentiment: Ambev filed its July Form 6-K, reaffirming its U.S. reporting status. The filing is a routine compliance update with limited direct effect on valuation. Ambev July 2026 Form 6-K
• Negative Sentiment: Ambev’s latest results were mixed: adjusted EPS of $0.04 met consensus, but revenue of $3.89 billion fell short of the $4.05 billion estimate. The top-line miss is the clearest reason for investor pressure, suggesting weaker-than-expected sales momentum despite earnings execution. Ambev Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

About Ambev

Ambev NYSE: ABEV is a Brazilian-based beverage company that produces, distributes and markets a broad portfolio of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The company's core business centers on brewing and selling beer, alongside a range of soft drinks, bottled water, energy drinks and other malt-based beverages. Headquartered in São Paulo, Ambev operates an integrated value chain that covers manufacturing, packaging, logistics and commercial sales to retail, on-premise and institutional customers.

The company traces its origins to the 1999 merger of two historic Brazilian breweries, and later became part of the broader global brewing group through subsequent industry consolidations.

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