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Boston Beer CoSAM -0.94%66 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 22.82% as of Jun. 2026, which is 237% above its 10-year median of 6.78. GuruFocus rates SAM with a GF Scoreâ„¢ of 66/100 and a GF Valueâ„¢ of $269.45 (Significantly Undervalued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 164 Beverages - Alcoholic companies, Boston Beer Co ranks better than 81.71% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Boston Beer Co's forward rate of return for was 22.82%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Boston Beer Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
SAM'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -4.46 Med: 6.78 Max: 22.83
Current: 22.46
During the past 13 years, Boston Beer Co's highest Forward Rate of Return was 22.83. The lowest was -4.46. And the median was 6.78.
SAM's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked better than 81.71% of 164
companies
in the Beverages - Alcoholic industry
Industry Median: 10.355
vs SAM: 22.46
Unlike the Earnings Yield %, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
Boston Beer Co (NYSE:SAM) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Explanation
Unlike the Earnings Yield, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is to make it comparable to the growth rate.
Be Aware
In the Forward Rate of Return calculation, the growth rate is added directly to today's free cash flow yield. Therefore the calculation is reliable only if the company can grow at the same rate in the future as it did in the past. Investors should pay close attention to this when researching growth stocks. A more accurate measurement for return is Return on Capital.
Boston Beer Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Boston Beer Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Boston Beer Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Boston Beer Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
SAM vs TAP, STZ: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Beverages - Brewers subindustry, Boston Beer Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Boston Beer Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Beverages - Alcoholic Industry
For the Beverages - Alcoholic industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Boston Beer Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Boston Beer Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Boston Beer Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Calculation
Forward Rate of Return is a concept that Don Yacktman uses in his investment approach. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. He said in the interview (March 2012, when the S&P 500 was at about 1400):
If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.
The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 22.82% mean?
Boston Beer Co (SAM) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 22.82% as of Jun. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Boston Beer Co and its competitors. This is 237% above median its historical median of 6.78. According to the industry distribution chart, Boston Beer Co ranks #30 out of 164 companies in the Beverages - Alcoholic industry, placing it in the top 18.3%.
Is Boston Beer Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Boston Beer Co's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 22.82% is 237% above median its 10-year median of 6.78. The Beverages - Alcoholic industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 10.36. Boston Beer Co's value of 22.82% is 120.4% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Boston Beer Co ranks #30 out of 164 companies in the Beverages - Alcoholic industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Boston Beer Co has a GF Score™ of 66/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Boston Beer Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to TAP and STZ?
According to the Beverages - Alcoholic industry distribution chart, Boston Beer Co ranks #30 out of 164 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Boston Beer Co in the top 18% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 10.36. Boston Beer Co's value of 22.82% is 120.4% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 6.78 vs. the industry median of 10.36, Boston Beer Co has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Beverages - Alcoholic company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Beverages - Alcoholic companies is 10.36, based on 164 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Boston Beer Co's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 22.82% is 120.4% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % mean?
A high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Boston Beer Co and its competitors. For the Beverages - Alcoholic industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 10.36 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Boston Beer Co's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 22.82%, which is 237% above median its own 10-year median of 6.78. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Boston Beer Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Boston Beer Co (SAM) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $269.45, compared to a current price of $185.31 — trading 31.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 22.82%, which is 237% above median its 10-year median of 6.78 and 120.4% above the Beverages - Alcoholic industry median of 10.36. Boston Beer Co's overall GF Score™ is 66/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % calculated?
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Boston Beer Co (SAM), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 22.82% as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Boston Beer Co (SAM) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Boston Beer Co stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $185.31 is trading 31.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of $269.45.
GuruFocus considers Boston Beer Co to be Significantly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for SAM:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 22.82% (237% above median its 10-year median of 6.78)
GF Value™: $269.45 vs. price of $185.31 (31.2% below fair value)
Industry Position: 120.4% above the Beverages - Alcoholic median (#30 of 164)
No single metric tells the full story. See the SAM stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Boston Beer is a top player in high-end malt beverages and adjacent categories in the US, with strong positions in craft beer, flavored malt beverages, hard cider, and hard seltzer. The bulk of volume and revenue is concentrated in four brands: Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly. Beverages are produced using a hybrid model leveraging both in-house capacities and third-party breweries through contract arrangements. While the firm is required to use distributors to reach end markets, including retailers and on-premises operators, it also employs 500 internal sales representatives to educate the market about its products. The firm generates almost all sales in the US.
66GF Score
Get the complete analysis for SAM
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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