Advertisement
BUD or MNST or PM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) vs. Monster Beverage (MNST) vs. Philip Morris International (PM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- BUD has shown resilience with recent earnings beats and YTD gains around 4-14%, supported by premiumization and beyond-beer expansions, though facing volume pressures.
- MNST benefits from strong energy drink demand, posting YTD returns near 4% and robust Q4 growth of 12.9% in key markets, with analysts viewing pullbacks as opportunities.
- PM leads with smoke-free product momentum, delivering multi-year returns over 100% and 2025 revenue growth, despite regulatory hurdles and recent price dips.
- Consumer staples like these offer defensive positioning amid market volatility, with PM showing superior long-term stability and dividend appeal.
- Relative performance highlights PM's edge in growth drivers, while BUD and MNST navigate sector-specific challenges.
- Valuation sensitivity varies, with MNST at premium multiples but strong upside potential per analysts.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines BUD, MNST, and PM, three leaders in consumer staples spanning beverages and tobacco. These stocks appeal to investors seeking relative performance in defensive sectors, where steady demand persists amid economic uncertainty. Traders focused on market positioning may value their divergent growth paths—premium alcohol, energy drinks, and smoke-free transitions—while broader portfolios benefit from their dividend yields and resilience. Recent market activity underscores contrasts in momentum, valuation, and catalysts, aiding informed decisions on stock comparison and allocation.
BUD Overview and Recent Performance
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (BUD), the world's largest brewer, produces beers like Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois across global segments including North America and Asia Pacific. In recent market activity, BUD shares traded around $67-73, reflecting YTD returns of 4-14% and 1-year gains near 9-20%. Sentiment has been influenced by Q4 earnings exceeding projections, driven by premiumization and digital initiatives like BEES, alongside acquisitions such as BeatBox for beyond-beer growth. Price behavior shows stability with a beta of 0.74, though recent weeks saw pullbacks amid broader consumer pressures, balanced by analyst strong buy ratings targeting $92.
MNST Overview and Recent Performance
Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST) specializes in energy drinks like Monster Energy and Reign, distributed via partners including Coca-Cola. Recent performance features shares near $73-74, with YTD returns around 4% and multi-year gains of 35-70%. Key developments include Q4 net sales growth of 17.6% and 12.9% YoY in U.S./EMEA, fueled by sugar-free variants and resilient demand. Despite post-earnings dips viewed as buying opportunities by analysts like Jefferies, sentiment remains positive with price targets up to $90-94, supported by category expansion and 31 years of sales growth.
PM Overview and Recent Performance
Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) focuses on cigarettes and smoke-free products like IQOS, ZYN, and VEEV, operating in over 180 countries. Shares recently hovered at $163-174, with YTD gains near 4% but 1-year returns of 12-19% and 3-year over 100%. Recent weeks highlighted 2025 revenue topping $40B, 14.8% EPS growth, and smoke-free products at 42% of revenues, with 2026 guidance for 5-7% revenue rise. Regulatory challenges temper enthusiasm, yet strong financials and ZYN's category capture drive positive positioning.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page showcases the platform's top-performing AI trading bots, curated from hundreds available that trade thousands of tickers. These bots employ diverse strategies—pattern recognition, swing trading, hedging—across timeframes from 5 minutes to 60 days, with stats like win rates up to 89%, profit factors over 12, and annualized returns reaching 188%. Selected for current market suitability, they excel in volatile sectors like semiconductors (+92%), energy (+63%), and consumer staples (+70%), often with drawdowns under $5K on $100K portfolios. Explore these high-probability agents to enhance trading efficiency.
Head-to-Head Comparison
BUD, MNST, and PM operate in consumer defensive spaces but diverge in business models: BUD's global brewing emphasizes volume recovery via premiums; MNST rides high-growth energy drinks with Coca-Cola distribution; PM pivots to smoke-free for margin expansion. Growth drivers contrast—MNST's 17% sales surge vs. PM's 42% smoke-free revenues—while recent momentum favors PM's multi-year stability over BUD's earnings beats. Risk factors include regulatory scrutiny for PM, volume softness for BUD, and valuation premiums for MNST. Sector exposure ties to staples resilience, with PM less sensitive to economic cycles.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors PM for its consistent trend in smoke-free catalysts, superior relative positioning, and stability amid volatility. Observable factors like 144% 5-year returns and robust 2026 guidance suggest higher probability of outperformance versus BUD's recovery phase or MNST's growth volatility.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full Disclaimers and Limitations.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
BUD’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green whileMNST’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s), and PM’s FA Score reflects 3 green FA rating(s).
- BUD’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- MNST’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- PM’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
BUD’s TA Score shows that 7 TA indicator(s) are bullish while MNST’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s), and PM’s TA Score reflects 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- BUD’s TA Score: 7 bullish, 3 bearish.
- MNST’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- PM’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
BUD (@Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy) experienced а -0.79% price change this week, while MNST (@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic) price change was +2.74% , and PM (@Tobacco) price fluctuated -3.20% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy industry was +0.30%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +5.98%, and the average quarterly price growth was +5.70%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Beverages: Non-Alcoholic industry was -1.29%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +0.30%, and the average quarterly price growth was +83822.82%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Tobacco industry was -1.34%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +1.03%, and the average quarterly price growth was -8.81%.
Reported Earning Dates
BUD is expected to report earnings on May 05, 2026.
MNST is expected to report earnings on Apr 30, 2026.
PM is expected to report earnings on Apr 22, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy (+0.30% weekly)The meat, fish, and dairy food industry processes livestock, fish and milk products for consumer consumption. Some companies also process dairy byproducts. Tyson Foods, Inc., Hormel Foods Corporation and Pilgrims Pride Corp. are some of the biggest producers in this industry. Many of these companies are recipients of American farm subsidies. On the other hand, new-age food innovation like plant-based meat substitutes (which are designed to simulate chicken, beef, and pork sausage) could potentially augur disruptions and/or create new competition in this space.
@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (-1.29% weekly)Non-alcoholic drinks include traces of alcohol or low alcohol content or without alcohol or alcohol removed. Functional Beverages, Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs), Sports Drinks, Fruit Beverages, and Bottled Water are some common types of non-alcoholic beverages. The largest segment in this market is soft drinks (think Pepsi and Coke). Many established companies in this space have also been stepping up production of low to zero-calorie varieties in recent years, to cater to a rising number of health-conscious consumers. Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico Inc, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. and Monster Beverage Corporation are some major non-alcoholic beverage makers.
@Tobacco (-1.34% weekly)The industry is engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products like cigarettes. In 2017, tobacco companies spent an estimated $9.36 billion marketing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the U.S. – an amount that translates to more than $25 million each day (according to a CDC report). Philip Morris International Inc., Altria Group Inc., and British American Tobacco plc are some major cigar makers. In recent times, vaping or the use of e-cigarette (does not burn tobacco) is gaining momentum – several established cigarette makers are trying to expand their footprint in this new market.
| BUD | MNST | PM | |
| Capitalization | 147B | 75.5B | 246B |
| EBITDA | 21B | 2.53B | 17.5B |
| Gain YTD | 17.192 | 0.730 | -0.900 |
| P/E Ratio | 22.14 | 39.81 | 21.69 |
| Revenue | 59.3B | 8.29B | 40.6B |
| Total Cash | 11.8B | 2.77B | N/A |
| Total Debt | 73B | 199M | 48.8B |
BUD | MNST | PM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 13 | 69 | 67 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 51 Fair valued | 93 Overvalued | 22 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 70 | 24 | 19 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 75 | 35 | 3 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 46 | 50 | 60 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 66 | 63 | 83 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 75 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
PM's Valuation (22) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as BUD (51) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for MNST (93) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that PM's stock grew similarly to BUD’s and significantly faster than MNST’s over the last 12 months.
PM's Profit vs Risk Rating (19) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as MNST (24) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for BUD (70) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry. This means that PM's stock grew similarly to MNST’s and somewhat faster than BUD’s over the last 12 months.
PM's SMR Rating (3) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as MNST (35) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for BUD (75) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry. This means that PM's stock grew similarly to MNST’s and significantly faster than BUD’s over the last 12 months.
BUD's Price Growth Rating (46) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry is in the same range as MNST (50) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry, and is in the same range as PM (60) in the Tobacco industry. This means that BUD's stock grew similarly to MNST’s and similarly to PM’s over the last 12 months.
MNST's P/E Growth Rating (63) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is in the same range as BUD (66) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is in the same range as PM (83) in the Tobacco industry. This means that MNST's stock grew similarly to BUD’s and similarly to PM’s over the last 12 months.
| BUD | MNST | PM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 63% | 1 day ago 79% | 1 day ago 73% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 48% | 1 day ago 47% | 1 day ago 54% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 63% | 1 day ago 52% | 1 day ago 49% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 65% | 1 day ago 53% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 50% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 51% | 1 day ago 57% | 1 day ago 51% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 54% | 1 day ago 58% | 13 days ago 57% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 56% | 7 days ago 47% | 6 days ago 48% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 48% | 1 day ago 43% | N/A |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 47% | 1 day ago 48% | 1 day ago 32% |
Advertisement
MNST and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, MNST has been loosely correlated with CCEP. These tickers have moved in lockstep 46% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if MNST jumps, then CCEP could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To MNST | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MNST | 100% | +0.66% | ||
| CCEP - MNST | 46% Loosely correlated | -1.52% | ||
| KO - MNST | 43% Loosely correlated | -0.34% | ||
| PEP - MNST | 42% Loosely correlated | -0.43% | ||
| CELH - MNST | 36% Loosely correlated | -4.17% | ||
| KDP - MNST | 31% Poorly correlated | -0.11% | ||
More | ||||