Ambev's first-quarter profit beats estimates as Brazilian home market does well
Adds analyst comment in paragraph 5 and 6
By Natalia Siniawski
May 8 (Reuters) -Brazilian brewer Ambev SA ABEV3.SA posted a small decline in net profit for the first quarter but the result handily beat expectations on a positive performance in its home market.
In Brazil, volumes grew by 3.6% benefiting from Carnival festivities with sales led by its Corona, Spaten and Original brands. By contrast, other parts of South America were weaker with sales in Argentina tumbling 19% due to a tough economic environment.
Net profit for the Anheuser-Busch InBev ABI.BR unit fell 0.4% to 3.8 billion reais ($749 million). That compares with an LSEG consensus estimate for a 9.9% decline.
Overall sales were flat in volume terms but revenue fell 1.2% to 20.28 billion reais.
Analysts at XP Investimentos said that leading beer volumes in Brazil, "which in the past could have been a catalyst" for the firm, were "not anymore, considering soft international operations and uncertainty on taxes".
These uncertainties could prompt investor caution, the analysts added, saying the results showed a "positive though non-exciting quarter".
Ambev is Brazil's fourth-largest company by market capitalization, behind oil giant Petrobras PETR4.SA, miner Vale VALE3.SA and lender Itau ITUB4.SA.
($1 = 5.0744 reais)
Reporting by Natalia Siniawski; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Chizu Nomiyama
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