Brown Forman Corporation
BF.B
Consumer Defensive
1
exclusion reason
1 theme
This page is part of our public exclusion list — a transparency tool that shows which companies we screen out and why. It is not investment advice, and it is not an accusation. But it is subject to change as our understanding of the facts evolves.
Brown‑Forman Corporation is a major American producer and distributor of premium spirits and wines, deriving the vast majority of its revenue from alcoholic beverages. Its portfolio includes iconic brands such as Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Woodford Reserve bourbon, Old Forester, Finlandia vodka, el Jimador and Herradura tequilas, and a range of wines. The company's core business is the manufacture and global marketing of these products.
The company has been a party to significant litigation concerning the regulation and marketing of alcoholic beverages. This includes a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, *Brown‑Forman Distillers Corp. v. New York State Liquor Authority*, which centered on the constitutionality of state liquor price affirmation laws. More recently, the company was involved in a Texas appellate case, *Brown‑Forman Corp. v. Brune*, which addressed issues of liability related to alcohol abuse. These legal engagements highlight the company's deep entanglement in the regulatory and social complexities of the alcohol industry.
As a publicly traded entity controlled by the Brown family, Brown‑Forman represents a pure‑play investment in the production and sale of alcoholic beverages, with no material revenue from non‑alcohol operations.
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Companies appear on our exclusion list based on our investment judgment — not because they've done anything illegal. This is a difference of values and opinion, not an accusation of wrongdoing. Exclusion does not constitute a recommendation against investing in any company, and absence from the list does not constitute a recommendation to invest.
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