Trump Tariffs Are a Buzzkill for U.S. Beer Giant 

  • MillerCoors CEO says measure may erase $40 million in profit
  • Beer maker may cut investments, new hires or even lift prices
Cans of Molson Coors Brewing Co. Leinenkugel's brand beer are arranged for a photograph in Princeton, Illinois, U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016. Molson Coors Brewing Co. is scheduled to release earnings figures on November 1.Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg
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The Trump administration’s tariffs on aluminum imports are presenting the largest American-owned beer company with several options, none of them palatable.

Depending on how much the tariffs push up U.S. premiums on the metal, MillerCoors estimates a more than $40 million hit to its bottom line. To soften the blow, the maker of Miller Lite and Coors Light may have to cut back on investments, new hires, or other costs and expenses -- or even raise prices.