Brown-Forman Corporation
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| Public | |
| Traded as | Class A : BF.A Class B : BF.B S&P 500 Component (BF.B) |
| Industry |
Distilled beverage Wines |
| Founded | 1870 |
| Headquarters | Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
|
Key people
|
Paul C. Varga, Chairman & CEO |
| Revenue |
 US$3.08 billion (2016)
|
 US$1.53 billion (2016)
|
|
|
US$1.06 billion (2016)
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|
| Total assets |
US$4.18 billion (2016)
|
| Total equity |
US$1.56 billion (2016)
|
|
Number of employees
|
4.600 (2016) |
| Website | www |
The Brown-Forman Corporation is one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, it manufactures several well known brands throughout the world, including Jack Daniel's, Early Times, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve, Canadian Mist, GlenDronach, BenRiach, Glenglassaugh, Finlandia, Herradura, Korbel, and Chambord. Brown-Forman formerly owned Southern Comfort and Tuaca before selling them off in 2016.
As of fiscal 2016 the company had sales of $3.08 billion. The roughly 40 members of the Brown family, cousins that are descendants of founder George Garvin Brown, control more than 70% of the voting shares.
The company was founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown, a young pharmaceuticals salesman in Louisville, who had the then-novel idea of selling top-grade whiskey in sealed glass bottles.
In 2005, the company sold its Lenox division (one of the oldest and most famous manufacturers of fine china in the United States), which had been acquired in 1983, to Department 56 for $USD 160 million. The income generated by the sale was distributed to the shareholders in the form of a one time special dividend.
In 2006, the company acquired the Chambord liqueur brand (a super-premium black raspberry liqueur produced in France) for $US 255 million.
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Wikipedia