Good morning, and thank you for joining Becle's fourth quarter and full year unaudited financial results call. During this call, you may hear certain forward-looking statements. These statements may relate to our future prospects, developments, and business strategies, and may be identified by our use of terms and phrases such as anticipate, believe, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, plan, predict, project, will, goals, target, strategy, and similar terms and phrases, and may include references to assumptions. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future by their nature, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Our actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. For all the foregoing reasons, you are cautioned against relying on such forward-looking statements.
We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Before we begin, we would like to remind you that the figures discussed on this call were prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards or IFRS, and published in the Mexican Stock Exchange. The information for the Q3 of 2022 is preliminary and is provided with the understanding that once financial statements are available, updated information will be shared in the appropriate electronic formats. At this time, we would like to remind participants that your lines will be in listen-only mode until the Q&A session. I will pass the call on to Becle's CEO, Mr. Juan Domingo Beckmann.
Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us today as we discuss Becle's Q4 and full year 2022 results. Once again, I am pleased to announce that our regions posted solid numbers despite facing several headwinds, such as inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints. The underlying demand for our brands remains strong, allowing us to continue building on last quarter's momentum and position ourselves for a healthy start to 2023. Becle's strong Q3 and full year results are a testament to the company's resiliency, adaptability, and successful strategy execution. Throughout the quarter and full year, we saw the benefits of our premiumization and product mix strategies play out across the regions, reflecting in the robust results in volumes and net sales. For the greater quarter, total volume and net sales grew respectively by 3.3% and 5.1% year-over-year.
For the full year, total volume increased 7.4% with net sales growing 16%. In the US & Canada region, volume was boosted by strong growth in tequila for the quarter and full year, partially offset by decreases in the highly competitive and quickly growing non-alcoholic and RTDs market. Nevertheless, depletions grew in line with shipments leading to adequate inventory levels, highlighting the strong demand for our brands. Our premiumization strategy in the region continues to stimulate growth and is a key driver of net sales. Mexico and LatAm's overall results for the quarter and year were very positive, driven by continued growth in our tequila portfolio, successful premiumization and product mix strategies, along with sustained robust figures for both the on and off-premise channels.
We remain committed to diversifying our suppliers in the region to mitigate continued supply chain constraints. The Mexico and LatAm regions posted solid volume and net sales growth, demonstrating increased tequila adoption aided by our well-executed premiumization strategy. These excellent results came despite a high inflation, inflationary environment, suggesting a strong demand for our brands. We are pleased with quality Q4 results achieved across our brands and regions. Our steady depletion levels, combined with robust demand and the effective execution of our premiumization strategy, have spurred volume and net sales growth across regions. This has allowed us to navigate emerging challenges and secure sustained value growth for our shareholders. I will now turn the call over to Luis Félix to discuss our U.S. and Canada results in further detail.
Thank you, Juan. Good morning, everyone. We are very pleased with our commercial performance in the United States and Canada for the Q4 and for the full year of 2022. Net sales value for the region was up 3.7% compared to the Q4 of 2021, and ended the full year up 6.6%. On a constant currency basis, our net sales value for the quarter was up 9% year-over-year and increased 7.4% for the full year. Our full year NSV growth reflects the positive effects of our 2022 price increase across our full-strength spirits portfolio and the successful execution of our premiumization strategy, driven by improved performance of our super and ultra-premium tequila brands. Full year 2022 depletions matched shipments with a 2.5 year-over-year decrease in both.
This is a solid base leading into 2023. Shipments and depletions for the quarter grew 1.8% and 4.1% over the previous year respectively, lapping a tough comparison year in Q4 2021, where shipments and depletions were up 11% and 6% respectively. Looking to U.S. Nielsen data for the 13 weeks ending December 31st of 2022, our brands consumer takeaway increased by 8.7%, strongly outpacing the industry, which grew by 3% in value. Our tequila portfolio depletions were up 12% for the quarter and increased 8.1% for the full year, driven by continuous strength of our super premium and ultra premium tequilas. Our supply chain team's proactive actions improved glass availability in the Q4 and managed to narrow the production gap by the end of the year.
Our Ready to Drink margarita category regained momentum and recorded 13.1% shipments growth during the quarter, but end of the year with a 7.7% decrease versus the prior year, lapping a hard comparison basis from unprecedented growth during the pandemic, coupled with a tough competitive environment. Our non-alcoholic portfolio shipment continues to underperform, negatively impacting volume figures for the quarter. This category has faced difficult conditions due to the robust reopening of the on-premise channel as our margarita mix offering is highly skewed to off-premise consumption. We at the end, we increased A&P spending during the fourth quarter, reflecting higher media and sponsorship expenses from strategic initiatives within our premium tequila and whiskey portfolios. I will now turn the call over to Olga Limón Montaño to discuss the Mexico and Latin America results.
Thank you, Luis, and good morning, everyone. Mexico and Latin posted encouraging results for both the Q4 and the full year 2022. Despite supply chain constraints, depletions for the region displayed positive growth in both the on and off premise channel posted product numbers, driven by our successful premiumization and portfolio strategies, which continue to drive the region's net sales growth. Recent price increases in the region were successfully implemented, and although we had strong demand for our brands reflected in the full year, we did see a slight slowdown in some of our brands in the Q4 . Despite supply chain challenges during the quarter, Mexico reported flat volume growth of 0.2 year-over-year and a 15.5 increase for the full year.
Net sales rose 6.8% and 32.7% for the quarter and full year, respectively, with tequila leading the way, driven by our successful premiumization and strong price segmentation strategies. The tequila portfolio grew 1% in volume for the quarter and 18.6% for the full year, while non-alcoholic and RTDs saw a 21.3 increase in volume for the quarter, spurred by product availability. The Latin region posted strong results with an 8.2% increase in volume year-over-year, and 36.9 growth for the full year. Net sales rose 10.1% for the quarter and 33% for the full year. Depletions improved year-over-year but experienced a slowdown in the last quarter due to macroeconomic factors in the region.
However, on-premise sales remained strong, with tequila volume rising 38.6% for the full year and net sales growing 42.4%, with premium and super premium brands leading the way. Overall, we expect the challenging supply chain environment to continue. We are confident that our strategy of expanding and diversifying our suppliers will mitigate this. We remain optimistic about the region's underlying demand for our diverse and attractive brand portfolio, and are confident in our premiumization and product mix strategies to continue driving successful results. I will now turn the call over to Gordon Dron, Managing Director of EMEA and APAC region.
Many thanks, Olga. Good afternoon from Europe. The EMEA and APAC region closed out the year with a record performance, delivering over one million cases above the 2021 performance, representing a 42% growth. Depletions also grew over 30%, allowing us to finish the year with adequate stocks on all brands as we enter 2023. Despite the backdrop of a challenging economic environment across many of the EMEA markets, with the Eurozone consumer price index recording inflation of 9.2% to the end of December 2022, the Q4 in EMEA remained strong for Becle, with sales growing 37% in value for the full year, showcasing the company's resilience in the region. Asia Pacific is still recovering from lockdowns. Our business grew in Q4 by 27% in volume as compared to the previous year.
Looking at the EMEA and APAC region for full year basis, volume and value grew by 42% and 35%, respectively. A very pleasing set of results, including double-digit growth from all brands. We ended the year with better balanced stocks, and we are confident that this will give us a strong start to 2023. I will now hand over the call to Fernando Suárez to walk you through our financial results for the consolidated.
Thank you, good morning. During the quarter, despite supply chain constraints and FX headwinds, the company reported a 5% increase in consolidated net sales to MXN 14 billion. However, on a pro forma basis for constant currency, consolidated net sales would have increased 11%. For the full year, net sales increased 16% to MXN 46 billion. This growth speaks to the company's successful premiumization strategy, with a product mix skewed towards brands with higher sales per case in addition to year-over-year price increases. Gross profit increased 9% in the Q4 to MXN 8 billion, while the gross margin increased 200 basis points to 57.5%. For the full year 2022, gross margin was 54.9% compared to 54% in 2021. The quarterly and full year gross margin increases reflect a stable agave pricing environment, an improved product mix, and pricing initiatives across our regions.
A&P expenses as a percentage of net sales increased to 28.6% from 26.1% in the Q4 of 2021. On a full year basis, 2022 A&P as a percentage of net sales was nearly flat compared to the previous year, up 20 basis points to 22.2%. This was as a result of our previously communicated catch-up of A&P investment opportunities and is in line with our 2022 full year guidance that we had given. Distribution expenses increased 2% to MXN 657 million compared to the Q4 of 2021. As a percentage of net sales, distribution decreased to 4.8% from 5.1% in the fourth quarter, primarily driven by decreased freight, warehousing, and logistics costs arising from the reduced supply chain constraints.
SG&A expenses increased 3% in the Q4 , representing 8.3% of net sales, compared to 8.5% in the Q4 of 2021. On a full year basis, SG&A as a percentage of sales was 8.5% compared to 8.9% during 2021. This reduction was primarily driven by cost efficiencies. Operating income was up 4% for the quarter, and the operating margin decreased to 15.8% from 16.0%. For the full year, operating profit increased 25% to MXN 8.5 billion pesos, and operating margin increased to 19.4% from 18.1%, both compared to the previous year. Q4 EBITDA increased 8% year-over-year to MXN 2.5 billion pesos with an 18.1% margin.
For the full year, the EBITDA margin was 21.5% compared to the 20.1% margin from 2021. Net financial results for the quarter resulted in a loss of MXN 230 million, which was primarily impacted by higher net interest expenses year-over-year, as well as a difficult comparison basis considering the extraordinary gain of MXN 192 million in the same period of the prior year that came from debt modification under IFRS, which was a product of our liability management exercise of last year. For full year 2022, net financial results were a loss of MXN 620 million. Q4 consolidated net income decreased 11% to MXN 1.4 billion. Net margin was 10.1% compared to 12% in the Q4 of 2021.
For the full year, net margin was 12.9%. Earnings per share were MXN 0.39 per share for the quarter and MXN 1.64 for the full year. As of December 31st, 2022, cash and cash equivalents were MXN 4.5 billion, and total debt was MXN 17.6 billion. We maintain a strong balance sheet, extended debt maturity schedule, with access to competitive long-term financing and conservative financial leverage to execute our long-term growth strategy. Regarding guidance for 2023, we expect to deliver full year net sales value growth between high single digits and low teens. Regarding our CapEx program, we are continuing with our strategic expansion projects, the most significant of which are our 1800 distillery in Tequila, Jalisco, and our aging and warehousing facilities. Our 2023 CapEx guidance is in the $250 million-$300 million range. We will turn the call back to the operator for Q&A .
Thank you. We will now move to the Q&A section. If you'd like to ask a question, please press star two on your phone and wait to be prompted. Our first question comes from Andrea Teixeira from JPMorgan. Please go ahead.
Thank you. Good morning. wanted to just go back to the to the outlook. I guess how should we be thinking in terms of like demand, depletions, and the puts and takes from an inventory perspective as well as the glass supply that I believe is normalizing? If you can walk us through the regions, how you are thinking of your algorithm into 2023 as well as the margin components there? Thank you all for all.
Yeah, yes, Andrea, thank you for the question. We'll start out with the U.S., on commenting on what's underlying the 2023 outlook. Luis, if you can go ahead.
In the case of the U.S., we are striving to maintain volume shipments equal to depletions. Our estimate is like growing on a mid-single digit growth for the U.S. and Canada in volume. That's our projection.
Right.
From a pricing perspective, you still have some carryover, right, from 2022?
No, that is previously stated. The thing is that we also, we have a price increase implemented in January this year. From a value standpoint, we are also sticking to the low single digit growth for next year. We implemented the new pricings in January this year.
Luis, just to complement, mid-single digit top line growth and plus low single digit, pricing, that tells us like high single, top line growth for 2023.
Andrea, again, the full year guidance on a consolidated basis is on a sales basis is high single digit to low teens on a consolidated basis. We're not providing specific regional guidance. Other than that.
Oh, No, yeah, no. No, that's fine. Uh-huh.
Other than what Luis qualitatively just commented that we expect shipments to be in line with depletions next year. As to your glass and supply chain and margins questions. On supply chain and in particular glass, we see a gradual improvement of the supply chain, but we're still not out of the woods. We're still supply chain challenged, and we'll be continuing to work through that process, although marginally more positive on the matter. Lastly, on margin guidance, unfortunately, as you know, we do not provide margin guidance. We only supply top line guidance at this stage. Thank you for the question, Andrea.
Just on the facts, if I can just ask a follow-up on what you're saying about the top line globally. Is that in constant currency or is that embedded in some sort of this FX headwind or?
The pro forma comment that we made on constant currency is precisely that. On a constant currency basis, we estimate that net sales would have grown 11%.
Okay, perfect. Thank you.
Thank you. Our next question comes from, Fernando Olvera from Bank of America. Please go ahead.
Hi. Good morning, everyone, and thanks for taking my questions. I have two. The first one is related to the performance by categories. Can you explain the volume decline in non-alcoholic beverages, and what is the performance that we should expect this year? My second question, very quickly is if you can comment what explain the loss register at the equity method, and how should we think about this line in 2023? Thank you.
[crosstalk]
Non-alcoholic.
You talked. The first question was related to non-alcoholic?
Yes. Right.
Okay. In non-alcoholic, remember during the pandemic, we saw a huge increase in our volume for both the RTDs and the non-alcoholic. That was totally related to the at home consumption, which right now after the pandemic, people are going back to on-premise. That's the reason why we see some declines in the particularly in the non-alcoholic category that we have.
Do you expect this weakness to continue in 2023?
We believe that we have a base which is not going to be affected because right now, almost all year in 2022, we were out of the pandemic and, we see that on-premise will continue to be the same. We believe that the base is already discounted the negative effect that we saw in 2022. We are projecting more stable numbers.
Okay.
As to your second question, Fernando, we understand regarding the equity pickup method. We don't expect any changes there. We just reflect there, whatever minority investments we have, that we reflect through the equity pickup method. Thank you.
Great. Thank you, Fernando.
Thank you. Just a reminder, if you have a question, please press star two on your keypad and wait to be prompted. Our next question comes from Antonio Hernández from Barclays. Please go ahead.
Hi. Good morning. Thanks for taking my question on your results. My question regarding the you mentioned that glass That glass headwind is improving. Is that related at all to the performance of other spirits as well? Were other spirits lower growth in terms of volume compared to Jose Cuervo and other tequilas, related to other factors? Thanks.
Antonio, regarding glass supply, we understand that there's more availability of glass from glass manufacturers. They, in turn, have been pressured last year by increasing input costs. We are now seeing gradual improvement in glass supply from our suppliers, and we've also been developing and expanding our supplier base on glass. That's what we would care to comment.
Okay. [crosstalk]Sorry.
Go ahead.
Thanks. Thanks, Fred. A follow would be regarding, well, on-premise is recovering, of course. Do you expect that to change a little bit your AMP expenses, or basically to keep it around that 22% level on a full year basis?
Thank you, Antonio. In the case of the U.S., the on-prem is, yes, it is increasing the, our AMP. We see, we will continue with a strong investment in AMP. We believe that our brands are in growth pace. We continue to have a significant AMP spending in, at least in the U.S. We will continue to have a strong AMP. Not related just to the on-premise opening. Antonio, regarding consolidated AMP, you recall that we gave guidance of 22% area for full year. This year, we're still working through our marketing plans. We expect a similar figure plus minus a certain degree there, depending on how the year plays out.
As the year progresses, we might be able to refine a more specific AMP guidance, but not at this stage.
Perfect. Thanks a lot. Appreciate the call. Have a great day. Thanks.
Thank you. Our next question comes from Felipe Ucros from Scotiabank. Please go ahead.
Thanks, good morning, everyone. Thanks for taking my question. First, Juan, maybe a question on verticalization. Obviously, when you did the IPO, you guys had a target of verticalization, and then eventually that target, that guidance was removed. Just wondering, and I know you don't give exact numbers on this, but just wondering if you can comment qualitatively or directionally, where verticalization is moving or where you expect it in the next few years? Do you expect still a positive impact from vertical integration?
[About that] no, we don't talk about that because as you know, the prices of agaves have been very volatile, and whatever we say can influence the pricing of agave in the market, so.
Understood. Maybe if I can do a follow-up on the other spirits category. Obviously, industry numbers are showing that volumes are turning negative in the U.S. for a number of categories, but you're seemingly still growing in this segment. Just wondering if this is mainly driven by the Irish whiskey category or maybe it's because rest of the world is still in a very strong reactivation mode. Just wondering if you can break down how other spirits is still growing when most large other spirits categories for the industry have been shrinking?
In the U.S., as you may see, Irish whiskey category is flat versus last year. We're seeing some growth in some of our brands in whiskey, but we're still very small in our portfolio of whiskey. We fully have our tequila strategy in place and the investment on our super premium and ultra-premium tequila portfolio. We also have some growth in some of our brands in whiskey. We, as you know, we don't comment on a specific brand's performance.
Whiskey in Europe and Asia is growing for us.
Understood. Thanks, thanks for the call.
Just a reminder, if you have a question, please press star two on your keypad. We'll just wait maybe another 20 seconds or so, just to see if there are any final questions. I'm not seeing any more questions, perhaps we can wrap the call up there. That concludes the call for today. Thank you very much, and have a nice day.