Crossroads
Retail Investor, YouTube Investing Creator
Celsius is not a long-term hold because it is buying market share at the cost of margin. Given brand loyalty in energy drinks, few drinkers may switch for a cheaper can and then stay if and when Celsius raises prices. Part of its revenue growth is also inorganic, from the Alani acquisition. A post the author replies to notes 35.7% revenue growth to $3.4 billion at a tenth of Monster's value. x.comÂ
Celsius carries too much risk despite significant insider buying. Bloom's scanner data, clear shelf-space gains and social momentum challenge Celsius, and freight is a headwind. Alani limited editions are doing well and accelerating slightly, but the core Celsius brand has no acceleration potential until Q1. x.comÂ
Celsius's core brand is shrinking and further distribution gains look limited, making it a worse bet than DoorDash. Q2 revenue of $817.9M and adjusted EPS of 36c missed estimates, and organic growth excluding Rockstar was just 2% versus 9% expected, as brand Celsius fell 12% while Alani Nu grew 22%. Management offered little sign of a turnaround, and with the PepsiCo deal four years old, new c-store gains are likely limited. Celsius manages at best 5% organic growth at 16x 2026 earnings. x.comÂ
Celsius's Energy+ Hydration line can broaden demand by serving people seeking a noncarbonated drink, but customer switching and manufacturing and freight costs limit what it adds. In the 2027 forecast, 35% of $75M in line sales replaces existing Celsius purchases, leaving about $49M in additional revenue and $19M in gross profit after new production costs and avoided costs on displaced products, before marketing and overhead. The test is how much the line adds to the whole franchise. x.comÂ
Celsius bulls are missing that the drink tastes terrible and the brand has far too many flavors. That product weakness comes as Celsius posted an ugly miss, a reminder that a stock at 12x 2027 earnings can always get cheaper. x.comÂ
Celsius looks unattractive because its moats are thin and it does not control the supply chain that matters for its business. Q2 adjusted EBITDA fell 32% year over year and the stock is down 32% to a 52-week low since its Alani Nu acquisition rally. A better P/E would be needed to make it interesting. x.com x.comÂ
Celsius looks attractive at about 18x forward earnings after Alani and Rockstar drove revenue higher while its shares fell; continued international growth and wider distribution through Pepsi are key to the upside case. x.comÂ
Celsius has zero moat and looks like dead money. Price swings from $1.25 to $2.99 a can can drive deal-minded customers away, and copycats are getting into Kroger with ease. A reply argues distribution protects it, since rivals lack shelf space in the Coke, Pepsi and Keurig Dr Pepper systems, but that doesn't change the view. x.com x.com x.comÂ
Celsius overpaid for Alani Nu, and a Texas investigation now threatens the branding it paid for. Celsius bought Alani Nu for $1.775 billion in April 2025 to reach a younger demographic, and its colorful, social-native branding was the acquisition price. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office, in a probe tied to a teenager's death, calls that branding deceptive marketing to minors. A finding could force reformulation, labeling changes or marketing limits, structurally impairing the asset. … Show more
Celsius Holdings looks attractive as its operating metrics move in the right direction while the share price moves toward value territory. x.comÂ
Celsius increasingly looks like a mature beverage business rather than a hypergrowth story, after a big miss on earnings and revenue. Sales grew just 10%, with growth expected around that level next year, and it is unclear whether this is temporary execution weakness or genuine brand deterioration. At 14x EPS the stock looks cheap, but arguably deserves to until growth stabilizes and reaccelerates. x.comÂ