Crown Holdings reports global beverage can volume growth

Crown Holdings reported a 6% increase in global beverage can shipments during the third quarter of 2026. CEO Timothy J. Donahue described the trend as a “global growth spurt,” noting that North American beverage can volumes expanded by 6% as consumer preference shifts from plastic to recyclable aluminum.

Despite volume gains, the company faced significant cost headwinds due to conflicts in the Middle East, which impacted segment income by approximately $17 million. These inflationary pressures involve elevated costs for energy, industrial gases, and freight. To mitigate this, Crown Holdings will utilize automatic contractual recovery formulas to pass nonmetal cost increases to customers via a look-back formula starting in 2027.

In the Americas, beverage net sales rose 20% year-over-year to $1.7 billion, partly due to $240 million in pass-through metal costs. While the transit packaging business underperformed, food can volumes in North America saw high-single-digit gains driven by demand for pet food and canned vegetables. The company returned over $700 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the first nine months of 2026.