Which stock wins in a battle between the top Canadian cannabis producer and one of the leading U.S. cannabis operators?

In the latest trading session, Constellation Brands (STZ) closed at $164.68, marking a -0.83% move from the previous day.

U.S. inventories of the company’s imported Corona and Modelo beers will run out, because the Covid-19 pandemic has halted brewing in Mexico.

Aurora Cannabis Inc.'s fiscal third-quarter numbers showed "encouraging signs, for a change," according to Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Pablo Zuanic, who reiterated his overweight rating and C$22 ($16) stock price target in a Friday note. The Canadian company posted sales that were 13% above FactSet consensus, with recreational weed up 24% from the prior quarter, "and began to show cost and cashflow improvements that give credence to the notion of positive EBITDA by the Sep quarter and positive cash flow by late FY21," said the note. The company also said that a new $250 million equity facility was a "backstop" and won't be needed if targets are met. Aurora, with 1.2 times net debt to current sales, is not in the same league as Canopy Growth Corp. or Cronos Inc. , which have bigger backstops thanks to investments from Constellation Brands Inc. in Canopy's case, and Altria Inc. in Cronos' case, said Zuanic. "That is why, we believe, ACB trades at a third of those stocks on EV/current sales, despite having similar or better growth prospects. It is in the "levered league." That said, this is not a company going bust, and we see value," the analyst wrote. Jefferies analyst Owen Bennett said the numbers offered reasons to be optimistic, but said that sales were never the issue for Aurora, but rather its cost structure. "To this, although a headline EBITDA miss today, we think consensus will warm to Aurora's chances of hitting their +ve adj. EBITDA target, especially given commentary around further levers to pull," Bennett wrote in a note. "As before, all eyes remain on 1Q as the big catalyst." Bennett rates the stock as hold with a C$1.00 price target. Aurora's U.S.-listed shares were up 23% premarket but are down 74% in the year to date, while the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF has fallen 35% and the S&P 500 has fallen 12%.

Having a stable source of income, even if it's not guaranteed, can give investors peace of mind during times of turmoil.

The pot stock's been struggling over the past year, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about its future.

VICTOR, N.Y., May 20, 2020 -- Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a leading beverage alcohol company, announced today that Garth Hankinson, chief financial.

In the latest trading session, Constellation Brands (STZ) closed at $179.38, marking a +1.68% move from the previous day.

Certain beverage brands and pack sizes from Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ) are already facing availability issues, and the company's number of products out of stock could increase through June, regardless of Mexico's decision to permit production, according to MKM Partners.The Constellation Brands Analyst William Kirk downgraded Constellation Brands from Hold to Sell and reduced the price target from $216 to $147.The Constellation Brands Thesis Out-of-stock issues are unlikely to improve until 40 days after Constellation Brands decides to increase brewing capacity, since that's is how it takes to brew and ship most of its beers, Kirk said in the Friday downgrade note. Even if increased production begins May 18, out-of-stock issues will start getting resolved by June 27, the analyst said. "A very real risk" exists of increased production not beginning May 18, he said. Mexico has pushed the date back once and has now said that businesses can resume only in areas with no COVID-19 cases, Kirk said. Constellation Brands does not have production facilities in these regions, the analyst said, adding that package availability remains tight.In the event the company is unable to increase production by mid-May, availability issues may extend into July and to more brands and pack sizes, he said. Demand decelerated meaningfully in April from the levels seen in March, Kirk said. "From both a supply and demand perspective, optimism that STZ can continue its growth trajectory is misplaced." STZ Price Action Shares of Constellation Brands were down 0.21% at $164.42 at the time of publication Friday. Related Links:Canopy Rivers Invests In Dynaleo To Produce Pot GummiesCannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana And Psychedelic Stock News Stories Of The WeekLatest Ratings for STZ DateFirmActionFromTo May 2020JP MorganMaintainsOverweight May 2020MKM PartnersDowngradesBuySell Apr 2020CitigroupMaintainsNeutral View More Analyst Ratings for STZ View the Latest Analyst RatingsSee more from Benzinga * Applied Optoelectronics Analyst Drops Bullish Stance After Q1 Miss On Limited Revenue Growth Outlook * Mobile Game Developer Zynga Has Growing Market Opportunity, UBS Says After Q1 Report * Wells Fargo Downgrades Shopify, Says Strong Growth Largely Priced In(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

The biggest marijuana stock in the world by market cap has a long way to go before it becomes investment-worthy.

Constellation Brands (STZ) closed at $168.90 in the latest trading session, marking a +0.23% move from the prior day.

When I last wrote about Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) in March, CGC stock was testing three-year lows. The reason for that was the novel coronavirus was forcing the company to close its corporate-owned Tokyo Smoke and Tweed stores.Source: Shutterstock But those stores are now open again, at least for pick-up and delivery. And that means that Canopy will at least be able to post some sales as Canada begins the slow process of reopening.Investing in cannabis stocks is like running a marathon. I believe there will be a payoff at the end, but it's going to take a while to get there. And along the way, only the most determined are going to survive.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 A-Rated REITs to Buy Now That brings me to another point I had made about Canopy in my last article. The company was rapidly burning through the cash it received from Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) in 2018. But that situation changed when Constellation increased its investment. Understanding Constellation's Vote of ConfidenceConstellation CEO Bill Newlands cited three reasons for the company's continuing investment in Canopy. The logic goes like this. The global cannabis market is expected to exceed $250 billion in the next 15 years. That means that cannabis could easily outpace the market that Constellation plays in today.With that said, Constellation obviously believes that Canopy is going to be a major player in that market. In a statement, Newlands wrote that "Canopy is best positioned to win in the emerging cannabis space." And one reason for that, of course, is the cannabis-infused beverages that Constellation has helped create.And finally, and maybe most important, is Constellation is effectively steering the ship. Canopy's new CEO, David Klein, is the former CFO of Constellation Brands. The More Things Change, The More They Stay the SameFew industries have had as difficult a time gaining traction as the cannabis industry. Ever since the stocks of major, and minor, cannabis companies went through the roof in 2018, it's been one problem after another. The novel coronavirus that spawned the Covid-19 pandemic hit just as Canopy was beginning to recognize actual revenue from its Canadian operations.Success in the Canadian market will go a long way to the ultimate goal of opening up the United States to both medicinal and recreational marijuana. The legal marijuana market is still very much in its infancy. And one of the reasons the training wheels are still on is because the United States is not open for business.However, my InvestorPlace colleague Josh Enomoto referenced a study by the Pew Research Center that shows attitudes toward legalizing marijuana are changing. And since money talks, it's not hard to imagine that once Canopy and other companies start showing a profit, political will may change. Millennials Are Helping Prop Up CGC StockCanopy Growth is in the top 20 of most purchased stocks on Robinhood. Considering that millenials are the primary investors on the app, this is not surprising. This is a generation that is playing the long game when it comes to marijuana stocks. They are betting on a future where marijuana is legal. So, why not get in on the ground floor?However, I should caution that as of this writing, Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB) was tops on the list of Robinhood stocks. So, let's not get carried away throwing bouquets. But it's clear that this is a market that continues to believe in the marijuana story. Be a Cannabis Realist When It Comes to CGC StockI consider myself to be a realist when it comes to cannabis stocks in general. I'm bullish on the long-term future of the industry. But I also know that thesis is premised on full legalization of the cannabis industry in the United States. I think CGC stock is a buy right now simply because it's cheap and it probably has found a floor.The continuing support of Constellation all but ensures that Canopy will be around on the other side of this pandemic. But in my opinion, investors hoping for meteoric growth in CGC stock during the second half of 2020 may be disappointed. Every cannabis company, Canopy included, is on a long road and there is no shortcut.Chris Markoch is a freelance financial copywriter who has been covering the market for over five years. He has been writing for InvestorPlace since 2019. As of this writing, Chris Markoch did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * America's 1 Stock Picker Reveals Next 1,000% Winner * 25 Stocks You Should Sell Immediately * 1 Under-the-Radar 5G Stock to Buy Now * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own The post Canopy Growth Is the Definition of a Long-Term Investment appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Top management changes are in the cards at Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC). The company said that its chief operating officer Andre Fernandez and chief commercial officer Dave Bigioni are no longer employed there, after mutually agreeing with Canopy Growth to depart. Both Fernandez and Bigioni were veterans of the corporate world prior to their tenures at Canopy Growth.

Molson Coors is launching its hard seltzer Vizzy to take on White Claw.

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) has given Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC) a renewed strong vote of confidence. On May 1, the company known for its Corona beers announced that it would be exercising warrants which would give Constellation a 38.6% stake in the cannabis company. In 2018, it invested another $4 billion into Canopy Growth.

Corona and Modelo beer distributor Constellation Brands downgraded to sell by MKM Partners on availability issues bubbling over from pandemic shutdown.

Welcome to the Cannabis Countdown. In This Week's Edition, We Recap and Countdown the Top 10 Marijuana and Psychedelic Stock News Stories for the Week of May 4th - 10th, 2020.Without further ado, let's get started.* Yahoo Finance readers, please click here to view full article.10\. Chairman and CEO of Profitable Cannabis Firm Joins Champignon Brands' Board of DirectorsChampignon Continues to Bolster its Impressive Team with the Company Appointing Pat McCutcheon to its BoardAs the Founder, CEO and Chairman of MediPharm Labs (OTCQX: MEDIF), McCutcheon was instrumental in creating one of the cannabis sector's only profitable Pot Stocks. McCutcheon's capital raising expertise, leadership skills and business acumen will be valuable assets for Champignon Brands (OTCQB: SHRMF) as it begins to accelerate its North American expansion of new Psychedelic clinics.READ FULL CHAMPIGNON ARTICLE9\. 3 Top Cannabis Stocks to Buy in MayThere Are Still Promising Picks in the Cannabis Sector for Long-Term InvestorsThere are three Marijuana Stocks that look especially appealing right now. Here's why Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE: IIPR), Green Thumb (OTCQX: GTBIF) and Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) are top cannabis stocks to buy in May.READ FULL MAY CANNABIS STOCKS ARTICLE8\. Aurora Cannabis Keeps Price Target at PI FinancialBeleaguered Cannabis Name Aurora Has Seen its Share Price Destroyed Over the Past Year, Dropping from to Ahead of quarterly Earnings from Aurora Cannabis (NYSE: ACB) due next week, PI Financial's Jason Zandberg said to be prepared for a COVID-19-inspired negative impact on the company's finances. In an update to clients on Wednesday, Zandberg maintained his "Neutral" rating and $2 target price, which at press time represented a projected 12-month return of 102%.READ FULL AURORA CANNABIS ARTICLE7\. Canopy Growth Receives Massive Cash Injection as Constellation Ups Stake in the Top Canadian LPAs a Result of Constellation's Warrant Exercise, Canopy Growth Added 5 Million to the Company's CoffersConstellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) exercised nearly 19 million warrants boosting its ownership position in Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC) to over 142 million shares. After acquiring the new shares, here's what Constellation Brands' Canopy Growth position looks like now.READ FULL CANOPY CONSTELLATION ARTICLE6\. MindMed Announces Million Bought DealMindMed Plans to Use the Proceeds From the Equity Financing to Fund its University Hospital Basel CollaborationMindMed (OTC: MMEDF) announced that it has entered into a letter of engagement to conduct a bought deal with Eight Capital as the sole bookrunner and lead underwriter. The Psychedelics firm priced its financing at $0.53 per share for gross proceeds of $10,000,040.READ FULL MINDMED ARTICLE5\. Aphria Settles .8 Million in Convertible Debt with Share IssuanceIn Total, Aphria Will Be Repurchasing .8 Million of its Outstanding Debt Issued in April 2019Aphria (NYSE: APHA) announced that it has entered into an agreement with certain convertible debt holders to repurchase outstanding debt at a significant discount to the face value of that debt. What's more, is that the majority of the debt repurchase is being settled via the issuance of common shares with a small cash component involved.READ FULL APHRIA ARTICLE4\. Aleafia Health Secures Health Canada Licence Amendments for Paris Production and Extraction Facility Phase II ExpansionAleafia is Now in a Position to Accelerate its Cannabis 2.0 Strategy While Exponentially Increasing its Extraction, Production and Packaging CapacityAleafia Health's (OTCQX: ALEAF) wholly-owned subsidiary Emblem Cannabis has secured a Health Canada licence amendment for its Paris Facility's 30,000 sq. ft. Phase II expansion, entirely dedicated to the extraction, production, packaging and distribution of finished cannabis products.READ FULL ALEAFIA HEALTH ARTICLE3\. Cannabis Innovator Cronos Group Sees Revenue Jump 181% During Q1Cronos, Like Other Cannabis Companies, Has Been Dealing with the Effects of the Coronavirus OutbreakCronos Group (NASDAQ: CRON) saw its revenue spike 181% during the first quarter of 2020. The Canadian licensed producer (LP) revealed the number in its latest Earnings report on Friday.READ FULL CRONOS GROUP ARTICLE2\. Champignon Brands Assembles Task Force to Accelerate Expansion of New Psychedelic ClinicsThe Newly Formed Expansion Committee Plans to Accelerate Champignon's Entry into the Vast U.S. MarketBuilding off the recent AltMed deal, which saw Champignon Brands (OTCQB: SHRMF) acquire the Health Canada licensed CRTCE clinic, Champignon intends to open/acquire at least 5 new clinics in 2020. The Psychedelics leader disclosed that it continues to hold discussions with revenue-generating clinics in New York, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas and Missouri.READ FULL CHAMPIGNON BRANDS ARTICLE1\. A Billion Market Valuation for Psychedelics May be Too LowPsychedelics Have Gone Mainstream, All Thanks to a Wide Range of Research That Points to Success in Treating a Range of Mental and Other Health-Related IssuesIn short, Psychedelics may change the way we look at medicine - and significantly help improve the health and mental state of millions of people around the world. If that's the case, a market value estimate of $5 billion may be at the very low end. As the growth story unfolds, some of the companies to keep an eye on include: Champignon Brands (OTCQB: SHRMF), MindMed (OTC: MMEDF), GW Pharma (NASDAQ: GWPH), Revive Therapeutics (OTCPK: RVVTF) and The Yield Growth (OTCQB: BOSQF).READ FULL PSYCHEDELICS SECTOR ARTICLEPhoto by Esteban Lopez on UnsplashSee more from Benzinga * Cannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana And Psychedelics Industry News Stories Of The Week * Cannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana And Psychedelic Stock News Stories Of The Week * Cannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana And Psychedelics Industry News Stories Of The Week(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Over the last 20 months, they have been impacted by valuation issues, a thriving black market, lower than expected demand, high inventory levels, mounting losses, health issues from the vaping scandals, and much more. The investor euphoria that surrounded cannabis stocks when Canada legalized marijuana for recreational use seems like a distant dream. The marijuana sector is still at a nascent stage and is expected to grow at a rapid pace in the upcoming decade.

Headquartered in Victor, New York, Constellation Brands describes itself as the "fastest-growing, large consumer product goods company in the U.S. at retail." After a substantial investment in Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth, Constellation is working toward being the leader in cannabis-infused beverages and other products. On April 3, Constellation Brands released fiscal-year 2020 results.

The first-quarter earnings season has revealed how quickly companies are embracing digital and automation strategies, as they shift to dealing with consumers who are complying with stay-at-home rules and other restrictions on movement during the coronavirus pandemic.