The Company’s effective tax rate for the second quarter decreased to 23.4% from 26.9% in the comparable period in 2019, primarily due to a higher tax benefit from stock option activity recorded in accordance with ASU 2016-09.
Year-to-Date 2020 Summary of Results
Depletions increased 43% from the comparable 26-week period in 2019, reflecting increases in the Company’s Truly Hard Seltzer, Twisted Tea brands and the addition of the Dogfish Head brands that were only partially offset by decreases in the Samuel Adams and Angry Orchard brands.
Shipment volume was approximately 3.3 million barrels, a 36.5% increase from the comparable 26-week period in 2019.
Gross margin at 45.7% decreased from the 49.7% margin realized in the comparable 26-week period in 2019, primarily as a result of higher processing costs due to increased production at third party breweries and higher processing costs and finished goods keg inventory write-offs at Company-owned breweries of which $5.6 million was direct costs related to COVID-19, partially offset by price increases and cost saving initiatives at Company-owned breweries.
Advertising, promotional and selling expenses increased $32.4 million from the comparable 26-week period in 2019, primarily due to increased investments in media and production, higher salaries and benefits costs, the addition of Dogfish Head brand-related expenses beginning July 3, 2019, and increased freight to distributors due to higher volumes.
General and administrative expenses increased by $6.6 million from the comparable 26-week period in 2019, primarily due to increases in salaries and benefits costs and the addition of Dogfish Head general and administrative expenses beginning July 3, 2019, partially offset by the Dogfish Head transaction-related fees of $1.5 million incurred in the second quarter of 2019.
Impairment of long-lived assets increased $2.1 million from the first half of 2019, primarily due to write-downs of brewery equipment at the Company’s Cincinnati brewery.
The Company’s effective tax rate for the 26-week period ended June 27, 2020 decreased to 21.4% from 24.1% in the comparable 26-week period in 2019. This decrease was primarily due to a higher tax benefit from stock option activity recorded in accordance with ASU 2016-09.
The Company expects that its June 27, 2020 cash balance of $86.7 million, together with its future operating cash flows and the $150.0 million unused balance on its line of credit, will be sufficient to fund future cash requirements.