Shares of wine and liquor company Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) have been soaring in early trading despite posting a loss in its fourth-quarter. The results, though, beat analysts' estimates.

For the quarter, Constellation Brands said that it swung to a loss of $831.9 million, or $3.90 per share, hurt by a considerable charge related to its Australia and U.K. businesses. Included in the company's numbers was an impairment charge of $807.1 million. Excluding that, the world's biggest winemaker's earnings would have been 34 cents per share. Analysts, on average, were expecting earnings of 25 cents per share for the quarter.

Constellation did post a decline in its fourth-quarter revenue, which slipped 23% to $884.4, down from $1.14 billion a year earlier. The drop in revenue came as the company had to face lower wine sales amid a weak consumer environment. However, Constellation Brands was able to beat analysts' predictions for quarterly revenue of $877.4 million, according to Thomson Financial.

The winemaker had a pretty difficult second half in 2007, as it had to face continued fears over a possible recession. The slumping housing market and credit crises brought a slowdown in consumer spending whose effects were reflected in the company's earnings. Regardless, Constellation Brands' positive earnings figures seem to be enough to enthuse investors and pull the shares up over 2.8% in early trading.

Eliza Popescu is a financial writer for the online investment advisory service Investor's Observer.