CORONA, CALIF. — Monster Beverage Corp. saw record sales in fiscal 2021 despite facing significant supply chain challenges. Net sales for the year exceeded $5.5 billion for the first time in the company’s history, even as freight inefficiencies, shortages of shipping containers, port of entry congestion, delays in the receipt of certain ingredients and a lack of sufficient co-packing capacity limited its ability to fully satisfy demand.

Net income for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2021, was $1.38 billion, equal to $2.61 per share on the common stock, down 2% from $1.41 billion, or $2.66 per share, in fiscal 2020. Net sales were $5.54 billion, up 21% from $4.6 billion a year ago. Net changes in foreign currency exchange rates had a favorable impact on net sales for the year of $61.9 million, according to the company.

Shortages of aluminum cans and higher aluminum commodity prices have been consistent challenges for the company in recent quarters. While those pressures could ease in 2022 with two new suppliers coming onstream in the United States, the overall outlook remains uncertain, said Hilton H. Schlosberg, co-chief executive officer and vice chairman of the board at Monster Beverage Corp., during a Feb. 24 conference call with financial analysts. The price of aluminum per pound has nearly doubled since February 2021, he said.

“There’s been costs across the board,” Mr. Schlosberg said. “Some of these costs are transitory. Some of the costs may stick. Will aluminum stay at this level? I don’t think anyone knows.”

For the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, net income at Monster was $321.3 million, equal to 61¢ per share on the common stock, down 32% from $471.7 million, or 89¢ per share, in the same period a year ago. Net sales increased 19% to $1.43 billion from $1.2 billion.

Net sales for the Monster Energy Drinks segment, which primarily includes the company’s Monster Energy drinks, Reign Total Body Fuel high performance energy drinks and True North Pure Energy Seltzers, increased 21% to $1.35 billion from $1.12 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020. Net changes in foreign currency exchange rates had an unfavorable impact on net sales for the segment of approximately $2.7 million.

Sales for the Strategic Brands segment, which primarily includes energy drink brands acquired from The Coca-Cola Co., as well as the company’s affordable energy brands, decreased 3.5% to $65.6 million from $67.8 million, largely due to shortages of flavor concentrates for certain NOS brand energy drinks. Net changes in foreign currency exchange rates had a favorable impact on net sales for the segment of approximately $300,000 for the fourth quarter.

Sales to customers outside the United States increased 32% to $508 million in the fourth quarter from $348.8 million a year ago, accounting for 36% of total net sales. Comparative net sales for the fourth quarter were negatively impacted by $15.2 million related to product returns from customers as a result of a formulation issue with a limited number of products in Europe and a labeling issue concerning one product in Japan, according to the company.