Coca-Cola fizzes after reporting  

Coca-Cola reported fourth-quarter earnings before the NYSE opening on Tuesday, delivering earnings that were right in line with expectations at 49 cents per share, along with stronger-than-expected sales – by Adam Vettese

It’s interesting to contrast these results with its great rival PepsiCo, which reported strong earnings last week, but saw revenue squeezed. Part of the problem in terms of revenue for Pepsi was the familiar story of higher prices and interest rates putting a strain on how much consumers have available to spend, along with the adverse effect of exchange rates from a strong dollar.

Coca-Cola has naturally had to contend with the same environment, but it’s a testament to the company’s sparkling brand power that it has been able to successfully drive revenue growth through higher prices, especially in a market increasingly focussed on healthy dietary options. The global soft drink icon also boasted strong cash flow from operations, up 5% for the full year.

There’s been a nominally positive market response to the results, with Coca-Cola’s share price pushing 0.8% higher in pre-market trading.

 
Adam Vettese is an analyst at investment platform eToro