[box]Strong 4% global volume growth in the second quarter and 5% year-to-date
Volume and value share gains continued in total nonalcoholic
ready-to-drink beverages
Strong cash from operations, up 15% year-to-date[/box]
Second Quarter and Year-to-Date 2012 Highlights
- Strong global volume growth of 4% in the quarter and 5% year-to-date. North America volume grew 1% in both the quarter and year-to-date, and international volume grew 5% in both the quarter and year-to-date.
- Second quarter reported net revenues grew 3% and comparable currency neutral net revenues grew 7%, driven by solid price/mix of 3%. Year-to-date reported net revenues grew 4% and comparable currency neutral net revenues grew 7%.
- Second quarter reported operating income grew 4% and comparable currency neutral operating income grew 7% in the quarter. Year-to-date reported operating income and comparable currency neutral operating income both grew 6%.
- Second quarter reported EPS was $1.21, up 1% and comparable EPS was $1.22, up 4%. Year-to-date reported and comparable EPS were both $2.11, both up 4%.
- Year-to-date cash from operations up 15%. Excluding incremental pension contributions in the first quarter, cash from operations also up 15%.
- Company shareowners approved a two-for-one stock split on July 10, 2012, the 11 th split in our stock’s 92-year history.
- Productivity and reinvestment program with incremental annualized savings of $550 to $650 million by the end of 2015 is on track.
The Coca-Cola Company today reported solid second quarter and year-to-date 2012 results, with continued strong volume and revenue growth, as well as further volume and value share gains in total nonalcoholic ready-to-drink (NARTD) beverages.
Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company said, “We are pleased with our second quarter and year-to-date results. We are delivering consistent quality performance in line with our 2020 Vision growth targets, despite a very challenging and increasingly unpredictable global economy. Notably, we continue to gain global volume and value share by giving our consumers what they are looking for – meaningful brand connections, wide-ranging product and package choices, greater information about our brands, and significant investments in programs that support healthy and active lifestyles, all at the heart of our brand values.
“As we complete the 10 th quarter of our 2020 Vision, we remain passionately focused on offering a portfolio of brands that refresh and hydrate our consumers while bringing them simple moments of happiness. Together with our system bottling partners, our long-term growth plans remain on track and our commitment to enhance the well-being of the consumers, customers and communities we serve around the world is as strong as ever.”
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
The Coca-Cola Company reported strong worldwide volume growth of 4% in the second quarter and 5% year-to-date. Volume growth in the quarter was well-balanced around the world, with solid growth in key developed markets, including Japan (+4%), North America (+1%) and Germany (+1%), as well as strong growth in key emerging markets such as India (+20%), Russia (+9%), China (+7%) and Brazil (+6%). Volume performance was soft in regions of Europe such as Central and Southern Europe and Northwest Europe and Nordics, both down 5% in the quarter, as a result of the ongoing economic slowdown and unfavorable weather. Volume grew 8% in countries with lower per capita consumption (up to 150 eight-ounce servings per year) of our broad portfolio of beverage products. In the second quarter, we grew global volume and value share in total NARTD beverages, with volume and value share gains across nearly every beverage category in which we compete. Brand health remains strong, with continued improvements in favorite brand scores and growth among consumers who enjoy at least one product from our broad portfolio of beverage brands per week. Through our occasion-based brand, package, price and channel segmentation strategy, we remain closely connected to our consumers with a dual focus on recruitment and affordability. Our immediate consumption beverage volume continues to grow, up 4% globally in the quarter and 5% year-to-date.
Worldwide sparkling beverage volume grew 2% in the quarter and 3% year-to-date. We grew volume and value share in global core sparkling beverages in the quarter. Worldwide brand Coca-Cola volume grew 2% in the quarter and 3% year-to-date, with growth in the quarter across diverse markets, including India (+35%), Russia (+23%), the Philippines (+7%), Brazil (+4%), Germany (+3%) and Mexico (+1%). In addition, worldwide Sprite volume grew 6% in the quarter and 5% year-to-date and global Fanta grew 4% in both the quarter and year-to-date, supported by continued innovation and reflecting a balanced portfolio approach to growth in the sparkling beverage category.
Worldwide still beverage volume grew 9% in both the quarter and year-to-date, with solid growth across beverage categories, including packaged water, juices and juice drinks, ready-to-drink tea and coffee, sports drinks and energy drinks. We grew global volume and value share in total still beverages as well as across all still beverage categories in which we compete. Ready-to-drink tea volume grew 13% in the quarter, with continued strong performance of key brands such as Gold Peak and Honest Tea in North America, Ayataka green tea in Japan and Fuze Tea, which was launched in Latin America during the quarter. Packaged water volume grew 10% in the quarter, as we continue to focus on innovative and sustainable packaging and immediate consumption occasions. Energy drinks volume grew 21% in the quarter driven by growth across our global portfolio of energy brands.
NOTES
All references to growth rate percentages, share and cycling of growth rates compare the results of the period to those of the prior year comparable period.
“Concentrate sales” represents the amount of concentrates, syrups, beverage bases and powders sold by, or used in finished beverages sold by, the Company to its bottling partners or other customers.
“Sparkling beverages” means NARTD beverages with carbonation, including energy drinks and carbonated waters and flavored waters.
“Still beverages” means nonalcoholic beverages without carbonation, including noncarbonated waters, flavored waters and enhanced waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees, sports drinks and noncarbonated energy drinks.
All references to volume and percentage changes indicate unit case volume, except for the reference to volume included in the explanation of net revenue growth for North America. This North America volume represents Coca-Cola Refreshments’ as reported unit case sales (which are equivalent to concentrate sales) plus non-Company-owned bottling operations concentrate sales. All volume percentage changes, unless otherwise noted, are computed based on average daily sales. “Unit case” means a unit of measurement equal to 24 eight-ounce servings of finished beverage. “Unit case volume” means the number of unit cases (or unit case equivalents) of Company beverages directly or indirectly sold by the Company and its bottling partners to customers.
Year-to-date 2012 financial results were impacted by one less selling day. Fourth quarter 2012 financial results will benefit from two additional selling days. Unit case volume results are not impacted by the variance in selling days due to the average daily sales computation referenced above.
Due to the refocusing in 2012 of the Beverage Partners Worldwide (BPW) ready-to-drink tea joint venture with Nestl? S.A. (Nestl?), we have eliminated the BPW joint venture volume from our reported results for both 2011 and 2012 in those countries in which the joint venture is being phased out during 2012. In addition, we have eliminated the Nestea licensed volume in the U.S. due to our current U.S. license agreement with Nestl? terminating at the end of 2012. These changes did not materially impact the Company’s reported volume results for second quarter or year-to-date 2012 on a consolidated basis or for any individual operating group. However, these changes increased the Company’s reported second quarter and year-to-date 2012 volume growth for ready-to-drink tea by 9 points and 6 points, respectively.
The Company reports its financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP). However, management believes that certain non-GAAP financial measures provide users with additional meaningful financial information that should be considered when assessing our ongoing performance. Management also uses these non-GAAP financial measures in making financial, operating and planning decisions and in evaluating the Company’s performance. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, the Company’s reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP. Our non-GAAP financial information does not represent a comprehensive basis of accounting.
?Source: The Coca Cola Company