Coca-Cola’s Results Hit by Currency Headwinds

For the quarter, the soft-drink maker posted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.41 on revenues of $11.46 billion. In the same period a year ago, the company reported adjusted EPS of $0.36 on revenues of $11.04 billion. Fourth-quarter results also compare to the Thomson Reuters consensus estimates for EPS of $0.44 and $11.54 billion in revenues.

For the full year, EPS totaled $1.97 on revenues of $48.02 billion, compared with a consensus estimate for EPS of $2.00 on revenues of $48.14 billion.

Currency exchange rates cost the company 3% on comparable net revenues and 5% on operating income for the full year. On a constant currency basis, fourth-quarter operating income rose 14% and full-year income rose 6%.

The company’s CEO said:

In a year marked by continued uncertainty in the global economy, we delivered solid volume, revenue and profit growth, and we realized further volume and value share gains in nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverages. … As we enter 2013 in what is still an uncertain global economy, we know that it is critical to seize the opportunity to keep leading and succeeding in any environment.

Operationally, cost of goods rose 5% compared with the same period a year ago. The company expects to commodity costs to rise by $100 million in 2013, less than half the increase the company forecast for the just-ended year.

Coca-Cola’s shares are down about 0.3% in premarket trading, at $38.61 in a 52-week range is $33.71 to $40.67. Thomson Reuters had a consensus analyst price target of around $42.20 before today’s report.