Coca-Cola reports strong operating results for third quarter 2018
The Coca-Cola Company reported continued momentum in its business for 2018, with strong financial results for the third quarter. While reported net revenues for the quarter declined due to refranchising, the company delivered broad-based organic revenue (non-GAAP) and volume growth across all operating groups, while gaining value share globally.
The Coca-Cola Company reported continued momentum in its business for 2018, with strong financial results for the third quarter. While reported net revenues for the quarter declined due to refranchising, the company delivered broad-based organic revenue (non-GAAP) and volume growth across all operating groups, while gaining value share globally.
Strong organic revenue (non-GAAP) growth in the quarter was driven by continued innovation and revenue growth management initiatives within sparkling soft drinks, as evidenced by double-digit volume growth of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar across all groups. In addition to sparkling soft drinks, the company saw strong performance for brands like Fuze Tea and smartwater. Coca-Cola also announced several strategic actions, including a number of acquisitions and investments, and continued to lift, shift and scale brands around the world. The company’s disciplined growth strategies and an ongoing focus on productivity led to double-digit profit growth for the quarter.
“We continue to be encouraged by our performance year-to-date as we accelerate our evolution as an even more consumer-centric, total beverage company,” said James Quincey, President and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “The recent leadership appointments are intended to help accelerate the transformation of our company.”
Highlights
Quarterly Performance
- Revenues: Net revenues declined 9 % to $8.2 billion, impacted by a 13-point headwind from the refranchising of company-owned bottling operations. Organic revenues (non-GAAP) grew 6 %, driven by concentrate sales growth of 4 %, which benefited from the timing of shipments, and price/mix growth of 2 %.
- Volume: Unit case volume grew 2 %, led by Trademark Coca-Cola.
- Margin: Operating margin, which included items impacting comparability, expanded approximately 600 basis points. Comparable operating margin (non-GAAP) improved 575 basis points, driven by divestitures of lower-margin bottling operations and the company’s ongoing productivity efforts. These drivers were partially offset by an approximate 130 basis point headwind from the adoption of the new revenue recognition accounting standard and the impact of currency.
- Market share: The company continued to gain value share in total nonalcoholic ready-to-drink (NARTD) beverages.
- Cash flow: Year-to-date cash from operations was $5.5 billion, down 7 %. The decline was largely due to the impact of refranchising North American bottling territories and increased tax payments, partially offset by solid cash generation in the underlying business. Year-to-date free cash flow (non-GAAP) was $4.6 billion, down 2 %.
- Share repurchases: Year-to-date purchases of stock for treasury were $1.6 billion. Year-to-date net share repurchases (non-GAAP) totaled $707 million.