Coca-Cola’s Profit Slips as US Soda Sales Flag

NEW YORK (AP) —

Coca-Cola’s fourth-quarter profit fell, as the world’s biggest beverage maker once again sold less soda in North America.

The maker of Sprite, Dasani and Vitaminwater said Tuesday that sales volume declined 1 percent in North America. That reflected a 3 percent decline in soda, which offset improved performance by noncarbonated drinks such as Powerade. Last week, PepsiCo also said its soda volume fell in the “mid-single digits.”

Coca-Cola also saw slower growth in emerging markets such as India and China. As a result, overall global sales volume rose just 1 percent in the quarter. The Atlanta-based company said it would intensify its cost-cutting to produce another $1 billion in savings by 2016, much of which would be reinvested into marketing.

“We know our business responds to marketing,” CEO Muhtar Kent said in a call with reporters. While some jobs may be lost as a result of the cost cuts, he noted that other jobs might be created.

Although Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are tapping emerging markets for growth and sell a wide array of beverages, pressure is mounting for the two companies to figure out how to get soda sales moving in the right direction at home.

Americans have been cutting back on soda for years, as beverage aisles have grown increasingly crowded with options such as Monster energy drinks or Sparkling Ice waters. Soda is also blamed for making people fat and, more recently, industry executives have blamed concerns about artificial sweeteners for a decline in sales of diet sodas.

In fact, Kent said the soda decline in North America over the past year was “largely due to softer Diet Coke volumes.”

But he stressed that the company was working with “credible third parties” to address any “misperceptions” about soda, but did not specify whom. He expressed confidence that soda in North America can still grow and just needs improved marketing, innovation and on-the-ground sales execution.

In the meantime, Coca-Cola is testing new ventures. The company rolled out a drink called “Coca-Cola Life” – sweetened with sugar and stevia – in Argentina last year. In the latest quarter, Kent said soda volumes in the country rose by a high-single-digit percentage.

Earlier this month, the company also said it was buying a stake in Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and teaming up with the company on a machine that would let people make Coke drinks and other cold beverages at home.

For the three months ended Dec. 31, Coca-Cola earned $1.71 billion, or 38 cents per share. Not including one-time items such as the restructuring of its bottling operations overseas, it earned 46 cents per share, in line with Wall Street expectations.

A year ago, the company earned $1.87 billion, or 41 cents per share.

Revenue fell to $11.04 billion, short of the $11.31 billion Wall Street had expected.

Its stock closed down $1.46, or 3.75 percent, to $37.47.

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