The Coca-Cola Co., the world’s largest beverage maker, reported a 14 percent rise in third-quarter profit Thursday, results that beat Wall Street expectations.
The company said it earned $1.46 billion, or 62 cents a share, for the three months ending Sept. 29, compared to a profit of $1.28 billion, or 54 cents a share, a year earlier.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial were expecting earnings of 59 cents a share in the quarter.
Third-quarter revenue rose 7 percent to $6.45 billion, compared to $6.04 billion recorded in the same period a year ago.
Companywide, unit case volume increased by 5 percent in the third quarter.
The increase was led by double-digit growth in several markets, including Brazil, Argentina, east and central Africa, central and eastern Europe, China, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East.
