The US beverage company Coca-Cola exceeded analysts' expectations in the third quarter of 2024. Despite a slight decline in sales by one percent to 11.85 billion USD (around 10.96 billion euros), the company achieved impressive organic growth of nine percent, surpassing the projected increase. This success is mainly attributed to increased prices, which offset the decline in sales volumes.

We were able to successfully overcome the challenges posed by price increases and achieve solid growth," explained the management of Coca-Cola. While net sales slightly declined, the company continued to benefit from a strong pricing strategy that offset the sales losses.

Despite the decline in sales, profit decreased by eight percent to 2.85 billion dollars compared to the previous year. In contrast, the adjusted earnings per share rose by five percent to 0.77 dollars, also exceeding analysts' expectations. This improvement in adjusted earnings demonstrates the company's efficiency improvements and successful cost control.

For the full year 2024, Coca-Cola is more optimistic and raises the forecast for organic sales growth to ten percent, slightly above the previously expected nine to ten percent. The profit target remains unchanged, with an increase in adjusted earnings per share expected to be five to six percent. This adjustment underscores the company's confidence in its strategic measures and market position.

The Coca-Cola stock reacted mixed to the quarterly figures. In after-hours trading on the NYSE, the stock fell by 2.06 percent to 68.02 US dollars, after having already recorded significant gains earlier in the year. Investors view the solid performance positively despite the decline in revenue, but see room for further improvements.