Investing.com - Coca Cola (NYSE:KO) reported better than expected second quarter earnings and revenue ahead of Wednesday's opening bell, sending its shares higher in pre-market trade.
Coca Cola said adjusted earnings per share came in at 63 cents, above forecasts for adjusted earnings of 60 cents per share.
Items impacting comparability increased reported earnings per share by 8 cents and were primarily related to a net gain recognized in connection with the closing of the transaction with Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST).
The beverage giant’s second quarter revenue totaled $12.16 billion, beating expectations for sales of $12.06 billion.
Global sparkling beverage volume growth in the quarter was led by 1% growth in brand Coca Cola, 6% growth in Coca Cola Zero, 3% growth in Sprite and 2% growth in Fanta. Growth in these brands was partially offset by a 7% decline in Diet Coke.
"Our second quarter results were in line with our expectations and mark continued progress toward restoring momentum in our global business," said Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company.
"While there is more work to do, we remain confident that we have the right plans in place and are committed to leveraging our superior brand portfolio together with our unparalleled global distribution system to continue creating long-term shareowner value," he added.
Immediately after the earnings announcement, Coca Cola shares rose 0.77% in trading prior to the opening bell to $41.44 from Tuesday's closing price of $41.22.
Meanwhile, the outlook for U.S. equity markets was downbeat. The Dow futures indicated a loss of 0.3% at the open, the S&P 500 futures pointed to a decline of 0.4%, while Nasdaq 100 futures tumbled 1.2%.