Coca-Cola Q4 Profit Plunges, But Results Top View - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Beverages giant Coca-Cola Co. (KO) reported that fourth-quarter net income attributable to shareowners of the company plunged to $770 million or $0.17 per share from $1.71 billion or $0.38 per share in the prior-year quarter.

Excluding items, adjusted net income for the quarter was $0.44 per share, compared to $0.46 per share in the year-ago quarter.

On average, 19 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $0.42 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

The company noted that foreign currency was a 10 point headwind on comparable earnings per share growth during the quarter.

Net operating revenues for the quarter declined 2 percent to $10.87 billion from $11.04 billion in the same quarter last year. Analysts expected revenues of $10.76 billion.

Excluding the impact of structural items, comparable currency neutral net revenues grew 4 percent. Global volume growth for the quarter was 1 percent.

Looking ahead to fiscal 2015, the company said it expects comparable currency neutral earnings per share growth to be mid single digits, roughly in line with the growth rate in 2014. Analysts project annual earnings of $2.01 per share.