Coca-Cola Company in solid 4% global volume growth

Solid 4% first quarter global volume growth. Volume growth of 3% for Coca-Cola Americas and 5% for Coca-Cola International.

Global sparkling beverage volume grew 3%, led by brand Coca-Cola, up 3%, and global still beverage volume grew 6% in the first quarter.

First quarter reported net revenues declined 1%. Excluding the impact of currency and structural changes, net revenues grew 2% despite two fewer selling days in the quarter.

First quarter reported operating income declined 4% and comparable currency neutral operating income grew 5%, in line with our expectations and reflecting the impact of two fewer selling days in the quarter.

First quarter reported EPS was $0.39, down 13%, and comparable EPS was $0.46, up 5%, including a currency headwind of approximately 4%.

Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company said, "I am pleased with our first quarter performance results, having once again delivered solid growth against the backdrop of a still uncertain global economy. Guided by our 2020 Vision, our roadmap for winning together with our global system bottling partners, we enter 2013 and the fourth year of our journey to 2020 focused and on track to reach our goals.

"Together, we are working to unlock value, to execute with excellence and to keep winning volume and value share. We proudly serve more than 500 brands through 23 million retail customer outlets each week, providing consumers a wide array of choices in package sizes, sweeteners and beverages - including more than 800 low- and no-calorie options. Our focus each and every day is to refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism and happiness, create value and make a meaningful difference. I am proud of all we are achieving alongside our customers, bottlers and other partners. Even so, we remain constructively discontent as we seek to make the most of the vast growth opportunities we continue to see around the world."

The Coca-Cola Company reported worldwide volume growth of 4% for the first quarter, with 3% growth in Coca-Cola Americas and 5% growth in Coca-Cola International. The Company reported solid volume growth in key developed markets, including Germany (+3%), North America (+1%) and Japan (+1%).

Europe volume was even for the first quarter and a sequential improvement from fourth quarter 2012, despite ongoing uncertain macroeconomic conditions and unseasonably cold weather. The Company also delivered strong volume growth during the quarter in key emerging markets, including Thailand (+18%), India (+8%), Russia (+8%), Mexico (+3%) and Brazil (+3%).

Our China business delivered 1% volume growth in the quarter, a sequential improvement from fourth quarter 2012, despite the economic slowdown and poor weather in the quarter. Strong volume growth continued in countries with per capita consumption of Company brands less than 150 eight-ounce servings per year, with volume up 7% in the quarter overall, reflecting the strength of our geographic portfolio, with our products sold in more than 200 countries worldwide.

"We grew value share in nonalcoholic ready-to-drink (NARTD) beverages for the 23rd consecutive quarter and we maintained global volume share in the quarter. Importantly, value share growth once again outperformed volume share. Further, our immediate consumption (IC) volume grew 3% globally in the first quarter, with sparkling IC volume up 2% and still IC volume up 3%, driven by focused in-store activation efforts and continued cold-drink equipment expansion, building on the 1.3 million units placed in 2012.

Worldwide sparkling beverage volume grew 3% for the quarter.