BEVERAGE GIANT COCA-COLA SAW SALES INCREASE NEARLY 19 PER CENT ON STRONG INTERNATIONAL DEMAND, THE COMPANY SAID TUESDAY, ACCORDING TO DPA. THE COMPANY EARNED 1.9 BILLION DOLLARS IN THE SECOND QUARTER, 1 PER CENT MORE THAN IN THE SAME PERIOD OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND MORE THAN ANALYSTS ESTIMATED. EARNINGS PER SHARE ROSE TO 80 CENTS FROM 78 CENTS A YEAR EARLIER. THE WORLD SOFT DRINK LEADER SAW SALES IN THE APRIL TO JUNE PERIOD INCREASE NEARLY 19 PER CENT TO 7.7 BILLION DOLLARS. SALES IN THE COMPANY'S HOME NORTH AMERICA MARKET FELL BY 2 PER CENT, BUT INTERNATIONAL SALES WERE UP 9 PER CENT BY UNIT CASE VOLUME. THE COMPANY CITED KEY EMERGING MARKETS AS CHINA, TURKEY, INDIA, BRAZIL, SOUTH AFRICA, EASTERN EUROPE AND THE PHILIPPINES, ALL WITH DOUBLE-DIGIT SALES GROWTH. NEARLY ALL OF THE COMPANY'S 22 REGIONAL MARKETS SAW SOLID GROWTH. "WE DELIVERED ANOTHER STRONG QUARTER," CHIEF EXECUTIVE NEVILLE ISDELL SAID IN A STATEMENT. "WHILE VERY PLEASED WITH THIS PERFORMANCE, WE MUST UNDERSCORE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MANAGE FOR THE LONG TERM. AN OVERALL FAVOURABLE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT HAS ASSISTED OUR CONCERTED AND SUCCESSFUL ACTIONS IN THE MARKET PLACE." PROFITS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE FISCAL YEAR WERE UP 6 PER CENT TO 3.1 BILLION DOLLARS, OR 1.34 DOLLARS PER SHARE. REVENUES WERE UP 18 PER CENT TO 13.8 BILLION DOLLARS FOR THE YEAR TO DATE.
