Topic: How To Invest

Hi Pat: I would like to purchase a U.S. stock. What do you think of the Coca-Cola Company? Regards.

Article Excerpt

The Coca-Cola Company, $37.93, symbol KO on New York (Shares outstanding: 4.5 billion; Market cap: $169.2 billion; www.coca-cola.com), is the world’s largest beverage maker. It distributes over 500 brands (including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle) through bottlers around the world. International markets supply 60% of its sales. In the three months ended December 31, 2012, Coke’s revenue rose 3.8%, to $11.5 billion from $11.0 billion a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, earnings per share rose 15.4%, to $0.45 from $0.39. Sales of non-carbonated drinks in North America, such as Powerade, helped counter lower demand in Europe in the latest quarter. Coke holds cash of $13.5 billion, or $3.00 a share. Its $14.7-billion long-term debt is a low 8.7% of its $169.2-billion market cap. The company faces rising competition from private-label drinks, which appeal to price-conscious consumers. However, it is offsetting that challenge by increasing its sales in foreign markets. Countries such…