Bottler Coca-Cola HBC lifts 2024 revenue forecasts on strong H1
Rewrites throughout, adds share move in paragraph 2, analyst note in paragraph 3 and details of U.S. Coca-Cola in paragraph 9
Aug 7 (Reuters) -Bottler Coca-Cola HBC CCH.L boosted its annual operating profit and revenue forecast on Wednesday, as the Swiss group posted higher first-half revenue, helped by measures to mitigate the impact of high inflation and currency fluctuations.
The forecast boost did little for investors who focused instead on the lower-than-expected EBIT and earnings per share, driving the stock down nearly 2% in early trade.
Half-year organic earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) grew 7.5% and comparable earnings per share came (EPS) in at 1.04 pounds, lower than the 7.9% EBIT and the comparable EPS forecast of 1.08 pounds, according to a company compiled analyst consensus.
Jefferies in a note said it expects shares to be slightly weak due to the slight EPS miss, especially with the strong run the shares have had so far this year. Shares are up nearly 19% as of Tuesday's close.
The bottler said for the full year 2024, organic revenue growth is expected to be between 8% and 12%, higher than the previous mid-term target range of 6%-7% while organic EBIT growth is expected to lie within the range of 7% to 12%, up from the previous estimates of 3% to 9%.
Organic revenue grew 13.6% in the first half.
Demand for packaged beverages and food has stayed resilient despite price hikes, and a gradually improving economic environment has bode well for beverage makers.
The company, however, said it was mindful of an uncertain consumer environment, adding that it expects the macroeconomic and geopolitical backdrop to remain challenging in the second half.
U.S. beverage giant Coca-Cola KO.N, which owns more than 20% in the bottler, last month raised its annual sales and profit forecasts on the expected benefit from price hikes and an advertising blitz, mainly in international markets where demand for its sodas and juices has been relatively strong.
Reporting by Chandini Monnappa and Radhika Anilkumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Miral Fahmy
免责声明: XM Group仅提供在线交易平台的执行服务和访问权限，并允许个人查看和/或使用网站或网站所提供的内容，但无意进行任何更改或扩展，也不会更改或扩展其服务和访问权限。所有访问和使用权限，将受下列条款与条例约束：(i) 条款与条例；(ii) 风险提示；以及(iii) 完整免责声明。请注意，网站所提供的所有讯息，仅限一般资讯用途。此外，XM所有在线交易平台的内容并不构成，也不能被用于任何未经授权的金融市场交易邀约和/或邀请。金融市场交易对于您的投资资本含有重大风险。
所有在线交易平台所发布的资料，仅适用于教育/资讯类用途，不包含也不应被视为用于金融、投资税或交易相关咨询和建议，或是交易价格纪录，或是任何金融商品或非应邀途径的金融相关优惠的交易邀约或邀请。
本网站上由XM和第三方供应商所提供的所有内容，包括意见、新闻、研究、分析、价格、其他资讯和第三方网站链接，皆保持不变，并作为一般市场评论所提供，而非投资性建议。所有在线交易平台所发布的资料，仅适用于教育/资讯类用途，不包含也不应被视为适用于金融、投资税或交易相关咨询和建议，或是交易价格纪录，或是任何金融商品或非应邀途径的金融相关优惠的交易邀约或邀请。请确保您已阅读并完全理解，XM非独立投资研究提示和风险提示相关资讯，更多详情请点击 这里。
