Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (NYSE: DPS) -- which includes A&W, Hawaiian Punch, Welch's, 7UP, Clamato, Margaritaville, and Yoo-Hoo among its diverse beverage offerings -- is scheduled to discuss its third-quarter 2009 financial results in a conference call Thursday at 11:00 AM ET, hosted by CEO Larry Young and CFO John Stewart. You can catch the live webcast of the call and accompanying slide presentation on the company's website.
During the three months that ended in September, Dr Pepper launched an energy drink and reaffirmed its full-year guidance. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect this Plano, Tex.-based bottler and distributor of nonalcoholic beverages to report that earnings for that period rose 8.2% from a year ago to $0.49 per share. However, revenue for the quarter is expected to be 4.2% lower to $1.4 billion.
Looking ahead to the full year, analysts expect to see net income of $1.97 per share (+6.6%) on $5.6 billion (-2.7%) in sales. Dr Pepper's earnings have topped analysts' expectations in the previous three quarters, by as much as 12 cents per share.
The long-term EPS growth forecast is 8%, which is better than that of larger rival Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO), but less than PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP). Dr Pepper's earnings multiple is 13x, and the First Call consensus recommendation remains to buy DPS, with a mean price target of $30.11. While Deutsche Bank recently downgraded DPS, Jim Cramer recommends it due to its growth.
Shares have backed off the recent record high of $30.65 and are now about 14% higher than three months ago.
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