"Old reliable" Coca-Cola (KO), first discussed here on February 20, 2009, at a price of $42.68, has retested the $65 level. If you haven't already, now may be a good time to consider taking some profits off the table with KO, if you're in near $43.

However, investors who can tolerate the risk can maintain their full position in KO, but keep in mind the journey to $80 may not be completed in 2011.

Continue reading Time-Tested Axiom: No One Ever Went Broke Holding Coke

Time-Tested Axiom: No One Ever Went Broke Holding Coke originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The shares of Coca-Cola (KO), first discussed here on February 20, 2009, at a price of $42.68, have powered through psychological resistance at $60, and it you're in near $43, now may be a good time to consider taking some profits with KO.

However, other investors who can tolerate the risk can maintain their full position in KO, but keep in mind the journey to $80 may not be completed in 2011.

Continue reading Coca-Cola: Time to Take Some Profits?

Coca-Cola: Time to Take Some Profits? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Soft drink giant The Coca-Cola Company (KO) announced today that it had recalled 22,000 sets of themed glasses that were painted to look like cans of the company's soft drinks.

The 16-ounce glasses have been sold since March both online and in retail stores, but have been detected to contain low levels of cadmium on the outside of the glass which has been painted to look like a can of Coke.

Continue reading Coca-Cola Recalls 88,000 Drinking Glasses

Coca-Cola Recalls 88,000 Drinking Glasses originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Beverage firm Coca-Cola (KO) announced that its third-quarter earnings came in better than the consensus estimate. For the quarter, Coke brought in 88 cents per share ($2.06 billion), or 92 cents per share excluding items. The consensus estimate called for earnings of 89 cents per share.

Turning to revenue, Coke saw a 5% increase to $8.43 billion. The company noted that its integration efforts are "well on track," stressing its savings target of at least $350 million per year. These savings will be implemented during the next four years.

Continue reading Coca-Cola's Q3 Earnings Top Estimates

Coca-Cola's Q3 Earnings Top Estimates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Monday morning, Coca-Cola (KO) announced that it will distribute some drinks that are made by Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS). Coca-Cola will now distribute Dr Pepper and Canada Dry ginger ale in the United States and will distribute some drinks in Canada.

These beverages were distributed by Coca-Cola Enterprises, but that company is being acquired by Coca-Cola. The new agreement replaces Coca-Cola Enterprise's original deal with Dr Pepper.

Continue reading Coca-Cola to Distribute Dr Pepper

Coca-Cola to Distribute Dr Pepper originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, top Nike (NKE) executive Mark Parker talked about his ambitious goal to boost global sales 40% by 2015. His strategy? Focus on China, Brazil and India and connect with these emerging markets' emerging middle classes.

And most interesting of all: The company is planning this move under brands that don't bear the trademark swoosh logo.

Continue reading Nike Seeks Growth in Emerging Markets -- but Without Swoosh logo?

Nike Seeks Growth in Emerging Markets -- but Without Swoosh logo? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shares of the world's largest soft drink maker, Coca-Cola Company (KO), are trading lower this morning, despite better-than-expected earnings for the company's first quarter.

Analysts had forecast earnings of 74 cents per share, and the company outpaced estimates with reported earnings of 80 cents per share, excluding special items. The company reported earnings of 64 cents per share during the same period last year.

Continue reading Coca-Cola Beats Earnings Estimates but Revenues Fall Short

Coca-Cola Beats Earnings Estimates but Revenues Fall Short originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: As Bulls Meet Skeptics (PALM, SIRI, CRM, CCE, KO, LAMR)

Closing Bell: As Bulls Meet Skeptics (PALM, SIRI, CRM, CCE, KO, LAMR) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) received an analyst's upgrade ahead of next week's Q4 earnings report.
• Acer Inc. reported its highest quarterly earnings in almost three years due in part to growth in shipments.
• Baidu Inc. (BIDU) swung to a better-than-expected Q4 profit, with strong revenue growth, and offered rosy guidance.
• Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB) offered an upside surprise as well as full-year earnings above Wall Street estimates.
• Coinstar Inc. (CSTR) strong quarterly results and guidance, as well as litigation concerns, failed to inspire Wall Street.
• Coca-Cola Co. (KO) posted strong Q4 and full-year earnings results due to growth in emerging markets.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Acer, Baidu, Coca-Cola, Disney, Hasbro, Sprint ...

Earnings Highlights: Acer, Baidu, Coca-Cola, Disney, Hasbro, Sprint ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you are hitting Costco Wholesale (COST) for your Monday Night Football party or Thanksgiving celebration, you won't be able to get those cases of Diet Coke. The warehouse-style retailer, which operates more than 550 locations, is no longer carrying Coca-Cola (KO) products in its U.S. stores. That means no Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, or Dasani water, among other products.

Evidently, the retailer and the beverage giant are embroiled in a pricing dispute. A statement on the Costco website indicated that "Coca-Cola has not provided Costco with competitive pricing so that we may pass along the value our members deserve."

Continue reading Costco Wholesale stops carrying Coke

Costco Wholesale stops carrying Coke originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Bernie Madoff is getting used to his new neighbors. Gone are the days of Montauk and Manhattan, and he isn't sharing his space with topless dancers.

Now, he says goodnight to a drug pusher, chills with a former mobster, and hangs with a convicted spy ... and these guys are probably saying, "I hang around with Bernie Madoff." The former financier Ponzi schemer spends his evenings walking laps around the prison track at the Butner Federal Correctional Complex, not far from Raleigh, N.C.

Continue reading Madoff: Chillin' with mobsters and spies

Madoff: Chillin' with mobsters and spies originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Soft drink giant Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) reported its third quarter numbers this morning, and managed to beat out analyst estimates, but shares are still selling off in early morning trading.

The reason why the market is punishing the stock is because its revenues were softer than analysts had been expecting to see. For the quarter, revenues came in at $8.04 billion, which was shy of the $8.11 billion that Wall Street was expecting to see from the company.

Continue reading Coca-Cola (KO) beats earnings estimates, but revenues fall short

Coca-Cola (KO) beats earnings estimates, but revenues fall short originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Coca-Cola third quarter earnings preview

Coca-Cola third quarter earnings preview originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Besides raising money, what would be the justification behind such a governmental strategy? Well, excess sugar consumption can be dangerous. It can lead to all kinds of complications. You know the drill: obesity, diabetes, etc. When health issues like those rise, the cost of health care increases as well.

Continue reading Please don't tax Coke!

Please don't tax Coke! originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Not surprisingly, Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) has been placing particular emphasis on China, where there is plenty of untapped potential," says Paul Tracy in his StreetAuthority Market Advisor.

"Like most companies that have been around for well over a century, Coca-Cola operates in a relatively mature industry.

"Domestically, per-capita soft-drink consumption has plateaued and domestic volume growth is generally tough to come by.

"The story is quite different for many overseas markets, which now account for about 75% of the firm's sales. Coke isn't the world's most recognized brand for nothing -- consumers in 200 countries around the globe gulp down about 1.6 billion servings of its beverages every single day.

Continue reading Coca-Cola (KO) targets China

Coca-Cola (KO) targets China originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO), the beverage giant with the world's most valuable brand according to BusinessWeek, reported earnings before the market opened today. Earnings per share for the second quarter of 2009 were $0.92 after items on $8.27 billion in revenue, compared to the $0.89 average EPS expected from analysts. The consensus revenue target was $8.66 billion, meaning that Coke missed on the top line even though global unit case volume increased 4%, driven by a 33% increase in India and a 14% increase in China. The company said they increased market share for the eighth consecutive quarter.

Shares fell slightly more than 1% in early trading, after rising yesterday.

Continue reading Coca-Cola earnings down, but developing markets a bright spot

Coca-Cola earnings down, but developing markets a bright spot originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I've been pretty stunned by the rise in price. Usually, the stock is a sleepy thing that doesn't do much. Well, that's probably not entirely true, but if you've held the company in your portfolio as long as I've held it in mine, you know that it seems that way at least. I own Coke for the long-term because I love its dividend-paying characteristics. And I love its brand equity. I'm wondering, though, if Coke might make a good trade at the moment. Or, maybe I should start adding to my position before it takes too sharp a rise.

Continue reading Coca-Cola: A bubbly trade?

Coca-Cola: A bubbly trade? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) reported first-quarter earnings on Tuesday morning. By the end of the day, the main enemy of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) was down 2.8% on better-than-average volume. Coke said that it earned 65 cents per share on an adjusted basis. According to Beth Gaston Moon's earnings preview, management met Wall Street's expectations.

So, right off the bat, you can see why the market wasn't so kind to Coke's shares. Meeting expectations isn't enough sometimes. But there are some other issues here, too.

Revenue was kind of soft, and a look at the statement of cash flows shows a decrease in money generated from operations. That number decreased over 20% to roughly $870 million.

Continue reading Coca-Cola's Q1 was only okay, but company is still a refreshing core holding

Coca-Cola's Q1 was only okay, but company is still a refreshing core holding originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ted Allrich is the founder of The Online Investor and author of the book: Comfort Zone Investing: Build Wealth And Sleep Well At Night. In this weekly column, he'll offer advice to investors who are just getting started.

Notice the title does not say "Safe Havens." Nothing is safe in the stock market. There are always risks with every stock. Being big doesn't mean safe. Look at WaMu, Fannie Mae, Countrywide, Freddie Mac. Very big. Very gone. And good financial statements don't always mean safe. Remember MCI. Bernie Ebbers cooked the books until they were overdone. Now he sits and tries to come up with new recipes. Only there aren't many opportunities in jail.

Continue reading Comfort Zone Investing: Six tranquil havens in a stormy market

Comfort Zone Investing: Six tranquil havens in a stormy market originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Abercrombie & Fitch Inc. (NYSE: ANF) beat Q4 earnings estimates handily, sending shares higher.
• Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) did well in the holiday period but offered weak guidance.
• Barclays (NYSE: BCS) one-time gains offset write-downs and said it expects to resume dividend payments.
• Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) shares fell after it announced that it had understated its Q4 and fiscal 2008 loss.
• Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) topped Q4 earnings estimates due in part to volume gain internationally.
• Diageo (NYSE: DEO) earnings rose in the first half, but it cut its full-year forecast.
• GSI Commerce Inc. (NASDAQ: GSIC) "solid" Q4 results led to an analyst downgrade.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Coke, Pepsi, Hasbro, Marriott, Abercrombie, Wells Fargo and others

Earnings highlights: Coke, Pepsi, Hasbro, Marriott, Abercrombie, Wells Fargo and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.