UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
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ý | | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011
OR
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o | | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission File No. 001-02217
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
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DELAWARE (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | 58-0628465 (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
One Coca-Cola Plaza Atlanta, Georgia (Address of principal executive offices) | | 30313 (Zip Code) |
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (404) 676-2121
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Title of each class | | Name of each exchange on which registered |
COMMON STOCK, $0.25 PAR VALUE | | NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
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Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes o No ý
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
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Large accelerated filer ý | | Accelerated filer o | | Non-accelerated filer o | | Smaller reporting company o |
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o No ý
The aggregate market value of the common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant (assuming for these purposes, but without conceding, that all executive officers and Directors are "affiliates" of the Registrant) as of July 1, 2011, the last business day of the Registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was $148,385,503,727 (based on the closing sale price of the Registrant's Common Stock on that date as reported on the New York Stock Exchange).
The number of shares outstanding of the Registrant's Common Stock as of February 20, 2012, was 2,263,204,221.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the Company's Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareowners to be held on April 25, 2012, are incorporated by reference in Part III.
Table of Contents
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Part I | | |
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Part II | | |
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Part III | | |
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Part IV | | |
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains information that may constitute "forward-looking statements." Generally, the words "believe," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "project," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to volume growth, share of sales and earnings per share growth, and statements expressing general views about future operating results — are forward-looking statements. Management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made. However, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date when made. Our Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our Company's historical experience and our present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Part I, "Item 1A. Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this report and those described from time to time in our future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
In this report, the terms "The Coca-Cola Company," "Company," "we," "us" and "our" mean The Coca-Cola Company and all entities included in our consolidated financial statements.
General
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company. We own or license and market more than 500 nonalcoholic beverage brands, primarily sparkling beverages but also a variety of still beverages such as waters, enhanced waters, juices and juice drinks, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and energy and sports drinks. We own and market four of the world's top five nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite. Finished beverage products bearing our trademarks, sold in the United States since 1886, are now sold in more than 200 countries.
We make our branded beverage products available to consumers throughout the world through our network of Company-owned or controlled bottling and distribution operations as well as independently owned bottling partners, distributors, wholesalers and retailers — the world's largest beverage distribution system. Of the approximately 56 billion beverage servings of all types consumed worldwide every day, beverages bearing trademarks owned by or licensed to us account for more than 1.7 billion.
We believe that our success depends on our ability to connect with consumers by providing them with a wide variety of options to meet their desires, needs and lifestyle choices. Our success further depends on the ability of our people to execute effectively, every day.
Our goal is to use our Company's assets — our brands, financial strength, unrivaled distribution system, global reach and the talent and strong commitment of our management and associates — to become more competitive and to accelerate growth in a manner that creates value for our shareowners.
We were incorporated in September 1919 under the laws of the State of Delaware and succeeded to the business of a Georgia corporation with the same name that had been organized in 1892.
Acquisition of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.'s North American Business and Related Transactions
On October 2, 2010, we acquired the North American business of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. ("CCE"), one of our major bottlers, consisting of CCE's production, sales and distribution operations in the United States, Canada, the British Virgin Islands, the United States Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands, and a substantial majority of CCE's corporate segment. CCE shareowners other than the Company exchanged their CCE common stock for common stock in a new entity named Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. ("New CCE"), which after the closing of the transaction continued to hold the European operations that had been held by CCE prior to the acquisition. The Company does not have any ownership interest in New CCE. Upon completion of the CCE transaction, we combined the management of the acquired North American business with the management of our existing foodservice business; Minute Maid and Odwalla juice businesses; North America supply chain operations; and Company-owned bottling operations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a unified bottling and customer service organization called Coca-Cola Refreshments ("CCR"). In addition, we reshaped our remaining Coca-Cola North America ("CCNA") operations into an organization that primarily provides franchise leadership and consumer marketing and innovation for the North American market. As a result of the transaction and related reorganization, our North American businesses operate as aligned and agile organizations with distinct capabilities, responsibilities and strengths.
In contemplation of the closing of our acquisition of CCE's North American business, we reached an agreement with Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. ("DPS") to distribute certain DPS brands in territories where DPS brands had been distributed by CCE prior to the CCE transaction. Under the terms of our agreement with DPS, concurrently with the closing of the CCE transaction, we entered into license agreements with DPS to distribute Dr Pepper trademark brands in the U.S., Canada Dry in the Northeast U.S., and Canada Dry and C' Plus in Canada, and we made a net one-time cash payment of $715 million to DPS. Under the license agreements, the Company agreed to meet certain performance obligations to distribute DPS products in retail and foodservice accounts and vending machines. The license agreements have initial terms of 20 years, with automatic 20-year renewal periods unless otherwise terminated under the terms of the agreements. The license agreements replaced agreements between DPS and CCE existing immediately prior to the completion of the CCE transaction. In addition, we entered into an agreement with DPS to include Dr Pepper and Diet Dr Pepper in our Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain dispensers in certain outlets throughout the United States. The Coca-Cola Freestyle agreement has a term of 20 years.
On October 2, 2010, we sold all of our ownership interests in Coca-Cola Drikker AS (the "Norwegian bottling operation") and Coca-Cola Drycker Sverige AB (the "Swedish bottling operation") to New CCE for $0.9 billion in cash. In addition, in connection with the acquisition of CCE's North American business, we granted to New CCE the right to negotiate the acquisition of our majority interest in our German bottler at any time from 18 to 39 months after February 25, 2010, at the then current fair value and subject to terms and conditions as mutually agreed.
Operating Segments
The Company's operating structure is the basis for our internal financial reporting. As of December 31, 2011, our operating structure included the following operating segments, the first six of which are sometimes referred to as "operating groups" or "groups":
Our North America operating segment includes the CCE North American business we acquired on October 2, 2010. Except to the extent that differences among operating segments are material to an understanding of our business taken as a whole, the description of our business in this report is presented on a consolidated basis.
For financial information about our operating segments and geographic areas, refer to Note 19 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part II, "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this report, incorporated herein by reference. For certain risks attendant to our non-U.S. operations, refer to "Item 1A. Risk Factors" below.
Products and Brands
As used in this report:
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• | "concentrates" means flavoring ingredients and, depending on the product, sweeteners used to prepare syrups or finished beverages, and includes powders for purified water products such as Dasani; |
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• | "syrups" means beverage ingredients produced by combining concentrates and, depending on the product, sweeteners and added water; |
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• | "fountain syrups" means syrups that are sold to fountain retailers, such as restaurants and convenience stores, which use dispensing equipment to mix the syrups with sparkling or still water at the time of purchase to produce finished beverages that are served in cups or glasses for immediate consumption; |
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• | "sparkling beverages" means nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverages with carbonation, including carbonated energy drinks and carbonated waters and flavored waters; |
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• | "still beverages" means nonalcoholic beverages without carbonation, including noncarbonated waters, flavored waters and enhanced waters, noncarbonated energy drinks, juices and juice drinks, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and sports drinks; |
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• | "Company Trademark Beverages" means beverages bearing our trademarks and certain other beverage products bearing trademarks licensed to us by third parties for which we provide marketing support and from the sale of which we derive economic benefit; and |
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• | "Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages" or "Trademark Coca-Cola" means beverages bearing the trademark Coca-Cola or any trademark that includes Coca-Cola or Coke (that is, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero and all their variations and line extensions, including Coca-Cola Light, caffeine free Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, etc.). Likewise, when we use the capitalized word "Trademark" together with the name of one of our other beverage products (such as "Trademark Fanta," "Trademark Sprite" or "Trademark Simply"), we mean beverages bearing the indicated trademark (that is, Fanta, Sprite or Simply, respectively) and all its variations and line extensions (such that "Trademark Fanta" includes Fanta Orange, Fanta Zero Orange and Fanta Apple; "Trademark Sprite" includes Sprite, Diet Sprite, Sprite Zero and Sprite Light; and "Trademark Simply" includes Simply Orange, Simply Apple and Simply Grapefruit). |
Our Company markets, manufactures and sells:
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• | beverage concentrates, sometimes referred to as "beverage bases," and syrups, including fountain syrups (we refer to this part of our business as our "concentrate business" or "concentrate operations"); and |
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• | finished sparkling and still beverages (we refer to this part of our business as our "finished products business" or "finished products operations"). |
Generally, finished products operations generate higher net operating revenues but lower gross profit margins than concentrate operations.
In our concentrate operations, we typically generate net operating revenues by selling concentrates and syrups to authorized bottling and canning operations (to which we typically refer as our "bottlers" or our "bottling partners"). Our bottling partners either combine the concentrates with sweeteners (depending on the product), still water and/or sparkling water, or combine the syrups with sparkling water to produce finished beverages. The finished beverages are packaged in authorized containers bearing our trademarks or trademarks licensed to us — such as cans and refillable and nonrefillable glass and plastic bottles — and are then sold to retailers directly or, in some cases, through wholesalers or other bottlers. Outside the United States, we also sell concentrates for fountain beverages to our bottling partners who are typically authorized to manufacture fountain syrups, which they sell to fountain retailers such as restaurants and convenience stores which use the fountain syrups to produce beverages for immediate consumption, or to fountain wholesalers who in turn sell and distribute the fountain syrups to fountain retailers.
Our finished products operations consist primarily of the production, sales and distribution operations managed by CCR and our Company-owned or controlled bottling and distribution operations. CCR is included in our North America operating segment, and our Company-owned or controlled bottling and distribution operations are included in our Bottling Investments operating segment. Our finished products operations generate net operating revenues by selling sparkling beverages and a variety of still beverages, such as juices and juice drinks, energy and sports drinks, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and certain water products, to retailers or to distributors, wholesalers and bottling partners who distribute them to retailers. In addition, in the United States, we manufacture fountain syrups and sell them to fountain retailers, such as restaurants and convenience stores who use the fountain syrups to produce beverages for immediate consumption, or to authorized fountain wholesalers or bottling partners who resell the fountain syrups to fountain retailers. In the United States, we authorize wholesalers to resell our fountain syrups through nonexclusive appointments that neither restrict us in setting the prices at which we sell fountain syrups to the wholesalers nor restrict the territories in which the wholesalers may resell in the United States.
For information about net operating revenues and unit case volume related to our concentrate operations and finished products operations, respectively, refer to the heading "Our Business — General" in Part II, "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of this report, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Most of our branded beverage products, particularly outside of North America, are manufactured, sold and distributed by independently owned and managed bottling partners. However, from time to time we acquire or take control of bottling or canning operations, often in underperforming markets where we believe we can use our resources and expertise to improve performance. Owning such a controlling interest enables us to compensate for limited local resources; help focus the bottler's sales and marketing programs; assist in the development of the bottler's business and information systems; and establish an appropriate capital structure for the bottler. The Company-owned or controlled bottling operations, other than those managed by CCR, are included in our Bottling Investments group.
In line with our long-term bottling strategy, we may periodically consider options for reducing our ownership interest in a Bottling Investments group bottler. One such option is to combine our bottling interests with the bottling interests of others to form strategic business alliances. Another option is to sell our interest in a bottling operation to one of our other bottling
partners in which we have an equity method investment. In both of these situations, our Company continues to participate in the bottler's results of operations through our share of the strategic business alliance's or equity method investee's earnings or losses.
The following table sets forth our most significant brands in each of our major beverage categories: |
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SPARKLING BEVERAGES* | | STILL BEVERAGES* |
Core Sparkling | | Energy Drinks† | | Juices and Juice Drinks | | Coffees and Teas | | Waters |
Coca-Cola | | Burn | | Minute Maid1 | | Nestea teas2 | | Ciel1 |
Sprite | | Nos4 | | Minute Maid Pulpy | | Georgia coffees3 | | Dasani1 |
Fanta5 | | Real Gold3 | | Del Valle9 | | Leão / Matte Leão teas7 | | Ice Dew8 |
Diet Coke / Coca-Cola Light | | | | Simply4 | | Sokenbicha teas3 | | Bonaqua / Bonaqa1 |
Coca-Cola Zero | | | | Hi-C | | Dogadan teas10 | | Kinley11 |
Schweppes12 | | | | Dobriy6 | | Ayataka teas3 | | |
Thums Up13 | | | | Cappy1 | | | | |
Fresca | | | | | | | | |
Inca Kola15 | | | | Other Still Beverages | | | | Sports Drinks |
Lift | | | | glacéau vitaminwater | | | | Powerade1 |
Barq's4 | | | | Fuze4 | | | | Aquarius14 |
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* | Includes, for each brand, all flavor variations and line extensions. Unless otherwise indicated in a footnote below, products under the brands are sold in markets across two or more geographic operating groups. |
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† | In some markets, certain of our energy drink products are still beverages. |
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1 | In some markets, certain products sold under this brand are sparkling beverages. |
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2 | Nestea products are distributed in the United States under a sublicense from a subsidiary of Nestlé S.A. ("Nestlé"), and in various other markets worldwide through Beverage Partners Worldwide ("BPW"), the Company's joint venture with Nestlé. The Nestea trademark is owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. In January 2012, the Company and Nestlé announced that they are refocusing BPW on markets in Europe and Canada. In Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Company will enter into a license agreement with Nestlé for Nestea. In all other territories, the joint venture will be phased out by the end of 2012. In addition, the sublicense agreement for Nestea in the United States will terminate at the end of 2012. In some markets, certain Nestea products are sparkling beverages. |
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3 | Sold primarily in Japan. |
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4 | Sold primarily in North America. |
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5 | In some markets, certain Fanta products are still beverages. |
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6 | Dobriy juice products are manufactured, marketed and sold primarily in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus by Multon, a Russian juice business operated as a joint venture with Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company S.A. Certain products sold under this brand are sparkling beverages. |
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7 | The Company manufactures, markets and sells Leão / Matte Leão teas in Brazil through a joint venture with our bottling partners. |
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9 | The Company manufactures, markets and sells juices and juice drinks under the Del Valle trademark through joint ventures with our bottling partners in Mexico and Brazil. |
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11 | Kinley is also a sparkling beverage in certain countries. |
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12 | The Schweppes brand is owned by the Company in some countries (excluding the U.S., among others). In some markets, certain Schweppes products are still beverages. |
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13 | Sold primarily in India. |
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14 | In some markets, we offer water products or sparkling beverages in addition to sports drinks under the brand Aquarius. |
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15 | Sold primarily in Latin America (Chile, Ecuador and Peru). |
Consumer demand determines the optimal menu of Company product offerings. Consumer demand can vary from one locale to another and can change over time within a single locale. Employing our business strategy, and with special focus on core brands, our Company seeks to build its existing brands and, at the same time, to broaden its historical family of brands, products and services in order to create and satisfy consumer demand locale by locale.
During 2011, our Company introduced a variety of new brands, brand extensions and new beverage products. The Latin America group launched Frugos Sabores Caseros, a juice nectar targeted to capture the homemade juice category, in Peru, and leveraged its existing portfolio through search and reapply initiatives such as Powerade ION4, glacéau smartwater, Del Valle Limon & Nada and Burn, an energy drink. In the Pacific group, Fanta, a fruit-flavored sparkling beverage, was relaunched in Singapore and Malaysia after a significant period of absence from those markets; Real Leaf, a green tea-based beverage, extended its footprint with launches of two varieties in Vietnam; and in South Korea we introduced three flavor variants of the Georgia Emerald Mountain Blend ready-to-drink coffee beverage and Burn Intense, an energy drink. The Europe group saw the launch of Powerade ION4 in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and France, with France also launching Powerade Zero. In the Eurasia and Africa group, Turkey saw the launch of Cappy Pulpy, and India launched Fanta Powder, an orange-flavored powder formulation. Schweppes Novida, a sparkling malt drink, was launched in Kenya and Uganda; and in Uganda we also launched Coca-Cola Zero. In Egypt, we launched Cappy Fruitbite, the Company's first juice drink with real fruit pieces in that market, and Schweppes Gold, a sparkling flavored malt drink. In addition, in Ghana, we launched Schweppes Malt, a dark malt drink.
In furtherance of our commitments to sustainability and innovation, our PlantBottle technology, which allows us to replace 100 percent petroleum-based PET plastic with PET plastic that contains up to 30 percent material derived from plants, is becoming more widely used around the world. By the end of 2011, PlantBottle packaging was available in 20 countries, and nearly 10 billion PlantBottle packages had been shipped. Also in 2011, the availability of our Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain dispenser expanded in the United States to over 2,000 locations in 44 states. In addition, we added 19 beverages to bring the number of regular and low-calorie beverage choices available on Coca-Cola Freestyle to 125 in honor of the Company's 125th anniversary.
We measure the volume of Company beverage products sold in two ways: (1) unit cases of finished products and (2) concentrate sales. As used in this report, "unit case" means a unit of measurement equal to 192 U.S. fluid ounces of finished beverage (24 eight-ounce servings); and "unit case volume" means the number of unit cases (or unit case equivalents) of Company beverage products directly or indirectly sold by the Company and its bottling partners (the "Coca-Cola system") to customers. Unit case volume primarily consists of beverage products bearing Company trademarks. Also included in unit case volume are certain products licensed to, or distributed by, our Company, and brands owned by Coca-Cola system bottlers for which our Company provides marketing support and from the sale of which we derive economic benefit. In addition, unit case volume includes sales by joint ventures in which the Company has an equity interest. We believe unit case volume is one of the measures of the underlying strength of the Coca-Cola system because it measures trends at the consumer level. The unit case volume numbers used in this report are derived based on estimates received by the Company from its bottling partners and distributors. Concentrate sales volume represents the amount of concentrates and syrups (in all cases expressed in equivalent unit cases) sold by, or used in finished beverages sold by, the Company to its bottling partners or other customers. Unit case volume and concentrate sales volume growth rates are not necessarily equal during any given period. Factors such as seasonality, bottlers' inventory practices, supply point changes, timing of price increases, new product introductions and changes in product mix can impact unit case volume and concentrate sales volume and can create differences between unit case volume and concentrate sales volume growth rates. In addition to the items mentioned above, the impact of unit case volume from certain joint ventures, in which the Company has an equity interest, but to which the Company does not sell concentrates or syrups, may give rise to differences between unit case volume and concentrate sales volume growth rates.
Distribution System and Bottler's Agreements
We make our branded beverage products available to consumers in more than 200 countries through our network of Company-owned or controlled bottling and distribution operations as well as independently owned bottling partners, distributors, wholesalers and retailers — the world's largest beverage distribution system. Consumers enjoy finished beverage products bearing our trademarks at a rate of more than 1.7 billion servings each day. We continue to expand our marketing presence and increase our unit case volume in developed, developing and emerging markets. Our strong and stable system helps us to capture growth by manufacturing, distributing and marketing existing, enhanced and new innovative products to our consumers throughout the world.
The Coca-Cola system sold approximately 26.7 billion, 25.5 billion and 24.4 billion unit cases of our products in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Sparkling beverages represented approximately 75 percent, 76 percent and 77 percent of our worldwide unit case volume for 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages accounted for approximately 49 percent, 50 percent and 51 percent of our worldwide unit case volume for 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
In 2011, unit case volume in the United States ("U.S. unit case volume") represented approximately 20 percent of the Company's worldwide unit case volume. Of the U.S. unit case volume for 2011, approximately 70 percent was attributable to sparkling beverages and approximately 30 percent to still beverages. Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages accounted for approximately 49 percent of U.S. unit case volume for 2011.
Unit case volume outside the United States represented approximately 80 percent of the Company's worldwide unit case volume for 2011. The countries outside the United States in which our unit case volumes were the largest in 2011 were Mexico, China, Brazil and Japan, which together accounted for approximately 31 percent of our worldwide unit case volume. Of the non-U.S. unit case volume for 2011, approximately 77 percent was attributable to sparkling beverages and approximately 23 percent to still beverages. Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages accounted for approximately 49 percent of non-U.S. unit case volume for 2011.
In our concentrate operations, we typically sell concentrates and syrups to our bottling partners, who use the concentrate to manufacture finished products which they sell to distributors and other customers. Separate contracts ("Bottler's Agreements") exist between our Company and each of our bottling partners regarding the manufacture and sale of Company products. Subject to specified terms and conditions and certain variations, the Bottler's Agreements generally authorize the bottlers to prepare specified Company Trademark Beverages, to package the same in authorized containers, and to distribute and sell the same in (but, subject to applicable local law, generally only in) an identified territory. The bottler is obligated to purchase its entire requirement of concentrates or syrups for the designated Company Trademark Beverages from the Company or Company-authorized suppliers. We typically agree to refrain from selling or distributing, or from authorizing third parties to sell or distribute, the designated Company Trademark Beverages throughout the identified territory in the particular authorized containers; however, we typically reserve for ourselves or our designee the right (1) to prepare and package such beverages in such containers in the territory for sale outside the territory, and (2) to prepare, package, distribute and sell such beverages in the territory in any other manner or form. Territorial restrictions on bottlers vary in some cases in accordance with local law.
Being a bottler does not create a legal partnership or joint venture between us and our bottlers. Our bottlers are independent contractors and are not our agents.
While, as described below, under most of our Bottler's Agreements we generally have complete flexibility to determine the price and other terms of sale of the concentrates and syrups we sell to our bottlers, as a practical matter, our Company's ability to exercise its contractual flexibility to determine the price and other terms of sale of its syrups, concentrates and finished beverages is subject, both outside and within the United States, to competitive market conditions.
Bottler's Agreements Outside the United States
The Bottler's Agreements between us and our authorized bottlers outside the United States generally are of stated duration, subject in some cases to possible extensions or renewals of the term of the contract. Generally, these contracts are subject to termination by the Company following the occurrence of certain designated events. These events include defined events of default and certain changes in ownership or control of the bottler.
In certain parts of the world outside the United States, we have not granted comprehensive beverage production rights to the bottlers. In such instances, we or our authorized suppliers sell Company Trademark Beverages to the bottlers for sale and distribution throughout the designated territory, often on a nonexclusive basis. Most of the Bottler's Agreements in force between us and bottlers outside the United States authorize the bottlers to manufacture and distribute fountain syrups, usually on a nonexclusive basis.
Our Company generally has complete flexibility to determine the price and other terms of sale of the concentrates and syrups we sell to bottlers outside the United States. In some instances, however, we have agreed or may in the future agree with a bottler with respect to concentrate pricing on a prospective basis for specified time periods. In some markets, in an effort to allow our Company and our bottling partners to grow together through shared value, aligned incentives and the flexibility necessary to meet consumers' always changing needs and tastes, we worked with our bottling partners to develop and implement an incidence-based pricing model for sparkling and still beverages. Under this model, the concentrate price we charge is impacted by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, bottler pricing, the channels in which the finished products are sold and package mix. Outside the United States, in most cases, we have no obligation to provide marketing support to the bottlers. Nevertheless, we may, at our discretion, contribute toward bottler expenditures for advertising and marketing. We may also elect to undertake independent or cooperative advertising and marketing activities.
Bottler's Agreements Within the United States
During the year ended December 31, 2011, CCR, our bottling and customer service organization for North America, manufactured, sold and distributed approximately 87 percent of our unit case volume in the United States. The discussion below regarding the terms of Bottler's Agreements and other contracts relates to Bottler's Agreements and contracts for territories in the United States that are not covered by CCR.
In the United States, with certain very limited exceptions, the Bottler's Agreements for Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages and other cola-flavored beverages have no stated expiration date. Our standard contracts for other sparkling beverage flavors and for still beverages are of stated duration, subject to bottler renewal rights. The Bottler's Agreements in the United States are
subject to termination by the Company for nonperformance or upon the occurrence of certain defined events of default that may vary from contract to contract.
Under the terms of the Bottler's Agreements, bottlers in the United States are authorized to manufacture and distribute Company Trademark Beverages in bottles and cans. However, these bottlers generally are not authorized to manufacture fountain syrups. Rather, in the United States, our Company manufactures and sells fountain syrups to authorized fountain wholesalers (including certain authorized bottlers) and some fountain retailers. These wholesalers in turn sell the syrups or deliver them on our behalf to restaurants and other retailers.
Certain of the Bottler's Agreements for cola-flavored sparkling beverages in effect in the United States give us complete flexibility to determine the price and other terms of sale of concentrates and syrups for Company Trademark Beverages. In some instances, we have agreed or may in the future agree with a bottler with respect to concentrate pricing on a prospective basis for specified time periods. Certain Bottler's Agreements, entered into prior to 1987, provide for concentrates or syrups for certain Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages and other cola-flavored Company Trademark Beverages to be priced pursuant to a stated formula. Bottlers that accounted for approximately 3.7 percent of total unit case volume in the United States in 2011 have contracts for certain Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages and other cola-flavored Company Trademark Beverages with pricing formulas that generally provide for a baseline price. This baseline price may be adjusted periodically by the Company, up to a maximum indexed ceiling price, and is adjusted quarterly based upon changes in certain sugar or sweetener prices, as applicable. Bottlers that accounted for approximately 0.1 percent of total unit case volume in the United States in 2011 operate under our oldest form of contract, which provides for a fixed price for Coca-Cola syrup used in bottles and cans. This price is subject to quarterly adjustments to reflect changes in the quoted price of sugar.
We have standard contracts with bottlers in the United States for the sale of concentrates and syrups for non-cola-flavored sparkling beverages and certain still beverages in bottles and cans, and, in certain cases, for the sale of finished still beverages in bottles and cans. All of these standard contracts give the Company complete flexibility to determine the price and other terms of sale.
In an effort to allow our Company and our bottling partners to grow together through shared value, aligned incentives and the flexibility necessary to meet consumers' always changing needs and tastes, we worked with bottling partners that produce and distribute most of our non-CCR unit case volume in the United States to develop and implement an incidence-based pricing model, primarily for sparkling beverages. Under this model, the concentrate price we charge is impacted by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, bottler pricing, the channels in which the finished products are sold and package mix. We expect to use an incidence-based pricing model in 2012 with bottlers that produce and distribute most of our non-CCR unit case volume in the United States.
Under most of our Bottler's Agreements and other standard beverage contracts with bottlers in the United States, our Company has no obligation to participate with bottlers in expenditures for advertising and marketing. Nevertheless, at our discretion, we may contribute toward such expenditures and undertake independent or cooperative advertising and marketing activities. Some U.S. Bottler's Agreements entered into prior to 1987 impose certain marketing obligations on us with respect to certain Company Trademark Beverages.
Promotions and Marketing Programs
In addition to conducting our own independent advertising and marketing activities, we may provide promotional and marketing services or funds to our bottlers. In most cases, we do this on a discretionary basis under the terms of commitment letters or agreements, even though we are not obligated to do so under the terms of the bottling or distribution agreements between our Company and the bottlers. Also, on a discretionary basis in most cases, our Company may develop and introduce new products, packages and equipment to assist its bottlers. Likewise, in many instances, we provide promotional and marketing services and/or funds and/or dispensing equipment and repair services to fountain and bottle/can retailers, typically pursuant to marketing agreements. The aggregate amount of funds provided by our Company to bottlers, resellers or other customers of our Company's products, principally for participation in promotional and marketing programs, was $5.8 billion in 2011.
Significant Equity Method Investments
We make equity investments in selected bottling operations with the intention of maximizing the strength and efficiency of the Coca-Cola system's production, distribution and marketing capabilities around the world. These investments are intended to result in increases in unit case volume, net revenues and profits at the bottler level, which in turn generate increased concentrate sales for our Company's concentrate and syrup business. When this occurs, both we and our bottling partners benefit from long-term growth in volume, improved cash flows and increased shareowner value. In cases where our investments in bottlers represent noncontrolling interests, our intention is to provide expertise and resources to strengthen those businesses. When our
equity investment provides us with the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee bottler's operating and financial policies, we account for the investment under the equity method, and we sometimes refer to such a bottler as an "equity method investee bottler" or "equity method investee."
Our significant equity method investee bottlers include the following:
Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company S.A. ("Coca-Cola Hellenic"). Our ownership interest in Coca-Cola Hellenic was 23 percent at December 31, 2011. Coca-Cola Hellenic has bottling and distribution rights, through direct ownership or joint ventures, in Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine. Coca-Cola Hellenic estimates that the area in these 28 countries which it serves through its bottling and distribution rights has a combined population of 560 million people. In 2011, 46 percent of the unit case volume of Coca-Cola Hellenic consisted of Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages; 50 percent of its unit case volume consisted of other Company Trademark Beverages; and approximately 4 percent of its unit case volume consisted of beverage products of Coca-Cola Hellenic or other companies.
Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. ("Coca-Cola FEMSA"). Our ownership interest in Coca-Cola FEMSA was 29 percent at December 31, 2011. Coca-Cola FEMSA is a Mexican holding company with bottling subsidiaries in a substantial part of central Mexico, including Mexico City and the southeast and northeast parts of Mexico; greater São Paulo, Campinas, Santos, the state of Matto Grosso do Sul, part of the state of Minas Gerais and part of the state of Goias in Brazil; central Guatemala; most of Colombia; all of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela; and greater Buenos Aires, Argentina. Coca-Cola FEMSA estimates that the territories in which it markets beverage products contain 55 percent of the population of Mexico, 22 percent of the population of Brazil, 99 percent of the population of Colombia, 35 percent of the population of Guatemala, 100 percent of the populations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela, and 32 percent of the population of Argentina. In 2011, 62 percent of the unit case volume of Coca-Cola FEMSA consisted of Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages and 38 percent of its unit case volume consisted of other Company Trademark Beverages.
Coca-Cola Amatil Limited ("Coca-Cola Amatil"). Our ownership interest in Coca-Cola Amatil was 29 percent at December 31, 2011. Coca-Cola Amatil has bottling and distribution rights, through direct ownership or joint ventures, in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Coca-Cola Amatil estimates that the territories in which it markets beverage products contain 100 percent of the populations of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and 98 percent of the population of Indonesia. In 2011, 45 percent of the unit case volume of Coca-Cola Amatil consisted of Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages; 41 percent of its unit case volume consisted of other Company Trademark Beverages; and 14 percent of its unit case volume consisted of beverage products of Coca-Cola Amatil or other companies.
Seasonality
Sales of our nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverages are somewhat seasonal, with the second and third calendar quarters accounting for the highest sales volumes. The volume of sales in the beverage business may be affected by weather conditions.
Competition
Our Company competes in the nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry. The nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry is highly competitive, consisting of numerous companies. These include companies that, like our Company, compete in multiple geographic areas, as well as businesses that are primarily regional or local in operation. Competitive products include numerous nonalcoholic sparkling beverages; various water products, including packaged, flavored and enhanced waters; juices and nectars; fruit drinks and dilutables (including syrups and powdered drinks); coffees and teas; energy and sports and other performance-enhancing drinks; dairy-based drinks; functional beverages; and various other nonalcoholic beverages. These competitive beverages are sold to consumers in both ready-to-drink and other than ready-to-drink form. In many of the countries in which we do business, including the United States, PepsiCo, Inc., is one of our primary competitors. Other significant competitors include, but are not limited to, Nestlé, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., Groupe Danone, Kraft Foods Inc. and Unilever. In certain markets, our competition includes beer companies. We also compete against numerous regional and local companies and, in some markets, against retailers that have developed their own store or private label beverage brands.
Competitive factors impacting our business include, but are not limited to, pricing, advertising, sales promotion programs, product innovation, increased efficiency in production techniques, the introduction of new packaging, new vending and dispensing equipment, and brand and trademark development and protection.
Our competitive strengths include leading brands with a high level of consumer acceptance; a worldwide network of bottlers and distributors of Company products; sophisticated marketing capabilities; and a talented group of dedicated associates. Our competitive challenges include strong competition in all geographic regions and, in many countries, a concentrated retail sector
with powerful buyers able to freely choose among Company products, products of competitive beverage suppliers and individual retailers' own store or private label beverage brands.
Raw Materials
Water is a main ingredient in substantially all of our products. While historically we have not experienced significant water supply difficulties, water is a limited resource in many parts of the world and our Company recognizes water availability, quality and the sustainability of that natural resource for both our operations and also the communities where we operate as one of the key challenges facing our business.
In addition to water, the principal raw materials used in our business are nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners. In the United States, the principal nutritive sweetener is high fructose corn syrup ("HFCS"), a form of sugar, which is available from numerous domestic sources and is historically subject to fluctuations in its market price. The principal nutritive sweetener used by our business outside the United States is sucrose, another form of sugar, which is also available from numerous sources and is historically subject to fluctuations in its market price. Our Company generally has not experienced any difficulties in obtaining its requirements for nutritive sweeteners. In the United States, we purchase HFCS to meet our and our bottlers' requirements with the assistance of Coca-Cola Bottlers' Sales & Services Company LLC ("CCBSS"). CCBSS is a limited liability company that is owned by authorized Coca-Cola bottlers doing business in the United States. Among other things, CCBSS provides procurement services to our Company for the purchase of various goods and services in the United States, including HFCS.
The principal non-nutritive sweeteners we use in our business are aspartame, acesulfame potassium, saccharin, cyclamate and sucralose. Generally, these raw materials are readily available from numerous sources. However, our Company purchases aspartame, an important non-nutritive sweetener that is used alone or in combination with other important non-nutritive sweeteners such as saccharin or acesulfame potassium in our low-calorie sparkling beverage products, primarily from The NutraSweet Company and Ajinomoto Co., Inc., which we consider to be our primary sources for the supply of this product. We currently purchase acesulfame potassium from Nutrinova Nutrition Specialties & Food Ingredients GmbH, which we consider to be our primary source for the supply of this product, and from one additional supplier. Our Company generally has not experienced any difficulties in obtaining its requirements for non-nutritive sweeteners.
Our Company sells a number of products sweetened with sucralose, a non-nutritive sweetener. We work closely with Tate & Lyle PLC, our primary sucralose supplier, to maintain continuity of supply, and we do not anticipate difficulties in obtaining our requirements. We also purchase Truvia, a non-nutritive natural sweetener made with rebiana, which is derived from the stevia plant, from Cargill, Incorporated, and we do not anticipate any supply issues with this ingredient.
With regard to juice and juice drink products, juice and juice concentrate from citrus fruit, particularly orange juice and orange juice concentrate, are our principal raw materials. The citrus industry is subject to the variability of weather conditions. In particular, freezing weather or hurricanes in central Florida may result in shortages and higher prices for orange juice and orange juice concentrate throughout the industry. The Company sources our orange juice and orange juice concentrate from both Florida and the Southern Hemisphere (particularly Brazil). Therefore, we typically have an adequate supply of orange juice and orange juice concentrate that meets our Company's standards.
Our Company-owned or consolidated bottling and canning operations and our finished products business also purchase various other raw materials including, but not limited to, PET resin, preforms and bottles; glass and aluminum bottles; aluminum and steel cans; plastic closures; aseptic fiber packaging; labels; cartons; cases; post-mix packaging; and carbon dioxide. We generally purchase these raw materials from multiple suppliers and historically have not experienced material shortages.
Patents, Copyrights, Trade Secrets and Trademarks
Our Company owns numerous patents, copyrights and trade secrets, as well as substantial know-how and technology, which we collectively refer to in this report as "technology." This technology generally relates to our Company's products and the processes for their production; the packages used for our products; the design and operation of various processes and equipment used in our business; and certain quality assurance software. Some of the technology is licensed to suppliers and other parties. Our sparkling beverage and other beverage formulae are among the important trade secrets of our Company.
We own numerous trademarks that are very important to our business. Depending upon the jurisdiction, trademarks are valid as long as they are in use and/or their registrations are properly maintained. Pursuant to our Bottler's Agreements, we authorize our bottlers to use applicable Company trademarks in connection with their manufacture, sale and distribution of Company products. In addition, we grant licenses to third parties from time to time to use certain of our trademarks in conjunction with certain merchandise and food products.
Governmental Regulation
Our Company is required to comply, and it is our policy to comply, with applicable laws in the numerous countries throughout the world in which we do business. In many jurisdictions, compliance with competition laws is of special importance to us, and our operations may come under special scrutiny by competition law authorities due to our competitive position in those jurisdictions.
In the United States, the safety, production, transportation, distribution, advertising, labeling and sale of many of our Company's products and their ingredients are subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; the Federal Trade Commission Act; the Lanham Act; state consumer protection laws; competition laws; federal, state and local workplace health and safety laws; various federal, state and local environmental protection laws; and various other federal, state and local statutes and regulations. Outside the United States, our business is subject to numerous similar statutes and regulations, as well as other legal and regulatory requirements.
A California law known as Proposition 65 requires that a warning appear on any product sold in California that contains a substance that, in the view of the state, causes cancer or birth defects. The state maintains lists of these substances and periodically adds other substances to these lists. Proposition 65 exposes all food and beverage producers to the possibility of having to provide warnings on their products in California because it does not provide for any generally applicable quantitative threshold below which the presence of a listed substance is exempt from the warning requirement. Consequently, the detection of even a trace amount of a listed substance can subject an affected product to the requirement of a warning label. However, Proposition 65 does not require a warning if the manufacturer of a product can demonstrate that the use of that product exposes consumers to a daily quantity of a listed substance that is:
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• | below a "safe harbor" threshold that may be established; |
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• | the result of necessary cooking; or |
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• | subject to another applicable exemption. |
One or more substances that are currently on the Proposition 65 lists, or that may be added in the future, can be detected in Company products at low levels that are safe. With respect to substances that have not yet been listed under Proposition 65, the Company takes the position that listing is not scientifically justified. With respect to substances that are already listed, the Company takes the position that the presence of each such substance in Company products is subject to an applicable exemption from the warning requirement. The State of California or other parties, however, may take a contrary position.
Bottlers of our beverage products presently offer and use nonrefillable, recyclable containers in the United States and various other markets around the world. Some of these bottlers also offer and use refillable containers, which are also recyclable. Legal requirements apply in various jurisdictions in the United States and overseas requiring that deposits or certain ecotaxes or fees be charged for the sale, marketing and use of certain nonrefillable beverage containers. The precise requirements imposed by these measures vary. Other types of statutes and regulations relating to beverage container deposits, recycling, ecotaxes and/or product stewardship also apply in various jurisdictions in the United States and overseas. We anticipate that additional, similar legal requirements may be proposed or enacted in the future at local, state and federal levels, both in the United States and elsewhere.
All of our Company's facilities and other operations in the United States and elsewhere around the world are subject to various environmental protection statutes and regulations, including those relating to the use of water resources and the discharge of wastewater. Our policy is to comply with all such legal requirements. Compliance with these provisions has not had, and we do not expect such compliance to have, any material adverse effect on our Company's capital expenditures, net income or competitive position.
Employees
We refer to our employees as "associates." As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, our Company had approximately 146,200 and 139,600 associates, respectively, of which approximately 4,700 and 4,900, respectively, were employed by consolidated variable interest entities ("VIEs"). The increase in the total number of associates in 2011 was primarily due to an increase in the North America operating segment, mostly related to the Great Plains Coca-Cola Bottling Company acquisition, as well as an increase in the Bottling Investments operating segment. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, our Company had approximately 67,400 and 64,500 associates, respectively, located in the United States, of which approximately 600 and 700, respectively, were employed by consolidated VIEs.
Our Company, through its divisions and subsidiaries, is a party to numerous collective bargaining agreements. As of December 31, 2011, approximately 19,000 associates in North America were covered by collective bargaining agreements. These agreements typically have terms of three to five years. We currently expect that we will be able to renegotiate such agreements on satisfactory terms when they expire.
The Company believes that its relations with its associates are generally satisfactory.
Securities Exchange Act Reports
The Company maintains a website at the following address: www.thecoca-colacompany.com. The information on the Company's website is not incorporated by reference in this annual report on Form 10-K.
We make available on or through our website certain reports and amendments to those reports that we file with or furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). These include our annual reports on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and our current reports on Form 8-K. We make this information available on our website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file the information with, or furnish it to, the SEC.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
In addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully consider the following factors, which could materially affect our business, financial condition or results of operations in future periods. The risks described below are not the only risks facing our Company. Additional risks not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations in future periods.
Obesity and other health concerns may reduce demand for some of our products.
Consumers, public health officials and government officials are highly concerned about the public health consequences associated with obesity, particularly among young people. In addition, some researchers, health advocates and dietary guidelines are encouraging consumers to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, including those sweetened with HFCS or other nutritive sweeteners. Increasing public concern about these issues; possible new taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages; additional governmental regulations concerning the marketing, labeling, packaging or sale of our beverages; and negative publicity resulting from actual or threatened legal actions against us or other companies in our industry relating to the marketing, labeling or sale of sugar-sweetened beverages may reduce demand for our beverages, which could affect our profitability.
Water scarcity and poor quality could negatively impact the Coca-Cola system's production costs and capacity.
Water is the main ingredient in substantially all of our products. It is also a limited resource in many parts of the world, facing unprecedented challenges from overexploitation, increasing pollution, poor management and climate change. As demand for water continues to increase around the world, and as water becomes scarcer and the quality of available water deteriorates, our system may incur increasing production costs or face capacity constraints which could adversely affect our profitability or net operating revenues in the long run.
Changes in the nonalcoholic beverage business environment and retail trends could impact our financial results.
The nonalcoholic beverage business environment is rapidly evolving as a result of, among other things, changes in consumer preferences, including changes based on health and nutrition considerations and obesity concerns; shifting consumer tastes and needs; changes in consumer lifestyles; and competitive product and pricing pressures. In addition, the nonalcoholic beverage retail landscape is very dynamic and constantly evolving, not only in emerging and developing markets, where modern trade is growing at a faster pace than traditional trade outlets, but also in developed markets, where new formats such as discounters and value stores, as well as the volume of transactions through e-commerce, are growing at a rapid pace. Our industry is also being affected by the trend toward consolidation in the retail channel, particularly in Europe and the United States. If we are unable to successfully adapt to the rapidly changing environment and retail trends, our share of sales, volume growth and overall financial results could be negatively affected.
If we fail to realize a significant portion of the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of CCE's North American business, the value of your investment in our Company may be adversely affected.
On October 2, 2010, we acquired CCE's North American bottling and distribution operations. We believe the acquisition will enable us to evolve our entire business in North America, including the acquired operations, to more profitably deliver our valuable brands in the largest nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverage market in the world. When we determined to make the
acquisition, we believed that the transaction would, among other things, enhance our ability to create a more fully integrated and adaptable supply chain in the North American market to allow our combined North American business to more efficiently and effectively operate our distribution chain in the North American territories and enhance revenue opportunities; create a unified operating system in North America that will address the unique needs of the North American market; strategically position us to better market and distribute our products in North America; improve efficiencies by streamlining operations and reducing or eliminating the costs, expenses, management time and resources associated with interactions and negotiations between the previously separate organizations; allow us to optimize and improve the efficiencies of manufacturing and logistics operations in North America through economies of scale and geography; generate significant operational synergies; facilitate and increase the pace of innovation and new product introduction in North America; and optimize our operating model and improve the strategic planning process, increasing management focus and streamlining decision making. While we believe that the anticipated benefits of the acquisition are achievable, it is possible that we may not be able to realize some or even a significant portion of such benefits, or may not be able to achieve them within the anticipated time frame. If we are unable to realize a significant portion of the anticipated benefits, or if it takes us significantly longer than expected to realize such benefits, our future results of operations may be adversely affected and we may not be able to meet investors' expectations or achieve our long-term growth objectives, which could negatively affect the value of your investment in our Company.
Our indebtedness increased significantly as a result of the acquisition of CCE's North American business. Our higher level of indebtedness will increase our borrowing costs and interest expense in future periods and, therefore, may adversely affect our financial performance.
As a result of the CCE transaction, we assumed $7.9 billion of debt from CCE. Our increased level of indebtedness and resulting higher borrowing costs and interest expense may reduce amounts available for dividends, stock repurchases, capital expenditures and acquisitions, and may cause rating agencies to downgrade our debt, all of which could have adverse effects on our future financial performance.
Our pension expense increased substantially as a result of the acquisition of CCE's North American business and we may incur multi-employer plan withdrawal liabilities in the future, which could negatively impact our financial performance.
Our total pension expense for 2011 was $249 million compared with $176 million for 2010. Most of the pension expense increase in 2011 was due to the full year impact of our acquisition of CCE's North American business and a decrease in the Company's discount rate compared to 2010. In addition, the Company's expense for U.S. multi-employer pension plans totaled $69 million in 2011, of which $32 million was related to our withdrawal from certain of these plans. The U.S. multi-employer pension plans in which we currently participate have contractual arrangements that extend into 2017. If, in the future, we choose to withdraw from any of the multi-employer pension plans in which we participate, we will likely need to record withdrawal liabilities which could negatively impact our financial performance in the applicable periods.
Continuing uncertainty in the credit and equity markets may adversely affect our financial performance.
The global credit markets experienced unprecedented disruptions during late 2008 and early 2009. While credit market conditions have improved somewhat since the crisis, the improvements have not been uniform. In addition, the sovereign debt crisis affecting various countries in the European Union is creating further uncertainties in the global credit markets. The cost and availability of credit vary by market and are subject to changes in the global or regional economic environment. If the current uncertain conditions in the credit markets continue or worsen, our ability to access credit markets on favorable terms may be negatively affected, which could increase our cost of borrowing. In addition, the current uncertain credit market conditions may make it more difficult for our bottling partners to access financing on terms comparable to those available prior to the global credit crisis, which would affect the Coca-Cola system's profitability as well as our share of the income of bottling partners in which we have equity method investments. The current uncertain global credit market conditions and their actual or perceived effects on our and our major bottling partners' results of operations and financial condition, along with the current unfavorable economic environment in the United States and much of the world, may increase the likelihood that the major independent credit agencies will downgrade our credit ratings, which could have a negative effect on our borrowing costs.
In addition, some of the major financial institutions remain fragile, and the counterparty risk associated with our existing derivative financial instruments remains higher than pre-crisis levels. Therefore, we may be unable to secure creditworthy counterparties for derivative transactions in the future or may incur higher than anticipated costs in our hedging activities. The decrease in availability of consumer credit resulting from the financial crisis, as well as general unfavorable economic conditions, may also cause consumers to reduce their discretionary spending, which would reduce the demand for our beverages and negatively affect our net operating revenues and the Coca-Cola system's profitability.
Increased competition could hurt our business.
The nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry is highly competitive. We compete with major international beverage companies that, like our Company, operate in multiple geographic areas, as well as numerous companies that are primarily local in operation. In many countries in which we do business, including the United States, PepsiCo, Inc. is a primary competitor. Other significant competitors include, but are not limited to, Nestlé, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., Groupe Danone, Kraft Foods Inc. and Unilever. In certain markets, our competition includes major beer companies. Our beverage products also compete against local or regional brands as well as against store or private label brands developed by retailers, some of which are Coca-Cola system customers. Our ability to gain or maintain share of sales or gross margins in the global market or in various local markets may be limited as a result of actions by competitors.
If we are unable to expand our operations in developing and emerging markets, our growth rate could be negatively affected.
Our success depends in part on our ability to grow our business in developing and emerging markets, which in turn depends on economic and political conditions in those markets and on our ability to acquire bottling operations in those markets or to form strategic business alliances with local bottlers and to make necessary infrastructure enhancements to production facilities, distribution networks, sales equipment and technology. Moreover, the supply of our products in developing and emerging markets must match consumers' demand for those products. Due to product price, limited purchasing power and cultural differences, there can be no assurance that our products will be accepted in any particular developing or emerging market.
Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could affect our financial results.
We earn revenues, pay expenses, own assets and incur liabilities in countries using currencies other than the U.S. dollar, including the euro, the Japanese yen, the Brazilian real and the Mexican peso. In 2011, we used 72 functional currencies in addition to the U.S. dollar and derived $27.8 billion of net operating revenues from operations outside the United States. Because our consolidated financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars, we must translate revenues, income and expenses, as well as assets and liabilities, into U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect during or at the end of each reporting period. Therefore, increases or decreases in the value of the U.S. dollar against other major currencies affect our net operating revenues, operating income and the value of balance sheet items denominated in foreign currencies. In addition, unexpected and dramatic devaluations of currencies in developing or emerging markets, such as the devaluation of the Venezuelan bolivar, could negatively affect the value of our earnings from, and of the assets located in, those markets. Because of the geographic diversity of our operations, weaknesses in some currencies might be offset by strengths in others over time. We also use derivative financial instruments to further reduce our net exposure to currency exchange rate fluctuations. However, we cannot assure you that fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, particularly the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against major currencies or the currencies of large developing countries, would not materially affect our financial results.
If interest rates increase, our net income could be negatively affected.
We maintain levels of debt that we consider prudent based on our cash flows, interest coverage ratio and percentage of debt to capital. We use debt financing to lower our cost of capital, which increases our return on shareowners' equity. This exposes us to adverse changes in interest rates. When appropriate, we use derivative financial instruments to reduce our exposure to interest rate risks. We cannot assure you, however, that our financial risk management program will be successful in reducing the risks inherent in exposures to interest rate fluctuations. In addition, our exposure to fluctuating interest rates has increased as a result of the indebtedness we assumed in connection with the acquisition of CCE's North American business. Our interest expense may also be affected by our credit ratings. In assessing our credit strength, credit rating agencies consider our capital structure and financial policies as well as the consolidated balance sheet and other financial information for the Company. In addition, some credit rating agencies also consider financial information for certain major bottlers. It is our expectation that the credit rating agencies will continue using this methodology. If our credit ratings were to be downgraded as a result of changes in our capital structure; our major bottlers' financial performance; changes in the credit rating agencies' methodology in assessing our credit strength; the credit agencies' perception of the impact of the continuing unfavorable credit conditions on our or our major bottlers' current or future financial performance and financial condition; or for any other reason, our cost of borrowing could increase. Additionally, if the credit ratings of certain bottlers in which we have equity method investments were to be downgraded, such bottlers' interest expense could increase, which would reduce our equity income.
We rely on our bottling partners for a significant portion of our business. If we are unable to maintain good relationships with our bottling partners, our business could suffer.
We generate a significant portion of our net operating revenues by selling concentrates and syrups to independent bottling partners. As independent companies, our bottling partners, some of which are publicly traded companies, make their own business decisions that may not always align with our interests. In addition, many of our bottling partners have the right to
manufacture or distribute their own products or certain products of other beverage companies. If we are unable to provide an appropriate mix of incentives to our bottling partners through a combination of pricing and marketing and advertising support, or if our bottling partners are not satisfied with our brand innovation and development efforts, they may take actions that, while maximizing their own short-term profits, may be detrimental to our Company or our brands, or they may devote more of their energy and resources to business opportunities or products other than those of the Company. Such actions could, in the long run, have an adverse effect on our profitability.
If our bottling partners' financial condition deteriorates, our business and financial results could be affected.
We derive a significant portion of our net operating revenues from sales of concentrates and syrups to our bottling partners and, therefore, the success of our business depends on our bottling partners' financial strength and profitability. While under our bottling partners' agreements we generally have the right to unilaterally change the prices we charge for our concentrates and syrups, our ability to do so may be materially limited by our bottling partners' financial condition and their ability to pass price increases along to their customers. In addition, we have investments in certain of our bottling partners, which we account for under the equity method, and our operating results include our proportionate share of such bottling partners' income or loss. Our bottling partners' financial condition is affected in large part by conditions and events that are beyond our and their control, including competitive and general market conditions in the territories in which they operate; the availability of capital and other financing resources on reasonable terms; loss of major customers; or disruptions of bottling operations that may be caused by strikes, work stoppages, labor unrest or natural disasters. A deterioration of the financial condition or results of operations of one or more of our major bottling partners could adversely affect our net operating revenues from sales of concentrates and syrups; could result in a decrease in our equity income; and could negatively affect the carrying values of our investments in bottling partners, resulting in asset write-offs.
Increases in income tax rates or changes in income tax laws could have a material adverse impact on our financial results.
We are subject to income tax in the United States and in numerous other jurisdictions in which we generate net operating revenues. Increases in income tax rates could reduce our after-tax income from affected jurisdictions. In addition, there have been proposals to reform U.S. tax laws that could significantly impact how U.S. multinational corporations are taxed on foreign earnings. We earn a substantial portion of our income in foreign countries. Although we cannot predict whether or in what form these proposals will pass, several of the proposals being considered, if enacted into law, could have a material adverse impact on our tax expense and cash flow.
Increased or new indirect taxes in the United States or in one or more of our other major markets could negatively affect our business.
Our business operations are subject to numerous duties or taxes that are not based on income, sometimes referred to as "indirect taxes," including import duties, excise taxes, sales or value-added taxes, property taxes and payroll taxes, in many of the jurisdictions in which we operate, including indirect taxes imposed by state and local governments. In addition, in the past, the United States Congress considered imposing a federal excise tax on beverages sweetened with sugar, HFCS or other nutritive sweeteners and may consider similar proposals in the future. As federal, state and local governments experience significant budget deficits, some lawmakers have proposed singling out beverages among a plethora of revenue-raising items. Increases in or the imposition of new indirect taxes on our business operations or products would increase the cost of products or, to the extent levied directly on consumers, make our products less affordable, which may negatively impact our net operating revenues.
If we are unable to renew collective bargaining agreements on satisfactory terms, or we or our bottling partners experience strikes, work stoppages or labor unrest, our business could suffer.
Many of our associates at our key manufacturing locations and bottling plants are covered by collective bargaining agreements. With the acquisition of CCE's North American business on October 2, 2010, the number of our associates in North America represented by labor unions substantially increased to approximately 19,000 as of December 31, 2011. While we generally have been able to renegotiate collective bargaining agreements on satisfactory terms when they expire and regard our relations with associates and their representatives as generally satisfactory, negotiations in the current environment remain challenging, as the Company must have competitive cost structures in each market while meeting the compensation and benefits needs of our associates. If we are unable to renew collective bargaining agreements on satisfactory terms, our labor costs could increase, which would affect our profit margins. In addition, many of our bottling partners' employees are represented by labor unions. Strikes, work stoppages or other forms of labor unrest at any of our major manufacturing facilities or at our or our major bottlers' plants could impair our ability to supply concentrates and syrups to our bottling partners or our bottlers' ability to supply finished beverages to customers, which would reduce our net operating revenues and could expose us to customer claims.
Increase in the cost, disruption of supply or shortage of energy could affect our profitability.
CCR, our North America bottling and customer service organization, and our Company-owned or controlled bottlers operate a large fleet of trucks and other motor vehicles to distribute and deliver beverage products to customers. In addition, we use a significant amount of electricity, natural gas and other energy sources to operate our concentrate plants and the bottling plants and distribution facilities operated by CCR and our Company-owned or controlled bottlers. An increase in the price, disruption of supply or shortage of fuel and other energy sources in North America, in other countries in which we have concentrate plants, or in any of the major markets in which our Company-owned or controlled bottlers operate that may be caused by increasing demand or by events such as natural disasters, power outages or the like would increase our operating costs and negatively impact our profitability.
Our bottling partners also operate large fleets of trucks and other motor vehicles to distribute and deliver beverage products to their own customers and use a significant amount of electricity, natural gas and other energy sources to operate their own bottling plants and distribution facilities. Increases in the price, disruption of supply or shortage of fuel and other energy sources in any of the major markets in which our bottling partners operate would increase the affected bottling partners' operating costs and could indirectly negatively impact our results of operations.
Increase in the cost, disruption of supply or shortage of ingredients, other raw materials or packaging materials could harm our business.
We and our bottling partners use various ingredients in our business, including HFCS, sucrose, aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, ascorbic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid and caramel color, other raw materials such as orange and other citrus fruit juice and juice concentrates, as well as packaging materials such as PET for bottles and aluminum for cans. The prices for these ingredients, other raw materials and packaging materials fluctuate depending on market conditions. Substantial increases in the prices of our or our bottling partners' ingredients, other raw materials and packaging materials, to the extent they cannot be recouped through increases in the prices of finished beverage products, would increase our and the Coca-Cola system's operating costs and could reduce our profitability. Increases in the prices of our finished products resulting from a higher cost of ingredients, other raw materials and packaging materials could affect affordability in some markets and reduce Coca-Cola system sales. In addition, some of our ingredients, such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, saccharin and ascorbic acid, as well as some of the packaging containers, such as aluminum cans, are available from a limited number of suppliers, some of which are located in countries experiencing political or other risks. We cannot assure you that we and our bottling partners will be able to maintain favorable arrangements and relationships with these suppliers.
The citrus industry is subject to the variability of weather conditions, which affect the supply of orange juice and orange juice concentrate, which are important raw materials for our business. In particular, freezing weather or hurricanes in central Florida may result in shortages and higher prices for orange juice and orange juice concentrate throughout the industry. In addition, in December 2011, we learned that orange juice from Brazil contained residues of carbendazim, a fungicide that is not registered in the U.S. for use on food products. The Company uses Brazilian orange juice and orange juice concentrate to make various orange juice products for distribution in the U.S. under the Simply Orange and Minute Maid brands. The Company disclosed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA") that carbendazim had been detected in orange juice from Brazil. The Company also informed the FDA that orange juice and orange juice concentrate from all or most suppliers in Brazil contained the prohibited residues. The FDA subsequently issued a letter stating that carbendazim at the low levels reported as present in finished orange juice products in the U.S. "does not raise safety concerns." In addition, however, the FDA stated that it "will deny entry into the U.S. to shipments [of orange juice] that test positive for carbendazim." Because the FDA will refuse admission of orange juice and orange juice concentrate containing carbendazim, the supply of orange juice and orange juice concentrate from Brazil and other exporting countries to the U.S. will be reduced in 2012 and may be negatively affected beyond 2012. This has required us to make additional purchases of Florida juice at a higher cost than Brazilian juice. Depending on consumer demand, additional purchases of Florida juice may be necessary in the future.
An increase in the cost, a sustained interruption in the supply, or a shortage of some of these ingredients, other raw materials, packaging materials or cans and other containers that may be caused by a deterioration of our or our bottling partners' relationships with suppliers; by supplier quality and reliability issues; or by events such as natural disasters, power outages, labor strikes, political uncertainties or governmental instability, or the like, could negatively impact our net revenues and profits. Because manufacturing and bottling operations are heavy users of ingredients and packaging materials, our Company's direct exposure to the risk of an increase in the cost, disruption of supply or shortage of ingredients or packaging materials has increased as a result of our acquisition of CCE's North American business.
Changes in laws and regulations relating to beverage containers and packaging could increase our costs and reduce demand for our products.
We and our bottlers currently offer nonrefillable, recyclable containers in the United States and in various other markets around the world. Legal requirements have been enacted in various jurisdictions in the United States and overseas requiring that deposits or certain ecotaxes or fees be charged for the sale, marketing and use of certain nonrefillable beverage containers. Other proposals relating to beverage container deposits, recycling, ecotax and/or product stewardship have been introduced in various jurisdictions in the United States and overseas, and we anticipate that similar legislation or regulations may be proposed in the future at local, state and federal levels, both in the United States and elsewhere. Consumers' increased concerns and changing attitudes about solid waste streams and environmental responsibility and related publicity could result in the adoption of such legislation or regulations. If these types of requirements are adopted and implemented on a large scale in any of the major markets in which we operate, they could affect our costs or require changes in our distribution model, which could reduce our net operating revenues or profitability.
Significant additional labeling or warning requirements may inhibit sales of affected products.
Various jurisdictions may seek to adopt significant additional product labeling or warning requirements relating to the content or perceived adverse health consequences of certain of our products. If these types of requirements become applicable to one or more of our major products under current or future environmental or health laws or regulations, they may inhibit sales of such products. One such law, which is in effect in California and is known as Proposition 65, requires that a warning appear on any product sold in California that contains a substance that, in the view of the state, causes cancer or birth defects. The state maintains lists of these substances and periodically adds other substances to these lists. Proposition 65 exposes all food and beverage producers to the possibility of having to provide warnings on their products in California because it does not provide for any generally applicable quantitative threshold below which the presence of a listed substance is exempt from the warning requirement. Consequently, the detection of even a trace amount of a listed substance can subject an affected product to the requirement of a warning label. However, Proposition 65 does not require a warning if the manufacturer of a product can demonstrate that the use of the product in question exposes consumers to a daily quantity of a listed substance that is below a "safe harbor" threshold that may be established, is naturally occurring, is the result of necessary cooking, or is subject to another applicable exception. One or more substances that are currently on the Proposition 65 lists, or that may be added to the lists in the future, can be detected in Company products at low levels that are safe. With respect to substances that have not yet been listed under Proposition 65, the Company takes the position that listing is not scientifically justified. With respect to substances that are already listed, the Company takes the position that the presence of each such substance in Company products is subject to an applicable exemption from the warning requirement. The State of California or other parties, however, may take a contrary position. If we were required to add Proposition 65 warnings on the labels of one or more of our beverage products produced for sale in California, the resulting consumer reaction to the warnings and possible adverse publicity could negatively affect our sales both in California and in other markets.
Unfavorable general economic conditions in the United States or in other major markets could negatively impact our financial performance.
Unfavorable general economic conditions, such as a recession or economic slowdown in the United States or in one or more of our other major markets, could negatively affect the affordability of, and consumer demand for, some of our beverages. Under difficult economic conditions, consumers may seek to reduce discretionary spending by forgoing purchases of our products or by shifting away from our beverages to lower-priced products offered by other companies, including private label brands. Softer consumer demand for our beverages in the United States or in other major markets could reduce the Coca-Cola system's profitability and could negatively affect our financial performance.
Unfavorable economic and political conditions in international markets could hurt our business.
We derive a significant portion of our net operating revenues from sales of our products in international markets. In 2011, our operations outside the United States accounted for $27.8 billion of our net operating revenues. Unfavorable economic and political conditions, including civil unrest and governmental changes, in certain of our international markets, as well as the financial uncertainties in the euro zone, could undermine consumer confidence and reduce consumers' purchasing power, thereby reducing demand for our products. In addition, product boycotts resulting from political activism could reduce demand for our products, while restrictions on our ability to transfer earnings or capital across borders which may be imposed or expanded as a result of political and economic instability could impact our profitability. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentences, the unfavorable business environment in Venezuela; the current unstable economic and political conditions and civil unrest and political activism in the Middle East, India, Pakistan or the Philippines; the civil unrest and instability in Egypt and other countries in North Africa; the unstable situation in Iraq; or the continuation or escalation of terrorist activities could adversely impact our international business.
Litigation or legal proceedings could expose us to significant liabilities and damage our reputation.
We are party to various litigation claims and legal proceedings. We evaluate these litigation claims and legal proceedings to assess the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes and to estimate, if possible, the amount of potential losses. Based on these assessments and estimates, we establish reserves and/or disclose the relevant litigation claims or legal proceedings, as appropriate. These assessments and estimates are based on the information available to management at the time and involve a significant amount of management judgment. We caution you that actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from those envisioned by our current assessments and estimates. In addition, we have bottling and other business operations in markets with high-risk legal compliance environments. Our policies and procedures require strict compliance by our associates and agents with all United States and local laws and regulations and consent orders applicable to our business operations, including those prohibiting improper payments to government officials. Nonetheless, we cannot assure you that our policies, procedures and related training programs will always ensure full compliance by our associates and agents with all applicable legal requirements. Improper conduct by our associates or agents could damage our reputation in the United States and internationally or lead to litigation or legal proceedings that could result in civil or criminal penalties, including substantial monetary fines, as well as disgorgement of profits.
Adverse weather conditions could reduce the demand for our products.
The sales of our products are influenced to some extent by weather conditions in the markets in which we operate. Unusually cold or rainy weather during the summer months may have a temporary effect on the demand for our products and contribute to lower sales, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations for such periods.
If product safety or quality issues, or negative publicity, even if unwarranted, damage our brand image and corporate reputation, our business may suffer.
Our success depends on our ability to maintain consumer confidence in the safety and quality of our products. Our success also depends on our ability to maintain the brand image of our existing products, build up brand image for new products and brand extensions, and maintain our corporate reputation. We cannot assure you, however, that our commitment to product safety and quality and our continuing investment in advertising and marketing will have the desired impact on our products' brand image and on consumer preferences. Product safety or quality issues, actual or perceived, or allegations of product contamination, even when false or unfounded, could tarnish the image of the affected brands and may cause consumers to choose other products. Allegations of product safety or quality issues or contamination, even if untrue, may require us from time to time to recall a beverage or other product from all of the markets in which the affected production was distributed. Such issues or recalls could negatively affect our profitability and brand image. In some emerging markets, the production and sale of counterfeit or "spurious" products, which we and our bottling partners may not be able to fully combat, may damage the image and reputation of our products. In addition, campaigns by activists attempting to connect us or our bottling system with human and workplace rights issues in certain emerging markets could adversely impact our corporate image and reputation. For example, in June 2011, the United Nations Human Rights Council endorsed the Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, which outlines how businesses should implement the corporate responsibility to respect human rights principles included in the UN "Protect, Respect and Remedy" framework on human rights. Through our Human Rights Statement and Workplace Rights Policy and Supplier Guiding Principles, and our participation in the United Nations Global Compact and its LEAD program, as well as our active participation in the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights, we have made a number of commitments to respect all human rights. Allegations that we are not respecting any of the 30 human rights found in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, even if untrue, could have a significant impact on our corporate reputation and long-term financial results. Also, adverse publicity surrounding obesity and health concerns related to our products, water usage, environmental concerns, labor relations and the like, could negatively affect our Company's overall reputation and our products' acceptance by consumers.
Changes in, or failure to comply with, the laws and regulations applicable to our products or our business operations could increase our costs or reduce our net operating revenues.
Our Company's business is subject to various laws and regulations in the numerous countries throughout the world in which we do business, including laws and regulations relating to competition, product safety, advertising and labeling, container deposits, recycling or stewardship, the protection of the environment, and employment and labor practices. In the United States, the production, distribution and sale of many of our products are subject to, among others, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Lanham Act, state consumer protection laws, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and various environmental statutes, as well as various state and local statutes and regulations. Outside the United States, the production, distribution, sale, advertising and labeling of many of our products are also subject to various laws and regulations. Changes in applicable laws or regulations or evolving interpretations thereof, including increased government regulations to limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions as a result of concern over climate change or to limit or
eliminate the use of bisphenol-A, or BPA (an odorless, tasteless food-grade chemical commonly used in the food and beverage industries as a component in the coating of the interior of cans), may result in increased compliance costs, capital expenditures and other financial obligations for us and our bottling partners, which could affect our profitability or impede the production or distribution of our products, which could affect our net operating revenues. In addition, failure to comply with environmental, health or safety requirements and other applicable laws or regulations could result in the assessment of damages, the imposition of penalties, suspension of production, changes to equipment or processes, or a cessation of operations at our or our bottling partners' facilities, as well as damage to our and the Coca-Cola system's image and reputation, all of which could harm our and the Coca-Cola system's profitability.
Changes in accounting standards could affect our reported financial results.
New accounting standards or pronouncements that may become applicable to our Company from time to time, or changes in the interpretation of existing standards and pronouncements, could have a significant effect on our reported results for the affected periods.
If we are not able to achieve our overall long-term goals, the value of an investment in our Company could be negatively affected.
We have established and publicly announced certain long-term growth objectives. These objectives were based on our evaluation of our growth prospects, which are generally based on volume and sales potential of many product types, some of which are more profitable than others, and on an assessment of the potential price and product mix. There can be no assurance that we will achieve the required volume or revenue growth or the mix of products necessary to achieve our long-term growth objectives.
If we are unable to realize the significant benefits from our productivity and reinvestment program, our financial results could be negatively affected.
We believe that productivity gains are essential to achieving our long-term growth objectives and, therefore, a leading priority of our Company is to design and implement the most effective and efficient business system possible. As part of our efforts to become more efficient, leaner and adaptive to changing market conditions, we recently announced a productivity and reinvestment program consisting of (i) a new productivity initiative focused on global supply chain optimization, global marketing and innovation effectiveness, operating expense leverage, operational excellence and data and information technology systems standardization; and (ii) an expansion of our initiative to capture CCR integration synergies in North America, focused primarily on our North American product supply. We expect to incur significant costs to capture these savings and additional synergies. We intend to invest the savings generated by this program to enhance ongoing systemwide brand-building initiatives and also to mitigate potential incremental near-term commodity costs. If we are unable to successfully implement our productivity and reinvestment program, or if we are unable to capture the anticipated savings and additional synergies, our financial results could be negatively affected.
If we are unable to protect our information systems against service interruption, misappropriation of data or breaches of security, our operations could be disrupted and our reputation may be damaged.
We rely on networks and information systems and other technology ("information systems"), including the Internet and third-party hosted services, to support a variety of business processes and activities, including procurement and supply chain, manufacturing, distribution, invoicing and collection of payments. We use information systems to process financial information and results of operations for internal reporting purposes and to comply with regulatory financial reporting, legal and tax requirements. In addition, we depend on information systems for digital marketing activities and electronic communications among our locations around the world and between Company personnel and our bottlers and other customers, suppliers and consumers. Because information systems are critical to many of the Company's operating activities, our business processes may be impacted by system shutdowns or service disruptions. These disruptions may be caused by failures during routine operations such as system upgrades or user errors, as well as network or hardware failures, malicious or disruptive software, computer hackers, geopolitical events, natural disasters, failures or impairments of telecommunications networks, or other catastrophic events. In addition, such events could result in unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. If our information systems suffer severe damage, disruption or shutdown and our business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, we could experience delays in reporting our financial results and we may lose revenue and profits as a result of our inability to timely manufacture, distribute, invoice and collect payments for concentrate or finished products. Misuse, leakage or falsification of information could result in a violation of data privacy laws and regulations and damage the reputation and credibility of the Company and have a negative impact on net operating revenues. In addition, we may suffer financial and reputational damage because of lost or misappropriated confidential information belonging to us or to our bottling partners, other customers, suppliers or consumers. The Company could also be required to spend significant financial and other
resources to remedy the damage caused by a security breach or to repair or replace networks and information systems.
Like most major corporations, the Company's information systems are a target of attacks. In order to address potential risks to our information systems, we continue to make investments in personnel, technologies, cyberinsurance, training of Company personnel, bottlers and third parties. The Company maintains an information risk management program which is supervised by information technology management and reviewed by a cross-functional committee. As part of this program, reports which include analysis of emerging risks as well as the Company's plans and strategies to address them are regularly prepared and presented to senior management.
We may be required to recognize additional impairment charges which could materially affect our financial results.
We assess our goodwill, trademarks and other intangible assets as well as our other long-lived assets as and when required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States to determine whether they are impaired and, if they are, we record appropriate impairment charges. Our equity method investees also perform impairment tests, and we record our proportionate share of impairment charges recorded by them adjusted, as appropriate, for the impact of items such as basis differences, deferred taxes and deferred gains. It is possible that we may be required to record significant impairment charges or our proportionate share of significant charges recorded by equity method investees in the future and, if we do so, our operating or equity income could be materially adversely affected.
If we do not successfully integrate and manage our Company-owned or controlled bottling operations, our results could suffer.
From time to time we acquire or take control of bottling operations, often in underperforming markets where we believe we can use our resources and expertise to improve performance. We may incur unforeseen liabilities and obligations in connection with acquiring, taking control of or managing bottling operations and may encounter unexpected difficulties and costs in restructuring and integrating them into our Company's operating and internal control structures. We may also experience delays in extending our Company's internal control over financial reporting to newly acquired or controlled bottling operations, which may increase the risk of failure to prevent misstatements in such operations' financial records and in our consolidated financial statements. In 2011, net operating revenues generated by our Bottling Investments group (which includes Company-owned or controlled bottling operations other than those managed by CCR) represented approximately 18 percent of our Company's consolidated net operating revenues. Our financial performance depends in large part on how well we can manage and improve the performance of Company-owned or controlled bottling operations. We cannot assure you, however, that we will be able to achieve our strategic and financial objectives for such bottling operations. If we are unable to achieve such objectives, our consolidated results could be negatively affected.
Climate change may negatively affect our business.
There is increasing concern that a gradual increase in global average temperatures due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will cause significant changes in weather patterns around the globe and an increase in the frequency and severity of natural disasters. Decreased agricultural productivity in certain regions as a result of changing weather patterns may limit availability or increase the cost of key agricultural commodities, such as sugarcane, corn, beets, citrus, coffee and tea, which are important ingredients for our products. Increased frequency or duration of extreme weather conditions could also impair production capabilities, disrupt our supply chain or impact demand for our products. Climate change may also exacerbate water scarcity and cause a further deterioration of water quality in affected regions, which could limit water availability for our system's bottling operations. As a result, the effects of climate change could have a long-term adverse impact on our business and results of operations.
Global or regional catastrophic events could impact our operations and financial results.
Because of our global presence and worldwide operations, our business can be affected by large-scale terrorist acts, especially those directed against the United States or other major industrialized countries; the outbreak or escalation of armed hostilities; major natural disasters; or widespread outbreaks of infectious diseases. Such events could impair our ability to manage our business around the world, could disrupt our supply of raw materials and ingredients, and could impact production, transportation and delivery of concentrates, syrups and finished products. In addition, such events could cause disruption of regional or global economic activity, which can affect consumers' purchasing power in the affected areas and, therefore, reduce demand for our products.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Our worldwide headquarters is located on a 35-acre office complex in Atlanta, Georgia. The complex includes the approximately 621,000 square foot headquarters building and an approximately 870,000 square foot building in which CCNA's and CCR's main offices are located. The complex also includes several other buildings, including the approximately 264,000 square foot Coca-Cola Plaza building, technical and engineering facilities, a learning center and a reception center. We also own an office and retail building at 711 Fifth Avenue in New York, New York. These properties are primarily included in the Corporate operating segment.
We own or lease additional facilities, real estate and office space throughout the world which we use for administrative, manufacturing, processing, packaging, packing, storage, warehousing, distribution and retail operations. These properties are generally included in the geographic operating segment in which they are located.
In North America, as of December 31, 2011, we owned 69 beverage production facilities, 10 principal beverage concentrate and/or syrup manufacturing plants, one facility that manufactures juice concentrates for foodservice use and two bottled water facilities; we leased one bottled water facility, one beverage production facility and six container manufacturing facilities; and we operated 287 principal beverage distribution warehouses, of which 104 were leased and the rest were owned. Also included in the North America operating segment is a portion of the Atlanta office complex.
Additionally, as of December 31, 2011, our Company owned and operated 20 principal beverage concentrate manufacturing plants outside of North America, of which four are included in the Eurasia and Africa operating segment; three are included in the Europe operating segment; five are included in the Latin America operating segment; and eight are included in the Pacific operating segment.
We own or hold a majority interest in or otherwise consolidate under applicable accounting rules bottling operations that, as of December 31, 2011, owned 97 principal beverage bottling and canning plants located throughout the world. These plants are included in the Bottling Investments operating segment.
Management believes that our Company's facilities for the production of our products are suitable and adequate, that they are being appropriately utilized in line with past experience, and that they have sufficient production capacity for their present intended purposes. The extent of utilization of such facilities varies based upon seasonal demand for our products. However, management believes that additional production can be obtained at the existing facilities by adding personnel and capital equipment and, at some facilities, by adding shifts of personnel or expanding the facilities. We continuously review our anticipated requirements for facilities and, on the basis of that review, may from time to time acquire additional facilities and/or dispose of existing facilities.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
The Company is involved in various legal proceedings, including the proceedings specifically discussed below. Management believes that the total liabilities to the Company that may arise as a result of currently pending legal proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on the Company taken as a whole.
Aqua-Chem Litigation
On December 20, 2002, the Company filed a lawsuit (The Coca-Cola Company v. Aqua-Chem, Inc., Civil Action No. 2002CV631-50) in the Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia (the "Georgia Case"), seeking a declaratory judgment that the Company has no obligation to its former subsidiary, Aqua-Chem, Inc., now known as Cleaver-Brooks, Inc. ("Aqua-Chem"), for any past, present or future liabilities or expenses in connection with any claims or lawsuits against Aqua-Chem. Subsequent to the Company's filing but on the same day, Aqua-Chem filed a lawsuit (Aqua-Chem, Inc. v. The Coca-Cola Company, Civil Action No. 02CV012179) in the Circuit Court, Civil Division of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (the "Wisconsin Case"). In the Wisconsin Case, Aqua-Chem sought a declaratory judgment that the Company is responsible for all liabilities and expenses not covered by insurance in connection with certain of Aqua-Chem's general and product liability claims arising from occurrences prior to the Company's sale of Aqua-Chem in 1981, and a judgment for breach of contract in an amount exceeding $9 million for costs incurred by Aqua-Chem to date in connection with such claims. The Wisconsin Case initially was stayed, pending final resolution of the Georgia Case, and later was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice by Aqua-Chem.
The Company owned Aqua-Chem from 1970 to 1981. During that time, the Company purchased over $400 million of insurance coverage, which also insures Aqua-Chem for some of its prior and future costs for certain product liability and other claims. The Company sold Aqua-Chem to Lyonnaise American Holding, Inc., in 1981 under the terms of a stock sale agreement. The 1981 agreement, and a subsequent 1983 settlement agreement, outlined the parties' rights and obligations concerning past and future claims and lawsuits involving Aqua-Chem. Cleaver-Brooks, a division of Aqua-Chem, manufactured boilers, some of which contained asbestos gaskets. Aqua-Chem was first named as a defendant in asbestos lawsuits in or around 1985 and
currently has approximately 40,000 active claims pending against it.
The parties agreed in 2004 to stay the Georgia Case pending the outcome of insurance coverage litigation filed by certain Aqua-Chem insurers on March 26, 2004. In the coverage action, five plaintiff insurance companies filed suit (Century Indemnity Company, et al. v. Aqua-Chem, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, et al., Case No. 04CV002852) in the Circuit Court, Civil Division of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, against the Company, Aqua-Chem and 16 insurance companies. Several of the policies that were the subject of the coverage action had been issued to the Company during the period (1970 to 1981) when the Company owned Aqua-Chem. The complaint sought a determination of the respective rights and obligations under the insurance policies issued with regard to asbestos-related claims against Aqua-Chem. The action also sought a monetary judgment reimbursing any amounts paid by the plaintiffs in excess of their obligations. Two of the insurers, one with a $15 million policy limit and one with a $25 million policy limit, asserted cross-claims against the Company, alleging that the Company and/or its insurers are responsible for Aqua-Chem's asbestos liabilities before any obligation is triggered on the part of the cross-claimant insurers to pay for such costs under their policies.
Aqua-Chem and the Company filed and obtained a partial summary judgment determination in the coverage action that the insurers for Aqua-Chem and the Company were jointly and severally liable for coverage amounts, but reserving judgment on other defenses that might apply. During the course of the Wisconsin insurance coverage litigation, Aqua-Chem and the Company reached settlements with several of the insurers, including plaintiffs, who have paid or will pay funds into an escrow account for payment of costs arising from the asbestos claims against Aqua-Chem. On July 24, 2007, the Wisconsin trial court entered a final declaratory judgment regarding the rights and obligations of the parties under the insurance policies issued by the remaining defendant insurers, which judgment was not appealed. The judgment directs, among other things, that each insurer whose policy is triggered is jointly and severally liable for 100 percent of Aqua-Chem's losses up to policy limits. The court's judgment concluded the Wisconsin insurance coverage litigation.
The Company and Aqua-Chem continued to pursue and obtain coverage agreements for the asbestos-related claims against Aqua-Chem with those insurance companies that did not settle in the Wisconsin insurance coverage litigation. The Company anticipated that a final settlement with three of those insurers would be finalized in May 2011, but such insurers repudiated their settlement commitments and, as a result, Aqua-Chem and the Company filed suit against them in Wisconsin state court to enforce the coverage-in-place settlement or, in the alternative, to obtain a declaratory judgment validating Aqua-Chem and the Company's interpretation of the court's judgment in the Wisconsin coverage litigation. Whether or not Aqua-Chem and the Company prevail in the coverage-in-place settlement litigation, these three insurance companies will remain subject to the court's judgment in the Wisconsin insurance coverage litigation.
The Georgia Case remains subject to the stay agreed to in 2004.
Chapman
On June 30, 2005, Maryann Chapman filed a purported shareholder derivative action (Chapman v. Isdell, et al.) in the Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia, alleging violations of state law by certain individual current and former members of the Board of Directors of the Company and senior management, including breaches of fiduciary duties, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, waste of corporate assets and unjust enrichment, between January 2003 and the date of filing of the complaint that have caused substantial losses to the Company and other damages, such as to its reputation and goodwill. The defendants named in the lawsuit include Neville Isdell, Douglas Daft, Gary Fayard, Ronald Allen, Cathleen Black, Warren Buffett, Herbert Allen, Barry Diller, Donald McHenry, Sam Nunn, James Robinson, Peter Ueberroth, James Williams, Donald Keough, Maria Lagomasino, Pedro Reinhard, Robert Nardelli and Susan Bennett King. The Company is also named a nominal defendant. The complaint further alleges that the September 2004 earnings warning issued by the Company resulted from factors known by the individual defendants as early as January 2003 that were not adequately disclosed to the investing public until the earnings warning. The factors cited in the complaint include (i) a flawed business strategy and a business model that was not working; (ii) a workforce so depleted by layoffs that it was unable to properly react to changing market conditions; (iii) impaired relationships with key bottlers; and (iv) the fact that the foregoing conditions would lead to diminished earnings. The plaintiff, purportedly on behalf of the Company, seeks damages in an unspecified amount, extraordinary equitable and/or injunctive relief, restitution and disgorgement of profits, reimbursement for costs and disbursements of the action, and such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper. The Company's motion to dismiss the complaint and the plaintiff's response were filed and fully briefed. The Court heard oral argument on the Company's motion to dismiss on June 6, 2006. Following the hearing, the Court took the matter under advisement and the parties are awaiting a ruling. There were no material developments in this case during 2011.
The Company intends to vigorously defend its interests in this matter.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
ITEM X. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY
The following are the executive officers of our Company as of February 22, 2012:
Harry L. Anderson, 49, is Senior Vice President, Global Business and Technology Services of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Anderson served as Executive Vice President, Finance and Operations, Turner Entertainment Group; Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration, Turner Sales and Distribution Group; and Vice President and Group Controller, Turner Sales and Distribution Group. Before joining Turner Broadcasting, Mr. Anderson was with Price Waterhouse in Audit and Accounting Services. Mr. Anderson joined the Company in 2001 as Senior Vice President, Coca-Cola Ventures. In 2002, he was named Director of Supply Chain and Manufacturing Management. Mr. Anderson served as Chief Financial Officer of Coca-Cola North America from 2004 until 2007. In 2007, he was appointed Vice President and Controller of the Company and served in that capacity until August 2009. In June 2009, Mr. Anderson was named to lead the newly formed Global Business and Technology Services organization, effective July 1, 2009. In July 2009, he was elected Senior Vice President of the Company.
Ahmet C. Bozer, 51, is President of the Eurasia and Africa Group. Mr. Bozer joined the Company in 1990 as a Financial Control Manager for Coca-Cola USA and held a number of other roles in the finance organization. In 1992, he became the Region Finance Manager for Coca-Cola Turkey. In 1994, he joined Coca-Cola Bottlers of Turkey (now Coca-Cola Icecek A.S.) as Finance Director and was named Managing Director in 1998. In 2000, Mr. Bozer rejoined the Company as President of the Eurasia Division, which became Eurasia and Middle East Division in 2003, covering 36 countries and including the Adriatic and Balkans Region. In 2006, Mr Bozer assumed the additional leadership responsibility for the Russia, Ukraine and Belarus Division. Effective January 1, 2007, with the addition of the India and South West Asia Division under his responsibilities, Mr. Bozer was named President of the Eurasia Group. Effective July 1, 2008, Mr. Bozer became President of the Eurasia and Africa Group.
Steven A. Cahillane, 46, is President and Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola Refreshments, the Company's bottling and customer service organization for North America. Prior to joining the Company, from August 2003 until August 2005, Mr. Cahillane served as the Chief Executive for Interbrew UK and Ireland, a division of InBev S.A. In August 2005, he became Chief Commercial Officer of InBev S.A. and served in that capacity until August 2007. In October 2007, Mr. Cahillane joined CCE and served as President of CCE's Europe Group until July 2008 and then as President of the North America Business Unit of CCE from July 2008 until October 2010. Mr. Cahillane was appointed to his current position effective October 2, 2010.
Alexander B. Cummings, Jr., 55, is Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the Company. Mr. Cummings began his career in 1982 with The Pillsbury Company and held various positions within Pillsbury, the last position being Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for all of Pillsbury's international businesses. Mr. Cummings joined the Company in 1997 as Deputy Region Manager, Nigeria, based in Lagos, Nigeria. In 1998, Mr. Cummings was named Managing Director/Region Manager, Nigeria, and in 2000, he became President of the North West Africa Division based in Morocco. In March 2001, Mr. Cummings became President of the Africa Group overseeing the Company's business in the entire African continent, and served in this capacity until June 2008. Mr. Cummings was appointed Chief Administrative Officer of the Company effective July 1, 2008, and was elected Executive Vice President of the Company effective October 15, 2008.
J. Alexander M. Douglas, Jr., 50, is President of the North America Group. Mr. Douglas joined the Company in January 1988 as a District Sales Manager for the Foodservice Division of Coca-Cola USA. In May 1994, he was named Vice President of Coca-Cola USA, initially assuming leadership of the CCE Sales and Marketing Group and eventually assuming leadership of the entire North American Field Sales and Marketing Groups. In January 2000, Mr. Douglas was appointed President of the North American Division within the North America Group. He served as Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer of the Company from February 2003 until August 2006 and continued serving as Senior Vice President until April 2007. Mr. Douglas was appointed President of the North America Group in August 2006.
Ceree Eberly, 49, is Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer of the Company, with responsibility for leading the Company's global People Function (formerly Human Resources). Ms. Eberly joined the Company in February 1990, serving in staffing, compensation and other roles supporting the Company's business units around the world. From October 1998 until January 2003, she served as Human Resources Director for the Latin Center Business Unit. From February 2003 until June 2007, Ms. Eberly served as Vice President of the McDonald's Division. She was appointed Group Human Resources Director for Europe in July 2007 and served in that capacity until she was appointed Chief People Officer effective December 1, 2009. Ms. Eberly was elected Senior Vice President of the Company effective April 1, 2010.
Gary P. Fayard, 59, is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Mr. Fayard joined the Company in April 1994. In July 1994, he was elected Vice President and Controller. In December 1999, he was elected Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Fayard was elected Executive Vice President of the Company in February 2003.
Irial Finan, 54, is Executive Vice President of the Company and President, Bottling Investments and Supply Chain. Mr. Finan joined the Coca-Cola system in 1981 with Coca-Cola Bottlers Ireland, Ltd., where for several years he held a variety of accounting positions. From 1987 until 1990, Mr. Finan served as Finance Director of Coca-Cola Bottlers Ireland, Ltd. From 1991 to 1993, he served as Managing Director of Coca-Cola Bottlers Ulster, Ltd. He was Managing Director of Coca-Cola bottlers in Romania and Bulgaria until late 1994. From 1995 to 1999, he served as Managing Director of Molino Beverages, with responsibility for expanding markets, including the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Romania, Moldova, Russia and Nigeria. Mr. Finan served from May 2001 until 2003 as Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola Hellenic. Mr. Finan joined the Company and was named President, Bottling Investments in August 2004. He was elected Executive Vice President of the Company in October 2004.
Bernhard Goepelt, 49, is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Legal Counsel of the Company. Mr. Goepelt joined the Company in 1992 as Legal Counsel for the German Division. In 1997, he was appointed Legal Counsel for the Middle and Far East Group and in 1999 was promoted to Division Counsel, Southeast and West Asia Division, based in Thailand. In January 2003, Mr. Goepelt was appointed Group Counsel for the Central Europe, Eurasia and Middle East Group. In 2005, he assumed the position of General Counsel for Japan and China and in 2007 Mr. Goepelt was appointed General Counsel, Pacific Group. In April 2010, he moved to Atlanta to become Associate General Counsel, Global Marketing, Commercial Leadership & Strategy. In September 2010, Mr. Goepelt took on the additional responsibility of General Counsel for the Pacific Group. In addition to his functional responsibilities, he also managed the administration of the Legal Division. Mr. Goepelt was elected Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Legal Counsel of the Company in December 2011.
Glenn G. Jordan S., 55, is President of the Pacific Group. Mr. Jordan joined the Company in 1978 as a field representative for Coca-Cola de Colombia where, for several years, he held various positions, including Region Manager from 1985 to 1989. Mr. Jordan served as Marketing Operations Manager, Pacific Group from 1989 to 1990 and as Vice President of Coca-Cola International and Executive Assistant to the Pacific Group President from 1990 to 1991. Mr. Jordan served as Senior Vice President, Marketing and Operations, for the Brazil Division from 1991 to 1995; as President of the River Plate Division, which comprised Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, from 1995 to 2000; and as President of the South Latin America Division, comprising Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, from 2000 to 2003. In February 2003, Mr. Jordan was appointed Executive Vice President and Director of Operations for the Latin America Group and served in that capacity until February 2006. Mr. Jordan was appointed President of the East, South Asia and Pacific Rim Group in February 2006. The East, South Asia and Pacific Rim Group was reconfigured and renamed the Pacific Group, effective January 1, 2007.
Geoffrey J. Kelly, 67, served as General Counsel of the Company until December 2011 and will continue to serve as Senior Vice President until his retirement in February 2012. Mr. Kelly joined the Company in 1970 in Australia as manager of the Legal Department for the Australasia Area. From 1970 until 2000, Mr. Kelly held a number of key roles, including Senior Counsel for the Pacific Group and subsequently for the Middle and Far East Group. In 2000, Mr. Kelly was appointed Senior Counsel for International Operations. He became Chief Deputy General Counsel in 2003 and was elected Senior Vice President of the Company in February 2004. In January 2005, he assumed the role of Acting General Counsel to the Company, and in July 2005, he was elected General Counsel of the Company.
Muhtar Kent, 59, is Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company. Mr. Kent joined the Company in 1978 and held a variety of marketing and operations roles throughout his career with the Company. In 1985, he was appointed General Manager of Coca-Cola Turkey and Central Asia. From 1989 to 1995, Mr. Kent served as President of the East Central Europe Division and Senior Vice President of Coca-Cola International. Between 1995 and 1998, he served as Managing Director of Coca-Cola Amatil-Europe covering bottling operations in 12 countries, and from 1999 until 2005, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Efes Beverage Group, a diversified beverage company with Coca-Cola and beer operations across Southeast Europe, Turkey and Central Asia. Mr. Kent rejoined the Company in May 2005 as President and Chief Operating Officer, North Asia, Eurasia and Middle East Group, an organization serving a broad and diverse region that included China, Japan and Russia. He was appointed President, Coca-Cola International in January 2006 and was elected Executive Vice President of the Company in February 2006. He was elected President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company in December 2006 and was elected to the Board of Directors in April 2008. Mr. Kent was elected Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective July 1, 2008. Mr. Kent was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company in April 2009.
Dominique Reiniche, 56, is President of the Europe Group. Ms. Reiniche joined the Company in May 2005 as President of the European Union Group, which was reconfigured effective July 1, 2008, to include the Adriatic and Balkans Business Unit and renamed the Europe Group. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Reiniche held a number of marketing, sales and general
management positions with CCE. From May 1998 until December 2002, she served as General Manager of France for CCE, and from January 2003 until May 2005, Ms. Reiniche was President of CCE Europe. Before joining the Coca-Cola system, she was Director of Marketing and Strategy with Kraft Jacobs-Suchard and Associate Advertising Manager at Procter & Gamble.
José Octavio Reyes, 59, is President of the Latin America Group. Mr. Reyes began his career with the Company in 1980 at Coca-Cola de México as Manager of Strategic Planning. In 1987, he was appointed Manager of the Sprite and Diet Coke brands at Corporate Headquarters. In 1990, he was appointed Marketing Director for the Brazil Division, and later became Marketing and Operations Vice President for the Mexico Division. Mr. Reyes assumed the role of Deputy Division President for the Mexico Division in January 1996 and was named Division President for the Mexico Division in May 1996. He assumed his position as President of the Latin America Group in December 2002.
Joseph V. Tripodi, 56, is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Tripodi served as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Allstate Insurance Co. Prior to joining Allstate in November 2003, Mr. Tripodi was Chief Marketing Officer for The Bank of New York. From 1999 until April 2002, he served as Chief Marketing Officer for Seagram Spirits & Wine Group. From 1989 to 1998, he was the Executive Vice President for Global Marketing, Products and Services for MasterCard International. Previously, Mr. Tripodi spent seven years with the Mobil Oil Corporation in roles of increasing responsibility in planning, marketing, business development and operations in New York, Paris, Hong Kong and Guam. Mr. Tripodi joined the Company as Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer effective September 2007 and was elected Senior Vice President of the Company in October 2007, a capacity in which he served until July 2009 when he was elected Executive Vice President of the Company.
Clyde C. Tuggle, 49, is Senior Vice President, Global Public Affairs and Communications Officer of the Company. Mr. Tuggle joined the Company in January 1989 in the Corporate Issues Communications Department. In June 1992, he was named Executive Assistant to Roberto C. Goizueta, then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, where he managed external affairs and communications for the Office of the Chairman. In 1998, Mr. Tuggle transferred to the Company's Central European Division Office in Vienna where he held a variety of positions, including Director of Operations Development, Deputy to the Division President and Region Manager for Austria. In January 2000, Mr. Tuggle returned to Atlanta as Executive Assistant to then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Douglas N. Daft and was elected Vice President of the Company. In February 2003, he was elected Senior Vice President of the Company and appointed Director of Worldwide Public Affairs and Communications. From 2005 until September 2008, Mr. Tuggle served as President of the Russia, Ukraine & Belarus Business Unit. In September 2008, he returned to Atlanta as Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Productivity. In May 2009, Mr. Tuggle was named Senior Vice President, Global Public Affairs and Communications of the Company.
Jerry S. Wilson, 57, is Senior Vice President and Chief Customer and Commercial Officer of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Wilson held various positions in roles of increasing responsibility in distribution, district management, franchise leadership and brand management within Volkswagen of America from 1981 to 1988. Mr. Wilson joined the Company in 1988 as an Area Account Executive for the Foodservice Division of Coca-Cola USA. From 1990 to 1992, he served as Manager of Account Executives, and from 1992 to 1994, he served as Manager of Sales Development. Mr. Wilson was promoted to Director of Sales Operations in 1994 and later that year became Director of Strategic Marketing. In 1995, Mr. Wilson was named Director of Strategic Planning for Coca-Cola USA. In 1996, he was promoted to Vice President, Coca-Cola USA Foodservice, West Area, and in 1999, Mr. Wilson was named Vice President of the North America operations within the McDonald's Division. In April 2003, he was promoted to global Chief Operating Officer of the McDonald's Division, and in December 2005, Mr. Wilson was promoted to President of the global McDonald's Division and was elected Vice President of the Company. Mr. Wilson was elected Senior Vice President of the Company in October 2006 and was appointed global Chief Customer and Commercial Officer effective March 1, 2009.
Guy Wollaert, 52, is Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of the Company. Mr. Wollaert joined the Company in 1992 in Brussels as a Project Manager and has held various positions of increasing responsibility in the technical and supply chain fields. From 1997 to 1999, he served as Technical Director for the Indonesia region based in Jakarta. In 1999, Mr. Wollaert relocated to Atlanta where he held the position of Value Chain Account Manager for the Asia Pacific region. In late 2000, he joined Coca-Cola Tea Products Co. Ltd. ("CCTPC"), a Company subsidiary based in Tokyo. Mr. Wollaert became President of CCTPC in January 2002. From 2003 to 2006, he was President of Coca-Cola National Beverages Ltd., a national supply management Company subsidiary that managed the Company's Japan supply business. In 2006, Mr. Wollaert returned to Atlanta as Vice President, Global Supply Chain Development, and from January 2008 until December 2010, he served as General Manager, Global Juice Center. Mr. Wollaert was appointed Chief Technical Officer effective January 1, 2011, and was elected Senior Vice President of the Company in February 2011.
All executive officers serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. There is no family relationship between any of the Directors or executive officers of the Company.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
The principal United States market in which the Company's common stock is listed and traded is the New York Stock Exchange.
The following table sets forth, for the quarterly periods indicated, the high and low market prices per share for the Company's common stock, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange composite tape, and dividend per share information:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Common Stock Market Prices | | |
| High |
| | Low |
| | Dividends Declared |
|
2011 | | | | | |
Fourth quarter | $ | 70.29 |
| | $ | 63.34 |
| | $ | 0.47 |
|
Third quarter | 71.77 |
| | 63.59 |
| | 0.47 |
|
Second quarter | 68.77 |
| | 64.43 |
| | 0.47 |
|
First quarter | 67.48 |
| | 61.29 |
| | 0.47 |
|
2010 | | | | | |
Fourth quarter | $ | 65.88 |
| | $ | 58.55 |
| | $ | 0.44 |
|
Third quarter | 59.24 |
| | 50.02 |
| | 0.44 |
|
Second quarter | 55.56 |
| | 49.47 |
| | 0.44 |
|
First quarter | 57.43 |
| | 52.23 |
| | 0.44 |
|
While we have historically paid dividends to holders of our common stock on a quarterly basis, the declaration and payment of future dividends will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to, our earnings, financial condition, business development needs and regulatory considerations, and is at the discretion of our Board of Directors.
As of February 20, 2012, there were 250,275 shareowner accounts of record. This figure does not include a substantially greater number of "street name" holders or beneficial holders of our common stock, whose shares are held of record by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.
The information under the principal heading "EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION" in the Company's definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareowners to be held on April 25, 2012, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Company's 2012 Proxy Statement"), is incorporated herein by reference.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, no equity securities of the Company were sold by the Company that were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
The following table presents information with respect to purchases of common stock of the Company made during the three months ended December 31, 2011, by the Company or any "affiliated purchaser" of the Company as defined in Rule 10b-18(a)(3) under the Exchange Act.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Period | Total Number of Shares Purchased1 |
| | Average Price Paid Per Share |
| | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs 2 |
| | Maximum Number of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Publicly Announced Plans or Programs |
|
October 1, 2011 through October 28, 2011 | 1,370,988 |
| | $ | 66.42 |
| | 1,350,000 |
| | 93,759,148 |
|
October 29, 2011 through November 25, 2011 | 3,926,672 |
| | 67.33 |
| | 3,800,000 |
| | 89,959,148 |
|
November 26, 2011 through December 31, 2011 | 8,244,042 |
| | 67.83 |
| | 7,979,076 |
| | 81,980,072 |
|
Total | 13,541,702 |
| | $ | 67.54 |
| | 13,129,076 |
| | |
|
| |
1 | The total number of shares purchased includes: (i) shares purchased pursuant to the 2006 Plan described in footnote 2 below and (ii) shares surrendered to the Company to pay the exercise price and/or to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with so-called stock swap exercises of employee stock options and/or the vesting of restricted stock issued to employees, totaling 20,988 shares, 126,672 shares and 264,966 shares for the fiscal months of October, November and December 2011, respectively. |
| |
2 | On July 20, 2006, we publicly announced that our Board of Directors had authorized a plan (the "2006 Plan") for the Company to purchase up to 300 million shares of our Company's common stock. This column discloses the number of shares purchased pursuant to the 2006 Plan during the indicated time periods. |
Performance Graph
Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return Among
The Coca-Cola Company, the Peer Group Index and the S&P 500 Index
Total Return
Stock Price Plus Reinvested Dividends
The total return assumes that dividends were reinvested quarterly and is based on a $100 investment on December 31, 2006.
The Peer Group Index is a self-constructed peer group of companies that are included in the Dow Jones Food and Beverage Group and the Dow Jones Tobacco Group of companies, from which the Company has been excluded.
The Peer Group Index consists of the following companies: Altria Group, Inc., Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, Beam Inc., Brown-Forman Corporation (Class B Stock), Bunge Limited, Campbell Soup Company, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc., ConAgra Foods, Inc., Constellation Brands, Inc., Corn Products International, Inc., Darling International Inc., Dean Foods Company, Diamond Foods, Inc., Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., Flowers Foods, Inc., Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., General Mills, Inc., Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., Herbalife Ltd., H.J. Heinz Company, Hormel Foods Corporation, Kellogg Company, Kraft Foods Inc., Lancaster Colony Corporation, Lorillard, Inc., McCormick & Company, Inc., Mead Johnson Nutrition Company, Molson Coors Brewing Company, Monsanto Company, Monster Beverage Corporation (formerly known as Hansen Natural Corporation), PepsiCo, Inc., Philip Morris International Inc., Ralcorp Holdings, Inc., Reynolds American Inc., Sara Lee Corporation, Smithfield Foods, Inc., The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., The Hershey Company, The J.M. Smucker Company, Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc., TreeHouse Foods, Inc., Tyson Foods, Inc., and Universal Corporation.
Companies included in the Dow Jones Food and Beverage Group and the Dow Jones Tobacco Group change periodically. This year, the groups include Beam Inc. and Diamond Foods, Inc., both of which were not included in the groups last year. Additionally, this year the groups do not include Central European Distribution Corporation, Chiquita Brands International, Inc., Del Monte Foods Company, and Martek Biosciences Corporation, all of which were included in the groups last year.
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
The following selected financial data should be read in conjunction with "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this report.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 1 |
| | 2009 |
| | 2008 |
| | 2007 |
|
(In millions except per share data) | | | | | | | | | |
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS | | | | | | | | | |
Net operating revenues | $ | 46,542 |
| | $ | 35,119 |
| | $ | 30,990 |
| | $ | 31,944 |
| | $ | 28,857 |
|
Net income attributable to shareowners of The Coca-Cola Company | 8,572 |
| | 11,809 |
| | 6,824 |
| | 5,807 |
| | 5,981 |
|
PER SHARE DATA | | | | | | | | | |
Basic net income | $ | 3.75 |
| | $ | 5.12 |
| | $ | 2.95 |
| | $ | 2.51 |
| | $ | 2.59 |
|
Diluted net income | 3.69 |
| | 5.06 |
| | 2.93 |
| | 2.49 |
| | 2.57 |
|
Cash dividends | 1.88 |
| | 1.76 |
| | 1.64 |
| | 1.52 |
| | 1.36 |
|
BALANCE SHEET DATA | | | | | | | | | |
Total assets | $ | 79,974 |
| | $ | 72,921 |
| | $ | 48,671 |
| | $ | 40,519 |
| | $ | 43,269 |
|
Long-term debt | 13,656 |
| | 14,041 |
| | 5,059 |
| | 2,781 |
| | 3,277 |
|
| |
1 | Includes the impact of the Company's acquisition of CCE's North American business and the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE. Both of these transactions occurred on October 2, 2010. This information also includes the impact of the deconsolidation of certain entities, primarily bottling operations, on January 1, 2010, as a result of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"). Refer to Note 1 and Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Overview
The following Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ("MD&A") is intended to help the reader understand The Coca-Cola Company, our operations and our present business environment. MD&A is provided as a supplement to — and should be read in conjunction with — our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes thereto contained in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this report. This overview summarizes the MD&A, which includes the following sections:
| |
• | Our Business — a general description of our business and the nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry, our objective, our strategic priorities, our core capabilities, and challenges and risks of our business. |
| |
• | Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — a discussion of accounting policies that require critical judgments and estimates. |
| |
• | Operations Review — an analysis of our Company's consolidated results of operations for the three years presented in our consolidated financial statements. Except to the extent that differences among our operating segments are material to an understanding of our business as a whole, we present the discussion in the MD&A on a consolidated basis. |
| |
• | Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position — an analysis of cash flows; off-balance sheet arrangements and aggregate contractual obligations; foreign exchange; an overview of financial position; and the impact of inflation and changing prices. |
Our Business
General
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company. We own or license and market more than 500 nonalcoholic beverage brands, primarily sparkling beverages but also a variety of still beverages such as waters, enhanced waters, juices and juice drinks, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and energy and sports drinks. We own and market four of the world's top five nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite. Finished beverage products bearing our trademarks, sold in the United States since 1886, are now sold in more than 200 countries.
We make our branded beverage products available to consumers throughout the world through our network of Company-owned or controlled bottling and distribution operations as well as independently owned bottling partners, distributors, wholesalers and retailers — the world's largest beverage distribution system. Of the approximately 56 billion beverage servings of all types consumed worldwide every day, beverages bearing trademarks owned by or licensed to us account for more than 1.7 billion.
We believe our success depends on our ability to connect with consumers by providing them with a wide variety of choices to meet their desires, needs and lifestyle choices. Our success further depends on the ability of our people to execute effectively, every day.
Our goal is to use our Company's assets — our brands, financial strength, unrivaled distribution system, global reach and the talent and strong commitment of our management and associates — to become more competitive and to accelerate growth in a manner that creates value for our shareowners.
Our Company markets, manufactures and sells:
| |
• | beverage concentrates, sometimes referred to as "beverage bases," and syrups, including fountain syrups (we refer to this part of our business as our "concentrate business" or "concentrate operations"); and |
| |
• | finished sparkling and still beverages (we refer to this part of our business as our "finished products business" or "finished products operations"). |
Generally, finished products operations generate higher net operating revenues but lower gross profit margins than concentrate operations.
In our concentrate operations, we typically generate net operating revenues by selling concentrates and syrups to authorized bottling and canning operations (to which we typically refer as our "bottlers" or our "bottling partners"). Our bottling partners either combine the concentrates with sweeteners (depending on the product), still water and/or sparkling water, or combine the syrups with sparkling water to produce finished beverages. The finished beverages are packaged in authorized containers bearing our trademarks or trademarks licensed to us — such as cans and refillable and nonrefillable glass and plastic bottles — and are then sold to retailers directly or, in some cases, through wholesalers or other bottlers. Outside the United States, we also sell concentrates for fountain beverages to our bottling partners who are typically authorized to manufacture fountain syrups, which they sell to fountain retailers such as restaurants and convenience stores which use the fountain syrups to produce beverages for immediate consumption, or to fountain wholesalers who in turn sell and distribute the fountain syrups to fountain retailers.
Our finished products operations consist primarily of the production, sales and distribution operations managed by CCR and our Company-owned or controlled bottling and distribution operations. CCR is included in our North America operating segment, and our Company-owned or controlled bottling and distribution operations are included in our Bottling Investments operating segment. Our finished products operations generate net operating revenues by selling sparkling beverages and a variety of still beverages, such as juices and juice drinks, energy and sports drinks, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and certain water products, to retailers or to distributors, wholesalers and bottling partners who distribute them to retailers. In addition, in the United States, we manufacture fountain syrups and sell them to fountain retailers such as restaurants and convenience stores who use the fountain syrups to produce beverages for immediate consumption or to authorized fountain wholesalers or bottling partners who resell the fountain syrups to fountain retailers. In the United States, we authorize wholesalers to resell our fountain syrups through nonexclusive appointments that neither restrict us in setting the prices at which we sell fountain syrups to the wholesalers nor restrict the territories in which the wholesalers may resell in the United States.
The following table sets forth the percentage of total net operating revenues related to concentrate operations and finished products operations:
|
| | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
|
Concentrate operations1 | 39 | % | | 51 | % | | 54 | % |
Finished products operations2 | 61 |
| 3 | 49 |
| 3 | 46 |
|
Net operating revenues | 100 | % | | 100 | % | | 100 | % |
| |
1 | Includes concentrates sold by the Company to authorized bottling partners for the manufacture of fountain syrups. The bottlers then typically sell the fountain syrups to wholesalers or directly to fountain retailers. |
| |
2 | Includes fountain syrups manufactured by the Company, including consolidated bottling operations, and sold to fountain retailers or to authorized fountain wholesalers or bottling partners who resell the fountain syrups to fountain retailers. |
| |
3 | Includes net operating revenues related to the acquired CCE North American business for the full year in 2011. In 2010, the percentage includes net operating revenues from the date of the CCE acquisition on October 2, 2010. |
The following table sets forth the percentage of total worldwide unit case volume related to concentrate operations and finished products operations:
|
| | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
|
Concentrate operations1 | 70 | % | | 76 | % | | 78 | % |
Finished products operations2 | 30 |
| 3 | 24 |
| 3 | 22 |
|
Total worldwide unit case volume | 100 | % | | 100 | % | | 100 | % |
| |
1 | Includes unit case volume related to concentrates sold by the Company to authorized bottling partners for the manufacture of fountain syrups. The bottlers then typically sell the fountain syrups to wholesalers or directly to fountain retailers. |
| |
2 | Includes unit case volume related to fountain syrups manufactured by the Company, including consolidated bottling operations, and sold to fountain retailers or to authorized fountain wholesalers or bottling partners who resell the fountain syrups to fountain retailers. |
| |
3 | Includes unit case volume related to the acquired CCE North American business for the full year in 2011. In 2010, the percentage includes unit case volume from the date of the CCE acquisition on October 2, 2010. |
Acquisition of CCE's North American Business and Related Transactions
Pursuant to the terms of the business separation and merger agreement entered into on February 25, 2010, as amended (the "merger agreement"), on October 2, 2010 (the "acquisition date"), we acquired CCE's North American business, consisting of CCE's production, sales and distribution operations in the United States, Canada, the British Virgin Islands, the United States Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands, and a substantial majority of CCE's corporate segment. We believe this acquisition will result in an evolved franchise system that will enable us to better serve the unique needs of the North American market. The creation of a unified operating system will strategically position us to better market and distribute our nonalcoholic beverage brands in North America.
Under the terms of the merger agreement, the Company acquired the 67 percent of CCE's North American business that was not already owned by the Company for consideration that included: (1) the Company's 33 percent indirect ownership interest in CCE's European operations; (2) cash consideration; and (3) replacement awards issued to certain current and former employees of CCE's North American and corporate operations. At closing, CCE shareowners other than the Company exchanged their CCE common stock for common stock in a new entity, which was renamed Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. (which is referred to herein as "New CCE") and which continues to hold the European operations held by CCE prior to the acquisition. At closing, New CCE became 100 percent owned by shareowners that held shares of common stock of CCE immediately prior to the closing, other than the Company. As a result of this transaction, the Company does not own any interest in New CCE.
As of October 1, 2010, our Company owned 33 percent of the outstanding common stock of CCE. Based on the closing price of CCE's common stock on the last day of trading prior to the acquisition date, the fair value of our investment in CCE was $5,373 million, which reflected the fair value of our ownership in both CCE's North American business and its European operations. We remeasured our equity interest in CCE to fair value upon the close of the transaction. As a result, we recognized a gain of $4,978 million, which was classified in the line item other income (loss) — net in our consolidated statement of income. The gain included a $137 million reclassification adjustment related to foreign currency translation gains recognized upon the disposal of our indirect investment in CCE's European operations. The Company relinquished its indirect ownership interest in CCE's European operations to New CCE as part of the consideration to acquire the 67 percent of CCE's North American business that was not already owned by the Company.
Although the CCE transaction was structured to be primarily cashless, under the terms of the merger agreement, we agreed to assume $8.9 billion of CCE debt. In the event the actual CCE debt on the acquisition date was less than the agreed amount, we agreed to make a cash payment to New CCE for the difference. As of the acquisition date, the debt assumed by the Company was $7.9 billion. The total cash consideration paid to New CCE as part of the transaction was $1.4 billion, which included $1.0 billion related to the debt shortfall.
In contemplation of the closing of our acquisition of CCE's North American business, we reached an agreement with DPS to distribute certain DPS brands in territories where DPS brands had been distributed by CCE prior to the CCE transaction. Under the terms of our agreement with DPS, concurrently with the closing of the CCE transaction, we entered into license agreements with DPS to distribute Dr Pepper trademark brands in the U.S., Canada Dry in the Northeast U.S., and Canada Dry and C' Plus in Canada, and we made a net one-time cash payment of $715 million to DPS. Under the license agreements, the Company agreed to meet certain performance obligations to distribute DPS products in retail and foodservice accounts and vending machines. The license agreements have initial terms of 20 years, with automatic 20-year renewal periods unless otherwise terminated under the terms of the agreements. The license agreements replaced agreements between DPS and CCE existing immediately prior to the completion of the CCE transaction. In addition, we entered into an agreement with DPS to include Dr Pepper and Diet Dr Pepper in our Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain dispensers in certain outlets throughout the United States. The Coca-Cola Freestyle agreement has a term of 20 years.
On October 2, 2010, we sold all of our ownership interests in our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE for $0.9 billion in cash. In addition, in connection with the acquisition of CCE's North American business, we granted to New CCE the right to negotiate the acquisition of our majority interest in our German bottler at any time from 18 to 39 months after February 25, 2010, at the then current fair value and subject to terms and conditions as mutually agreed.
The Nonalcoholic Beverage Segment of the Commercial Beverage Industry
We operate in the highly competitive nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry. We face strong competition from numerous other general and specialty beverage companies. We, along with other beverage companies, are affected by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, cost to manufacture and distribute products, consumer spending, economic conditions, availability and quality of water, consumer preferences, inflation, political climate, local and national laws and regulations, foreign currency exchange fluctuations, fuel prices and weather patterns.
Our Objective
Our objective is to use our formidable assets — brands, financial strength, unrivaled distribution system, global reach, and the talent and strong commitment of our management and associates — to achieve long-term sustainable growth. Our vision for sustainable growth includes the following:
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• | People: Being a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be. |
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• | Portfolio: Bringing to the world a portfolio of beverage brands that anticipates and satisfies people's desires and needs. |
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• | Partners: Nurturing a winning network of partners and building mutual loyalty. |
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• | Planet: Being a responsible global citizen that makes a difference. |
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• | Profit: Maximizing return to shareowners while being mindful of our overall responsibilities. |
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• | Productivity: Managing our people, time and money for greatest effectiveness. |
Strategic Priorities
We have four strategic priorities designed to create long-term sustainable growth for our Company and the Coca-Cola system and value for our shareowners. These strategic priorities are driving global beverage leadership; accelerating innovation; leveraging our balanced geographic portfolio; and leading the Coca-Cola system for growth. To enable the entire Coca-Cola system so that we can deliver on these strategic priorities, we must further enhance our core capabilities of consumer marketing; commercial leadership; franchise leadership; and bottling and distribution operations.
Core Capabilities
Consumer Marketing
Marketing investments are designed to enhance consumer awareness of and increase consumer preference for our brands. This produces long-term growth in unit case volume, per capita consumption and our share of worldwide nonalcoholic beverage sales. Through our relationships with our bottling partners and those who sell our products in the marketplace, we create and implement integrated marketing programs, both globally and locally, that are designed to heighten consumer awareness of and product appeal for our brands. In developing a strategy for a Company brand, we conduct product and packaging research, establish brand positioning, develop precise consumer communications and solicit consumer feedback. Our integrated marketing activities include, but are not limited to, advertising, point-of-sale merchandising and sales promotions.
We have disciplined marketing strategies that focus on driving volume in emerging markets, increasing our brand value in developing markets and growing profit in our developed markets. In emerging markets, we are investing in infrastructure programs that drive volume through increased access to consumers. In developing markets, where consumer access has largely been established, our focus is on differentiating our brands. In our developed markets, we continue to invest in brands and infrastructure programs, but at a slower rate than revenue growth.
We are focused on affordability and ensuring we are communicating the appropriate message based on the current economic environment.
Commercial Leadership
The Coca-Cola system has millions of customers around the world who sell or serve our products directly to consumers. We focus on enhancing value for our customers and providing solutions to grow their beverage businesses. Our approach includes understanding each customer's business and needs — whether that customer is a sophisticated retailer in a developed market or a kiosk owner in an emerging market. We focus on ensuring that our customers have the right product and package offerings and the right promotional tools to deliver enhanced value to themselves and the Company. We are constantly looking to build new beverage consumption occasions in our customers' outlets through unique and innovative consumer experiences, product availability and delivery systems, and beverage merchandising and displays. We participate in joint brand-building initiatives with our customers in order to drive customer preference for our brands. Through our commercial leadership initiatives, we embed ourselves further into our retail customers' businesses while developing strategies for better execution at the point of sale.
Franchise Leadership
We must continue to improve our franchise leadership capabilities to give our Company and our bottling partners the ability to grow together through shared values, aligned incentives and a sense of urgency and flexibility that supports consumers' always changing needs and tastes. The financial health and success of our bottling partners are critical components of the Company's success. We work with our bottling partners to identify system requirements that enable us to quickly achieve scale and efficiencies, and we share best practices throughout the bottling system. Our system leadership allows us to leverage recent acquisitions to expand our volume base and enhance margins. With our bottling partners, we work to produce differentiated beverages and packages that are appropriate for the right channels and consumers. We also design business models for sparkling and still beverages in specific markets to ensure that we appropriately share the value created by these beverages with our bottling partners. We will continue to build a supply chain network that leverages the size and scale of the Coca-Cola system to gain a competitive advantage.
Bottling and Distribution Operations
Most of our Company beverage products are manufactured, sold and distributed by independently owned and managed bottling partners. However, over the past several years the amount of Company beverage products that are manufactured, sold and distributed by consolidated bottling and distribution operations has increased. We often acquire bottlers in underperforming markets where we believe we can use our resources and expertise to improve performance. Owning such a controlling interest enables us to compensate for limited local resources; help focus the bottler's sales and marketing programs; assist in the development of the bottler's business and information systems; and establish an appropriate capital structure for the bottler.
Our Company has a long history of providing world-class customer service, demonstrating leadership in the marketplace and leveraging the talent of our global workforce. In addition, we have an experienced bottler management team. All of these factors are critical to build upon as we manage our growing bottling and distribution operations.
The Company has a deep commitment to continuously improving our business. This includes our efforts to develop innovative packaging and merchandising solutions which help drive demand for our beverages and meet the growing needs of our consumers. As we further transform the way we go to market the Company continues to seek out ways to be more efficient.
Challenges and Risks
Being a global company provides unique opportunities for our Company. Challenges and risks accompany those opportunities.
Our management has identified certain challenges and risks that demand the attention of the nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry and our Company. Of these, four key challenges and risks are discussed below.
Obesity and Inactive Lifestyles. Increasing concern among consumers, public health professionals and government agencies of the potential health problems associated with obesity and inactive lifestyles represents a significant challenge to our industry. We recognize that obesity is a complex public health problem. Our commitment to consumers begins with our broad product line, which includes a wide selection of diet and light beverages, juices and juice drinks, sports drinks and water products. Our commitment also includes adhering to responsible policies in schools and in the marketplace; supporting programs to encourage physical activity and promote nutrition education; and continuously meeting changing consumer needs through beverage innovation, choice and variety. We are committed to playing an appropriate role in helping address this issue in cooperation with governments, educators and consumers through science-based solutions and programs.
Water Quality and Quantity. Water quality and quantity is an issue that increasingly requires our Company's attention and collaboration with the nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry, governments, nongovernmental organizations and communities where we operate. Water is the main ingredient in substantially all of our products. It is also a limited natural resource facing unprecedented challenges from overexploitation, increasing pollution and poor management. Our Company is in an excellent position to share the water-related knowledge we have developed in the communities we serve — water resource management, water treatment, wastewater treatment systems, and models for working with communities and partners in addressing water and sanitation needs. We are actively engaged in assessing the specific water-related risks that we and many of our bottling partners face and have implemented a formal water risk management program. We are working with our global partners to develop water sustainability projects. We are actively encouraging improved water efficiency and conservation efforts throughout our system. As demand for water continues to increase around the world, we expect commitment and continued action on our part will be crucial to the successful long-term stewardship of this critical natural resource.
Evolving Consumer Preferences. Consumers want more choices. We are impacted by shifting consumer demographics and needs, on-the-go lifestyles, aging populations in developed markets and consumers who are empowered with more information than ever. We are committed to generating new avenues for growth through our core brands with a focus on diet and light products. We are also committed to continuing to expand the variety of choices we provide to consumers to meet their needs, desires and lifestyle choices.
Increased Competition and Capabilities in the Marketplace. Our Company is facing strong competition from some well-established global companies and many local participants. We must continue to selectively expand into other profitable segments of the nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry and strengthen our capabilities in marketing and innovation in order to maintain our brand loyalty and market share.
All four of these challenges and risks — obesity and inactive lifestyles, water quality and quantity, evolving consumer preferences, and increased competition and capabilities in the marketplace — have the potential to have a material adverse effect on the nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry and on our Company; however, we believe our Company is well positioned to appropriately address these challenges and risks.
See also "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Part I of this report for additional information about risks and uncertainties facing our Company.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, which require management to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. We believe our most critical accounting policies and estimates relate to the following:
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• | Principles of Consolidation |
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• | Purchase Accounting for Acquisitions |
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• | Recoverability of Noncurrent Assets |
Management has discussed the development, selection and disclosure of critical accounting policies and estimates with the Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors. While our estimates and assumptions are based on our knowledge of current events and actions we may undertake in the future, actual results may ultimately differ from these estimates and assumptions. For a discussion of the Company's significant accounting policies, refer to Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Principles of Consolidation
Our Company consolidates all entities that we control by ownership of a majority voting interest as well as VIEs for which our Company is the primary beneficiary. Generally, we consolidate only business enterprises that we control by ownership of a majority voting interest. However, there are situations in which consolidation is required even though the usual condition of consolidation (ownership of a majority voting interest) does not apply. Generally, this occurs when an entity holds an interest in another business enterprise that was achieved through arrangements that do not involve voting interests, which results in a disproportionate relationship between such entity's voting interests in, and its exposure to the economic risks and potential rewards of, the other business enterprise. This disproportionate relationship results in what is known as a variable interest, and the entity in which we have the variable interest is referred to as a "VIE". An enterprise must consolidate a VIE if it is determined to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The primary beneficiary has both (a) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance, and (b) the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.
Our Company holds interests in certain VIEs, primarily bottling and container manufacturing operations, for which we were not determined to be the primary beneficiary. Our variable interests in these VIEs primarily relate to profit guarantees or subordinated financial support. Refer to Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Although these financial arrangements resulted in us holding variable interests in these entities, the majority of these arrangements did not empower us to direct the activities of the VIEs that most significantly impact the VIEs' economic performance. Our Company's investments, plus any loans and guarantees, related to these VIEs totaled $1,183 million and $1,274 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, representing our maximum exposures to loss. The Company's investments, plus any loans and guarantees, related to these VIEs were not significant to the Company's consolidated financial statements.
In addition, our Company holds interests in certain VIEs, primarily bottling and container manufacturing operations, for which we were determined to be the primary beneficiary. As a result, we have consolidated these entities. Our Company's investments, plus any loans and guarantees, related to these VIEs totaled $199 million and $191 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, representing our maximum exposures to loss. The assets and liabilities of VIEs for which we are the primary beneficiary were not significant to the Company's consolidated financial statements.
Creditors of our VIEs do not have recourse against the general credit of the Company, regardless of whether they are accounted for as consolidated entities.
The information presented above reflects the impact of the Company's adoption of accounting guidance issued by the FASB related to VIEs in June 2009. This accounting guidance resulted in a change in our accounting policy effective January 1, 2010. Among other things, the guidance requires more qualitative than quantitative analyses to determine the primary beneficiary of a VIE, requires continuous assessments of whether an enterprise is the primary beneficiary of a VIE, enhances disclosures about an enterprise's involvement with a VIE, and amends certain guidance for determining whether an entity is a VIE.
Beginning January 1, 2010, we deconsolidated certain entities as a result of this change in accounting policy. These entities are primarily bottling operations and had previously been consolidated due to certain loan guarantees and/or other financial support
given by the Company. These financial arrangements, although not significant to our consolidated financial statements, resulted in a disproportionate relationship between our voting interests in these entities and our exposure to the economic risks and potential rewards of the entities. As a result, we determined that we held a majority of the variable interests in these entities and, therefore, were deemed to be the primary beneficiary in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States as of December 31, 2009. Although these financial arrangements resulted in us holding a majority of the variable interests in these VIEs, the majority of these arrangements did not empower us to direct the activities of the VIEs that most significantly impact the VIEs' economic performance. Consequently, subsequent to the change in accounting policy, the Company deconsolidated the majority of these VIEs.
The entities that have been deconsolidated accounted for less than 1 percent of net income attributable to shareowners of The Coca-Cola Company in 2009. On January 1, 2010, the Company began to account for these entities under the equity method of accounting. Although the deconsolidation of these entities impacted individual line items in our consolidated financial statements, the impact on net income attributable to shareowners of The Coca-Cola Company in future periods will be nominal. The equity method of accounting is intended to be a single line consolidation and, therefore, generally should result in the same net income attributable to the investor as would be the case if the investee had been consolidated. The main impact on our consolidated financial statements in 2010 was that, instead of these entities' results of operations and balance sheets affecting our consolidated line items, our proportionate share of net income or loss from these entities was reported in equity income (loss) — net in our consolidated statements of income, and our investment in these entities was reported as equity method investments in our consolidated balance sheets. Refer to the heading "Operations Review — Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" below for additional information.
Purchase Accounting for Acquisitions
The Company adopted new guidance issued by the FASB on January 1, 2009, which changed the application of the acquisition method of accounting in a business combination and also modified the way assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recognized on a prospective basis. In general, the acquisition method of accounting requires companies to record assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their respective fair market values at the date of acquisition. We estimate fair value using the exit price approach, which is defined as the price that would be received if we sold an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly market. The value of an exit price is determined from the viewpoint of all market participants as a whole and may result in the Company valuing assets at a fair value that is not reflective of our intended use of the assets. Any amount of the purchase price paid that is in excess of the estimated fair values of net assets acquired is recorded in the line item goodwill in our consolidated balance sheets. Management's judgment is used to determine the estimated fair values assigned to assets acquired and liabilities assumed, as well as asset lives for property, plant and equipment and amortization periods for intangible assets, and can materially affect the Company's results of operations.
Transaction costs, as well as costs to reorganize acquired companies, are expensed as incurred in the Company's consolidated statements of income.
On October 2, 2010, the Company acquired CCE's North American business and recorded total assets of $22.2 billion as of the acquisition date. The assets we acquired included a material amount of intangible assets that were subject to the significant estimates described above. During our purchase accounting measurement period, which concluded during the third quarter of 2011, the Company made adjustments to certain amounts that resulted in a final balance of $22.0 billion of total assets being recorded in our consolidated balance sheets related to the CCE acquisition. Refer to the heading "Recoverability of Noncurrent Assets" below and Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further information related to this acquisition.
Recoverability of Noncurrent Assets
We perform recoverability and impairment tests of noncurrent assets in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. For certain assets, recoverability and/or impairment tests are required only when conditions exist that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. For other assets, impairment tests are required at least annually, or more frequently, if events or circumstances indicate that an asset may be impaired.
Our equity method investees also perform such recoverability and/or impairment tests. If an impairment charge was recorded by one of our equity method investees, the Company would record its proportionate share of such charge as a reduction of equity income (loss) — net in our consolidated statements of income. However, the actual amount we record with respect to our proportionate share of such charges may be impacted by items such as basis differences, deferred taxes and deferred gains.
Management's assessments of the recoverability and impairment tests of noncurrent assets involve critical accounting estimates. These estimates require significant management judgment, include inherent uncertainties and are often interdependent; therefore, they do not change in isolation. Factors that management must estimate include, among others, the economic life of the asset, sales volume, pricing, cost of raw materials, inflation, cost of capital, marketing spending, foreign currency exchange
rates, tax rates and capital spending. These factors are even more difficult to predict when global financial markets are highly volatile. The estimates we use when assessing the recoverability of noncurrent assets are consistent with those we use in our internal planning. When performing impairment tests, we estimate the fair values of the assets using management's best assumptions, which we believe would be consistent with what a hypothetical marketplace participant would use. Estimates and assumptions used in these tests are evaluated and updated as appropriate. The variability of these factors depends on a number of conditions, including uncertainty about future events, and thus our accounting estimates may change from period to period. If other assumptions and estimates had been used when these tests were performed, impairment charges could have resulted. As mentioned above, these factors do not change in isolation and, therefore, we do not believe it is practicable or meaningful to present the impact of changing a single factor. Furthermore, if management uses different assumptions or if different conditions occur in future periods, future impairment charges could result. Refer to the heading "Operations Review" below for additional information related to our present business environment. Certain factors discussed above are impacted by our current business environment and are discussed throughout this report, as appropriate.
Our Company faces many uncertainties and risks related to various economic, political and regulatory environments in the countries in which we operate, particularly in developing or emerging markets. Refer to the heading "Our Business — Challenges and Risks" above and "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Part I of this report. As a result, management must make numerous assumptions which involve a significant amount of judgment when completing recoverability and impairment tests of noncurrent assets in various regions around the world.
Investments in Equity and Debt Securities
The carrying values of our investments in equity securities are determined using the equity method, the cost method or the fair value method. We account for investments in companies that we do not control or account for under the equity method either at fair value or under the cost method, as applicable. Investments in equity securities are carried at fair value, if the fair value of the security is readily determinable. Equity investments carried at fair value are classified as either trading or available-for-sale securities. Realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading securities and realized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are included in net income. Unrealized gains and losses, net of deferred taxes, on available-for-sale securities are included in our consolidated balance sheets as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) ("AOCI"). Trading securities are reported as either marketable securities or other assets in our consolidated balance sheets. Securities classified as available-for-sale are reported as either marketable securities or other investments in our consolidated balance sheets, depending on the length of time we intend to hold the investment. Investments in equity securities that do not qualify for fair value accounting are accounted for under the cost method. In accordance with the cost method, our initial investment is recorded at cost and we record dividend income when applicable dividends are declared. Cost method investments are reported as other investments in our consolidated balance sheets.
Our investments in debt securities are carried at either amortized cost or fair value. Investments in debt securities that the Company has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are carried at amortized cost and classified as held-to-maturity. Investments in debt securities that are not classified as held-to-maturity are carried at fair value and classified as either trading or available-for-sale.
The following table presents the carrying values of our investments in equity and debt securities (in millions):
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December 31, 2011 | Carrying Value |
| | Percentage of Total Assets |
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Equity method investments | $ | 7,233 |
| | 9 | % |
Securities classified as available-for-sale | 1,401 |
| | 2 |
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Securities classified as trading | 211 |
| | * |
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Cost method investments | 155 |
| | * |
|
Securities classified as held-to-maturity | 113 |
| | * |
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Total | $ | 9,113 |
| | 11 | % |
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* | Accounts for less than 1 percent of the Company's total assets. |
Investments classified as trading securities are not assessed for impairment, since they are carried at fair value with the change in fair value included in net income. We review our investments in equity and debt securities that are accounted for using the equity method or cost method or that are classified as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity each reporting period to determine whether a significant event or change in circumstances has occurred that may have an adverse effect on the fair value of each investment. When such events or changes occur, we evaluate the fair value compared to our cost basis in the investment. We also perform this evaluation every reporting period for each investment for which our cost basis has exceeded the fair value in the prior period. The fair values of most of our Company's investments in publicly traded companies are often readily available based on quoted market prices. For investments in nonpublicly traded companies, management's assessment of fair value is based on valuation methodologies including discounted cash flows, estimates of sales proceeds and appraisals, as appropriate. We consider the assumptions that we believe hypothetical marketplace participants would use in evaluating estimated future cash flows when employing the discounted cash flow or estimates of sales proceeds valuation methodologies. The ability to accurately predict future cash flows, especially in developing and emerging markets, may impact the determination of fair value.
In the event the fair value of an investment declines below our cost basis, management is required to determine if the decline in fair value is other than temporary. If management determines the decline is other than temporary, an impairment charge is recorded. Management's assessment as to the nature of a decline in fair value is based on, among other things, the length of time and the extent to which the market value has been less than our cost basis, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and our intent and ability to retain the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value.
In 2011, the Company recognized impairment charges of $17 million as a result of the other-than-temporary decline in the fair value of available-for-sale securities. In addition, the Company recognized charges of $41 million during 2011 related to the impairment of an investment in an entity accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Each of the impairment charges mentioned above impacted the Corporate operating segment and was recorded in other income (loss) — net. Refer to the heading "Operations Review — Other Income (Loss) — Net" below and Note 16 and Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
In 2010, the Company recognized other-than-temporary impairments of $41 million related to certain available-for-sale securities and an equity method investment. These impairment charges were recorded in other income (loss) — net and impacted the Bottling Investments and Corporate operating segments. Refer to Note 16 and Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
In 2009, the Company recorded a charge of $27 million in other income (loss) — net as a result of an other-than-temporary decline in the fair value of a cost method investment. As of December 31, 2008, the estimated fair value of this investment approximated the Company's carrying value in the investment. However, in 2009, the Company was informed by the investee of its intent to reorganize its capital structure in 2009, which resulted in the Company's shares in the investee being canceled. As a result, the Company determined that the decline in fair value of this cost method investment was other than temporary. This impairment charge impacted the Corporate operating segment. Refer to Note 16 and Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
The following table presents the difference between calculated fair values, based on quoted closing prices of publicly traded shares, and our Company's cost basis in publicly traded bottlers accounted for as equity method investments (in millions):
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December 31, 2011 | Fair Value |
| | Carrying Value |
| | Difference |
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Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. | $ | 5,532 |
| | $ | 1,569 |
| | $ | 3,963 |
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Coca-Cola Amatil Limited | 2,551 |
| | 999 |
| | 1,552 |
|
Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company S.A. | 1,506 |
| | 1,442 |
| | 64 |
|
Coca-Cola Icecek A.S. | 622 |
| | 155 |
| | 467 |
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Coca-Cola Central Japan | 183 |
| | 186 |
| | (3 | ) |
Embotelladoras Coca-Cola Polar S.A. | 154 |
| | 86 |
| | 68 |
|
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated | 145 |
| | 84 |
| | 61 |
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Total | $ | 10,693 |
| | $ | 4,521 |
| | $ | 6,172 |
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Other Assets
Our Company invests in infrastructure programs with our bottlers that are directed at strengthening our bottling system and increasing unit case volume. Additionally, our Company advances payments to certain customers to fund future marketing activities intended to generate profitable volume and expenses such payments over the periods benefited. Advance payments are also made to certain customers for distribution rights. Payments under these programs are generally capitalized and reported in the line items prepaid expenses and other assets or other assets, as appropriate, in our consolidated balance sheets. When facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of these assets (or asset groups) may not be recoverable, management assesses the recoverability of the carrying value by preparing estimates of sales volume and the resulting gross profit and cash flows. These estimated future cash flows are consistent with those we use in our internal planning. If the sum of the expected future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) is less than the carrying amount, we recognize an impairment loss. The impairment loss recognized is the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value.
As a result of our acquisition of CCE's North American business, the Company recorded charges of $266 million related to preexisting relationships. These charges were primarily related to the write-off of our investment in infrastructure programs with CCE. Our investment in these infrastructure programs with CCE did not meet the criteria to be recognized as an asset subsequent to the acquisition. Refer to Note 2 and Note 6 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Property, Plant and Equipment
As of December 31, 2011, the carrying value of our property, plant and equipment, net of depreciation, was $14,939 million, or 19 percent of our total assets. Certain events or changes in circumstances may indicate that the recoverability of the carrying amount or remaining useful life of property, plant and equipment should be assessed, including, among others, the manner or length of time in which the Company intends to use the asset, a significant decrease in market value, a significant change in the business climate in a particular market, or a current period operating or cash flow loss combined with historical losses or projected future losses. When such events or changes in circumstances are present and an impairment review is performed, we estimate the future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset (or asset group) and its eventual disposition. These estimated future cash flows are consistent with those we use in our internal planning. If the sum of the expected future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) is less than the carrying amount, we recognize an impairment loss. The impairment loss recognized is the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value. We use a variety of methodologies to determine the fair value of property, plant and equipment, including appraisals and discounted cash flow models, which are consistent with the assumptions we believe hypothetical marketplace participants would use.
Goodwill, Trademarks and Other Intangible Assets
Intangible assets are classified into one of three categories: (1) intangible assets with definite lives subject to amortization; (2) intangible assets with indefinite lives not subject to amortization; and (3) goodwill. For intangible assets with definite lives, tests for impairment must be performed if conditions exist that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. For intangible assets with indefinite lives and goodwill, tests for impairment must be performed at least annually or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that assets might be impaired. The following table presents the carrying values of intangible assets included in our consolidated balance sheet (in millions):
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| | | | | | |
December 31, 2011 | Carrying Value |
| | Percentage of Total Assets |
|
Goodwill | $ | 12,219 |
| | 15 | % |
Bottlers' franchise rights with indefinite lives | 7,770 |
| | 10 |
|
Trademarks with indefinite lives | 6,430 |
| | 8 |
|
Definite-lived intangible assets, net | 1,137 |
| | 1 |
|
Other intangible assets not subject to amortization | 113 |
| | * |
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Total | $ | 27,669 |
| | 35 | % |
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* | Accounts for less than 1 percent of the Company's total assets. |
When facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of definite-lived intangible assets may not be recoverable, management assesses the recoverability of the carrying value by preparing estimates of sales volume and the resulting gross profit and cash flows. These estimated future cash flows are consistent with those we use in our internal planning. If the sum of the expected future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) is less than the carrying amount of the asset (or asset group), we recognize an impairment loss. The impairment loss recognized is the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value. We use a variety of methodologies to determine the fair value of these assets, including discounted cash flow models, which are consistent with the assumptions we believe hypothetical marketplace participants would use.
We test intangible assets determined to have indefinite useful lives, including trademarks, franchise rights and goodwill, for impairment annually, or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that assets might be impaired. Our Company performs these annual impairment reviews as of the first day of our third fiscal quarter. We use a variety of methodologies in conducting impairment assessments of indefinite-lived intangible assets, including, but not limited to, discounted cash flow models, which are based on the assumptions we believe hypothetical marketplace participants would use. For indefinite-lived intangible assets, other than goodwill, if the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, an impairment charge is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.
We perform impairment tests of goodwill at our reporting unit level, which is one level below our operating segments. Our operating segments are primarily based on geographic responsibility, which is consistent with the way management runs our business. Our operating segments are subdivided into smaller geographic regions or territories that we sometimes refer to as "business units." These business units are also our reporting units. The Bottling Investments operating segment includes all Company-owned or consolidated bottling operations, regardless of geographic location, except for bottling operations managed by CCR, which are included in our North America operating segment. Generally, each Company-owned or consolidated bottling operation within our Bottling Investments operating segment is its own reporting unit. Goodwill is assigned to the reporting unit or units that benefit from the synergies arising from each business combination.
The goodwill impairment test consists of a two-step process, if necessary. The first step is to compare the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value, including goodwill. We typically use discounted cash flow models to determine the fair value of a reporting unit. The assumptions used in these models are consistent with those we believe hypothetical marketplace participants would use. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, the second step of the impairment test must be performed in order to determine the amount of impairment loss, if any. The second step compares the implied fair value of the reporting unit's goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit's goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, an impairment charge is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. The loss recognized cannot exceed the carrying amount of goodwill.
Intangible assets acquired in recent transactions are naturally more susceptible to impairment, primarily due to the fact that they are recorded at fair value based on recent operating plans and macroeconomic conditions present at the time of acquisition. Consequently, if operating results and/or macroeconomic conditions deteriorate shortly after an acquisition, it could result in the impairment of the acquired assets. A deterioration of macroeconomic conditions may not only negatively impact the estimated operating cash flows used in our cash flow models, but may also negatively impact other assumptions used in our analyses, including, but not limited to, the estimated cost of capital and/or discount rates. Additionally, as discussed above, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, we are required to ensure that assumptions used to determine fair value in our analyses are consistent with the assumptions a hypothetical marketplace participant would use. As a result, the cost of capital and/or discount rates used in our analyses may increase or decrease based on market conditions and trends, regardless of whether our Company's actual cost of capital has changed. Therefore, if the cost of capital and/or discount rates change, our Company may recognize an impairment of an intangible asset in spite of realizing actual cash flows that are approximately equal to, or greater than, our previously forecasted amounts.
As of our most recent annual impairment review, the Company had no significant impairments of its intangible assets, individually or in the aggregate. In addition, as of December 31, 2011, we did not have any reporting units with a material amount of goodwill for which it is reasonably likely that they will fail step one of a goodwill impairment test in the near term. However, if macroeconomic conditions worsen, it is possible that we may experience significant impairments of some of our intangible assets, which would require us to recognize impairment charges. Management will continue to monitor the fair value of our intangible assets in future periods.
In 2010, the Company had no significant impairments of its intangible assets, individually or in the aggregate. We acquired CCE's North American business on October 2, 2010, which resulted in the Company recording $14,327 million of intangible assets, including goodwill. Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The acquired intangible assets included $5,850 million of bottler franchise rights, which consisted of $5,200 million of franchise rights with indefinite lives and $650 million of franchise rights with definite lives. The franchise rights with indefinite lives represent franchise rights that had previously provided CCE with exclusive and perpetual rights to manufacture and/or distribute certain beverages in
specified territories. The franchise rights with definite lives relate to franchise rights that had previously provided CCE with exclusive rights to manufacture and/or distribute certain beverages in specified territories for a finite period of time and, therefore, have been classified as definite-lived intangible assets.
The Company recorded $8,050 million of goodwill in connection with this acquisition that was assigned to the North America operating segment, of which $170 million is tax deductible. This goodwill is primarily related to synergistic value created from having a unified operating system that will strategically position us to better market and distribute our nonalcoholic beverage brands in North America. It also includes certain other intangible assets that do not qualify for separate recognition, such as an assembled workforce.
In 2009, the Company recognized a $23 million impairment charge due to a change in the expected useful life of an intangible asset, which was previously determined to have an indefinite life. Refer to the heading "Operations Review — Other Operating Charges" below and Note 16 and Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hyperinflationary Economies
Our Company conducts business in more than 200 countries, some of which have been deemed to be hyperinflationary economies due to excessively high inflation rates in recent years. These economies create financial exposure to the Company. Venezuela was deemed to be a hyperinflationary economy subsequent to December 31, 2009.
As of December 31, 2009, two main exchange rate mechanisms existed in Venezuela. The first exchange rate mechanism is known as the official rate of exchange ("official rate"), which is set by the Venezuelan government. In order to utilize the official rate, entities must seek approval from the government-operated Foreign Exchange Administration Board ("CADIVI"). As of December 31, 2009, the official rate set by the Venezuelan government was 2.15 bolivars per U.S. dollar. The second exchange rate mechanism was known as the parallel rate, which in some circumstances provided entities with a more liquid exchange through the use of a series of transactions via a broker.
Subsequent to December 31, 2009, Venezuela was determined to be a hyperinflationary economy, and the Venezuelan government devalued the bolivar by resetting the official rate to 2.6 bolivars per U.S. dollar for essential goods and 4.3 bolivars per U.S. dollar for nonessential goods. In accordance with hyperinflationary accounting under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, our local subsidiary was required to use the U.S. dollar as its functional currency. As a result, we remeasured the net assets of our Venezuelan subsidiary using the official rate for nonessential goods of 4.3 bolivars per U.S. dollar. During the first quarter of 2010, we recorded a loss of $103 million related to the remeasurement of our Venezuelan subsidiary's net assets. The loss was recorded in the line item other income (loss) — net in our consolidated statement of income. We classified the impact of the remeasurement loss in the line item effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents in our consolidated statement of cash flows.
In early June 2010, the Venezuelan government introduced a newly regulated foreign currency exchange system known as the Transaction System for Foreign Currency Denominated Securities ("SITME"). This new system, which is subject to annual limits, replaced the parallel market whereby entities domiciled in Venezuela are able to exchange their bolivars to U.S. dollars through authorized financial institutions (commercial banks, savings and lending institutions, etc.).
In December 2010, the Venezuelan government announced that it was eliminating the official rate of 2.6 bolivars per U.S. dollar for essential goods. As a result, there are currently only two exchange rates available for remeasuring bolivar-denominated transactions, the official rate of 4.3 bolivars per U.S. dollar for nonessential goods and the SITME rate. As discussed above, the Company has remeasured the net assets of our Venezuelan subsidiary using the official rate for nonessential goods of 4.3 bolivars per U.S. dollar since January 1, 2010. Therefore, the elimination of the official rate for essential goods had no impact on the remeasurement of the net assets of our Venezuelan subsidiary. We continue to use the official exchange rate for nonessential goods to remeasure the financial statements of our Venezuelan subsidiary. If the official exchange rate devalues further, it would result in our Company recognizing additional foreign currency exchange losses in our consolidated financial statements. As of December 31, 2011, our Venezuelan subsidiary held monetary assets of $300 million.
In addition to the foreign currency exchange exposure related to our Venezuelan subsidiary's net assets, we also sell concentrate to our bottling partner in Venezuela from outside the country. These sales are denominated in U.S. dollars. Some of our concentrate sales were approved by the CADIVI to receive the official rate for essential goods of 2.6 bolivars per U.S. dollar prior to the elimination of the official rate for essential goods in December 2010. Prior to the elimination of the official rate for essential goods, our bottling partner in Venezuela was able to convert bolivars to U.S. dollars to settle our receivables related to sales approved by the CADIVI. However, if we are unable to utilize a government-approved exchange rate mechanism to settle future concentrate sales to our bottling partner in Venezuela, the Company's outstanding receivables balance related to these sales will continue to increase. In addition, we have certain intangible assets associated with products sold in Venezuela. If we are unable to utilize a government-approved exchange rate mechanism for concentrate sales, or if the bolivar further devalues, it could result in the impairment of these intangible assets. As of December 31, 2011, the carrying value of our accounts
receivable from our bottling partner in Venezuela and intangible assets associated with products sold in Venezuela was $147 million. The revenues and cash flows associated with concentrate sales to our bottling partner in Venezuela in 2012 are not anticipated to be significant to the Company's consolidated financial statements.
Pension Plan Valuations
Our Company sponsors and/or contributes to pension and postretirement health care and life insurance benefit plans covering substantially all U.S. employees. We also sponsor nonqualified, unfunded defined benefit pension plans for certain associates and participate in multi-employer pension plans in the United States. In addition, our Company and its subsidiaries have various pension plans and other forms of postretirement arrangements outside the United States.
Management is required to make certain critical estimates related to actuarial assumptions used to determine our pension expense and related obligation. We believe the most critical assumptions are related to (1) the discount rate used to determine the present value of the liabilities and (2) the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets. All of our actuarial assumptions are reviewed annually. Changes in these assumptions could have a material impact on the measurement of our pension expense and related obligation.
At each measurement date, we determine the discount rate by reference to rates of high-quality, long-term corporate bonds that mature in a pattern similar to the future payments we anticipate making under the plans. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, the weighted-average discount rate used to compute our benefit obligation was 4.75 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively.
The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets is based upon the long-term outlook of our investment strategy as well as our historical returns and volatilities for each asset class. We also review current levels of interest rates and inflation to assess the reasonableness of our long-term rates. Our pension plan investment objective is to ensure all of our plans have sufficient funds to meet their benefit obligations when they become due. As a result, the Company periodically revises asset allocations, where appropriate, to improve returns and manage risk. The weighted-average expected long-term rate of return used to calculate our net periodic benefit cost was 8.25 percent and 8.0 percent in 2011 and 2010, respectively.
In 2011, the Company's total pension expense related to defined benefit plans was $249 million. In 2012, we expect our total pension expense to be approximately $200 million. The anticipated decrease is primarily due to approximately $953 million of contributions the Company expects to make to various plans in 2012, of which $900 million was contributed to the Company's U.S. pension plans during the first quarter of 2012. The expected favorable impact of this item will be partially offset by the expected unfavorable impact of a decrease in the weighted-average discount rate used to calculate the Company's benefit obligation. The estimated impact of an additional 50-basis-point decrease in the discount rate on our 2012 pension expense is an increase to our pension expense of approximately $39 million. Additionally, the estimated impact of a 50-basis-point decrease in the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets on our 2012 pension expense is an increase to our pension expense of approximately $25 million.
The sensitivity information provided above is based only on changes to the actuarial assumptions used for our U.S. pension plans. As of December 31, 2011, the Company's primary U.S. plans represented 58 percent and 60 percent of the Company's consolidated projected pension benefit obligation and pension assets, respectively. Refer to Note 13 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information about our pension plans and related actuarial assumptions.
Revenue Recognition
We recognize revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery of products has occurred, the sales price is fixed or determinable, and collectibility is reasonably assured. For our Company, this generally means that we recognize revenue when title to our products is transferred to our bottling partners, resellers or other customers. Title usually transfers upon shipment to or receipt at our customers' locations, as determined by the specific sales terms of each transaction. Our sales terms do not allow for a right of return except for matters related to any manufacturing defects on our part.
Our customers can earn certain incentives, which are included in deductions from revenue, a component of net operating revenues in our consolidated statements of income. These incentives include, but are not limited to, cash discounts, funds for promotional and marketing activities, volume-based incentive programs and support for infrastructure programs. Refer to Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The aggregate deductions from revenue recorded by the Company in relation to these programs, including amortization expense on infrastructure programs, were $5.8 billion, $5.0 billion and $4.5 billion in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. In preparing the financial statements, management must make estimates related to the contractual terms, customer performance and sales volume to determine the total amounts recorded as deductions from revenue. Management also considers past results in making such estimates. The actual amounts ultimately paid may be different from our estimates. Such differences are recorded once they have been determined, and have historically not been significant.
Income Taxes
Our annual tax rate is based on our income, statutory tax rates and tax planning opportunities available to us in the various jurisdictions in which we operate. Significant judgment is required in determining our annual tax expense and in evaluating our tax positions. We establish reserves to remove some or all of the tax benefit of any of our tax positions at the time we determine that the positions become uncertain based upon one of the following: (1) the tax position is not "more likely than not" to be sustained, (2) the tax position is "more likely than not" to be sustained, but for a lesser amount, or (3) the tax position is "more likely than not" to be sustained, but not in the financial period in which the tax position was originally taken. For purposes of evaluating whether or not a tax position is uncertain, (1) we presume the tax position will be examined by the relevant taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information, (2) the technical merits of a tax position are derived from authorities such as legislation and statutes, legislative intent, regulations, rulings and case law and their applicability to the facts and circumstances of the tax position, and (3) each tax position is evaluated without considerations of the possibility of offset or aggregation with other tax positions taken. We adjust these reserves, including any impact on the related interest and penalties, in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the progress of a tax audit. Refer to the heading "Operations Review — Income Taxes" below.
A number of years may elapse before a particular matter for which we have established a reserve is audited and finally resolved. The number of years with open tax audits varies depending on the tax jurisdiction. The tax benefit that has been previously reserved because of a failure to meet the "more likely than not" recognition threshold would be recognized in our income tax expense in the first interim period when the uncertainty disappears under any one of the following conditions: (1) the tax position is "more likely than not" to be sustained, (2) the tax position, amount, and/or timing is ultimately settled through negotiation or litigation, or (3) the statute of limitations for the tax position has expired. Settlement of any particular issue would usually require the use of cash.
Tax law requires items to be included in the tax return at different times than when these items are reflected in the consolidated financial statements. As a result, the annual tax rate reflected in our consolidated financial statements is different from that reported in our tax return (our cash tax rate). Some of these differences are permanent, such as expenses that are not deductible in our tax return, and some differences reverse over time, such as depreciation expense. These timing differences create deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities. The tax rates used to determine deferred tax assets or liabilities are the enacted tax rates in effect for the year and manner in which the differences are expected to reverse. Based on the evaluation of all available information, the Company recognizes future tax benefits, such as net operating loss carryforwards, to the extent that realizing these benefits is considered more likely than not.
We evaluate our ability to realize the tax benefits associated with deferred tax assets by analyzing our forecasted taxable income using both historical and projected future operating results; the reversal of existing taxable temporary differences; taxable income in prior carryback years (if permitted); and the availability of tax planning strategies. A valuation allowance is required to be established unless management determines that it is more likely than not that the Company will ultimately realize the tax benefit associated with a deferred tax asset. As of December 31, 2011, the Company's valuation allowances on deferred tax assets were $859 million and are primarily related to uncertainties regarding the future realization of recorded tax benefits on tax loss carryforwards generated in various jurisdictions. Current evidence does not suggest we will realize sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character (e.g., capital gain versus ordinary income) within the carryforward period to allow us to realize these deferred tax benefits. If we were to identify and implement tax planning strategies to recover these deferred tax assets or generate sufficient income of the appropriate character in these jurisdictions in the future, it could lead to the reversal of these valuation allowances and a reduction of income tax expense. The Company believes it will generate sufficient future taxable income to realize the tax benefits related to the remaining net deferred tax assets in our consolidated balance sheets.
The Company does not record a U.S. deferred tax liability for the excess of the book basis over the tax basis of its investments in foreign corporations to the extent that the basis difference results from earnings that meet the indefinite reversal criteria. This criteria is met if the foreign subsidiary has invested, or will invest, the undistributed earnings indefinitely. The decision as to the amount of undistributed earnings that the Company intends to maintain in non-U.S. subsidiaries takes into account items including, but not limited to, forecasts and budgets of financial needs of cash for working capital, liquidity plans, capital improvement programs, merger and acquisition plans, and planned loans to other non-U.S. subsidiaries. The Company also evaluates its expected cash requirements in the United States. Other factors that can influence that determination are local restrictions on remittances (for example, in some countries a central bank application and approval are required in order for the Company's local country subsidiary to pay a dividend), economic stability and asset risk. As of December 31, 2011, undistributed earnings of the Company's foreign subsidiaries that met the indefinite reversal criteria amounted to $23.5 billion. Refer to Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
The Company's effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 24.0 percent to 25.0 percent in 2012. This estimated tax rate does not reflect the impact of any unusual or special items that may affect our tax rate in 2012.
Recent Accounting Standards and Pronouncements
Refer to Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of recent accounting standards and pronouncements.
Operations Review
Our organizational structure as of December 31, 2011, consisted of the following operating segments, the first six of which are sometimes referred to as "operating groups" or "groups": Eurasia and Africa; Europe; Latin America; North America; Pacific; Bottling Investments; and Corporate. For further information regarding our operating segments, refer to Note 19 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements
In order to continually improve upon the Company's operating performance, from time to time, we engage in buying and selling ownership interests in bottling partners and other manufacturing operations. In addition, we also acquire brands or enter into license agreements for certain brands to supplement our beverage offerings. These items impact our operating results and certain key metrics used by management in assessing the Company's performance.
Unit case volume growth is a key metric used by management to evaluate the Company's performance because it measures demand for our products at the consumer level. The Company's unit case volume represents the number of unit cases (or unit case equivalents) of Company beverage products directly or indirectly sold by the Company and its bottling partners to customers and, therefore, reflects unit case volume for consolidated and unconsolidated bottlers. Refer to the heading "Beverage Volume" below.
Concentrate sales volume represents the amount of concentrates and syrups (in all cases expressed in equivalent unit cases) sold by, or used in finished products sold by, the Company to its bottling partners or other customers. Refer to the heading "Beverage Volume" below.
Our Bottling Investments segment and our other finished products operations, including those managed by CCR, typically generate net operating revenues by selling sparkling beverages and a variety of still beverages, such as juices and juice drinks, energy and sports drinks, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and certain water products, to retailers or to distributors, wholesalers and bottling partners who distribute them to retailers. In addition, in the United States, we manufacture fountain syrups and sell them to fountain retailers such as restaurants and convenience stores who use the fountain syrups to produce beverages for immediate consumption, or to authorized fountain wholesalers or bottling partners who resell the fountain syrups to fountain retailers. For these finished products operations, we recognize the associated concentrate sales volume at the time the unit case or unit case equivalent is sold to the customer. Our concentrate operations typically generate net operating revenues by selling concentrates and syrups to authorized bottling and canning operations. For these concentrate operations, we recognize concentrate revenue and concentrate sales volume when we sell concentrate to the authorized unconsolidated bottling and canning operations, and we typically report unit case volume when finished products manufactured from the concentrates and syrups are sold to the customer. When we analyze our net operating revenues we generally consider the following four factors: (1) volume growth (unit case volume or concentrate sales volume, as appropriate), (2) structural changes, (3) changes in price, product and geographic mix and (4) foreign currency fluctuations. Refer to the heading "Net Operating Revenues" below.
"Structural changes" generally refers to acquisitions or dispositions of bottling, distribution or canning operations and consolidation or deconsolidation of bottling and distribution entities for accounting purposes. Typically, structural changes do not impact the Company's unit case volume on a consolidated basis or at the geographic operating segment level. We recognize unit case volume for all sales of Company beverage products regardless of our ownership interest in the bottling partner, if any. However, our Bottling Investments operating segment is generally impacted by structural changes because it only includes the unit case volume of consolidated bottlers.
The Company sells concentrates and syrups to both consolidated and unconsolidated bottling partners. The ownership structure of our bottling partners impacts the timing of recognizing concentrate revenue and concentrate sales volume. When we sell concentrates or syrups to our consolidated bottling partners, we are not able to recognize the concentrate revenue or concentrate sales volume until the bottling partner has sold finished products manufactured from the concentrates or syrups to a customer. When we sell concentrates or syrups to our unconsolidated bottling partners, we recognize the concentrate revenue and concentrate sales volume when the concentrates or syrups are sold to the bottling partner. The subsequent sale of the finished products manufactured from the concentrates or syrups to a customer does not impact the timing of recognizing the concentrate revenue or concentrate sales volume.
"Acquired brands" refers to brands acquired during the past 12 months. Typically, the Company has not reported unit case volume or recognized concentrate sales volume related to acquired brands in periods prior to the closing of the transaction. Therefore, the unit case volume and concentrate sales volume from the sale of these brands is incremental to prior year volume. We do not generally consider acquired brands to be structural changes.
"License agreements" refers to brands not owned by the Company, but for which we hold certain rights, generally including, but not limited to, distribution rights, and we derive an economic benefit from the ultimate sale of these brands. Typically, the Company has not reported unit case volume or recognized concentrate sales volume related to these brands in periods prior to the beginning of the term of the license agreement. Therefore, the unit case volume and concentrate sales volume from the sale of these brands is incremental to prior year volume. We do not generally consider new license agreements to be structural changes.
Although there were no significant transactions that occurred during 2011, the following transactions and agreements impacted the Company's operating results during both 2011 and 2010:
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• | on October 2, 2010, in legally separate transactions, we acquired CCE's North American business and entered into a license agreement with DPS; |
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• | on October 2, 2010, we sold all of our ownership interests in our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE; and |
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• | on January 1, 2010, we deconsolidated certain entities, primarily bottling operations, as a result of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB. |
The impact that each of the aforementioned items had on the Company's consolidated financial statements is discussed throughout this report, as appropriate. The sections below are intended to provide an overview of the impact these items had on our 2011 and 2010 operating results and are expected to have on key metrics used by management.
Acquisition of CCE's North American Business and the DPS License Agreements
Immediately prior to our October 2, 2010, acquisition of CCE's North American business, the Company owned 33 percent of CCE's outstanding common stock. This ownership represented our indirect ownership interest in both CCE's North American business and its European operations. On October 2, 2010, the Company acquired the remaining 67 percent of CCE's North American business not already owned by the Company for consideration that included the Company's indirect ownership interest in CCE's European operations. As a result of this transaction, the Company now owns 100 percent of CCE's North American business and does not own any interest in New CCE's European operations. The operating results of CCE's North American business were included in our consolidated financial statements starting October 2, 2010. The operating results of New CCE do not directly impact the Company's consolidated financial statements, since we have no ownership interest in this entity. Refer to the heading "Our Business — General" above and Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional details related to the acquisition.
On October 2, 2010, the Company also entered into an agreement with DPS to distribute certain DPS brands in territories where these brands were distributed by CCE prior to our acquisition of CCE's North American business. The license agreements replaced agreements between DPS and CCE existing immediately prior to our acquisition of CCE's North American business. Refer to the heading "Our Business — General" above and Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional details related to these new license agreements.
Prior to the acquisition of CCE's North American business and entering into the DPS license agreements, the Company's North America operating segment was predominantly a concentrate operation. As a result of the acquisition of CCE's North American business and the DPS license agreements, the North America operating segment is now predominantly a finished products operation. Generally, finished products operations produce higher net operating revenues but lower gross profit margins and operating margins compared to concentrate operations. Refer to "Item 1. Business — Products and Brands" for additional discussion of the differences between the Company's concentrate operations and our finished products operations. These transactions resulted in higher net operating revenues but lower gross profit margins and operating margins for the North America operating segment and our consolidated operating results.
Prior to the acquisition of CCE's North American business, the Company reported unit case volume for the sale of Company beverage products sold by CCE. After the transaction closing, we reported unit case volume of Company beverage products just as we had prior to the transaction.
Prior to the acquisition of CCE's North American business, the Company recognized concentrate sales volume at the time we sold the concentrate to CCE. Upon the closing of the transaction, we do not recognize the concentrate sales volume until CCR has sold finished products manufactured from concentrate to a customer.
The DPS license agreements impact both the Company's unit case and concentrate sales volume. Sales made pursuant to these license agreements represent acquired volume and are incremental unit case volume and concentrate sales volume to the Company only during the 12-month period following the acquisition. Prior to entering into the license agreements, the Company did not include the DPS brands as unit case volume or concentrate sales volume, as these brands were not Company beverage products. Refer to the heading "Unit Case Volume" below for additional information.
Prior to the acquisition, we recognized the revenues and profits associated with concentrate sales when the concentrate was sold to CCE, excluding the portion that was deemed to be intercompany due to our previous ownership interest in CCE. However, subsequent to the acquisition, the Company does not recognize the revenues and profits associated with concentrate sold to CCE's North American business until the finished products manufactured from those concentrates are sold. For example, in 2010, most of our pre-Easter concentrate sales to CCE impacted our first quarter operating results. In 2011, our Easter-related finished product sales had a greater impact on our second quarter operating results. As a result of this transaction, the Company does not have an indirect ownership interest in New CCE's European operations. Therefore, we are no longer required to defer the portion of revenues and profits associated with concentrate sales to New CCE.
The acquisition of CCE's North American business has resulted in a significant adjustment to our overall cost structure, especially in North America. The following inputs represent a substantial portion of the Company's total cost of goods sold: (1) sweeteners, (2) metals, (3) juices and (4) polyethylene terephthalate ("PET"). The bulk of these costs resides within our North America and Bottling Investments operating segments. The cost to purchase these inputs increased significantly in 2011 when compared to 2010. As a result, the Company incurred incremental costs of $800 million related to these inputs during 2011. The Company increased our hedging activities related to certain commodities in order to mitigate a portion of the price risk associated with forecasted purchases. Many of the derivative financial instruments used by the Company to mitigate the risk associated with these commodity exposures do not qualify for hedge accounting. As a result, the changes in fair value of these derivative instruments have been, and will continue to be, included as a component of net income in each reporting period. Refer to the heading "Gross Profit Margin" below and Note 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding our commodity hedging activity. The Company anticipates that the cost of underlying commodities will continue to face upward pressure in 2012. We currently expect the incremental impact of commodity costs related to the inputs described above, primarily juices and sweeteners, to range between $350 million and $450 million on our full year 2012 consolidated results.
In 2010, the gross profit for our North America operating segment was negatively impacted by $235 million, primarily due to the elimination of gross profit in inventory on intercompany sales and an inventory fair value adjustment as a result of the acquisition. Refer to the headings "Gross Profit Margin" and "Operating Income and Operating Margin" below.
The acquisition of CCE's North American business increased the Company's selling, general and administrative expenses in 2011 and 2010, primarily due to delivery-related expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses are typically higher, as a percentage of net operating revenues, for finished products operations compared to concentrate operations. Selling, general and administrative expenses were also negatively impacted by the amortization of definite-lived intangible assets acquired in the acquisition. The Company recorded $650 million of definite-lived acquired franchise rights that are being amortized over a weighted-average life of approximately eight years from the date of acquisition, which is equal to the weighted-average remaining contractual term of the acquired franchise rights. In addition, the Company recorded $380 million of customer rights that are being amortized over 20 years. We estimate the amortization expense related to these definite-lived intangible assets to be approximately $100 million per year for the next several years, which will be recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses.
In connection with the Company's acquisition of CCE's North American business, we assumed $7,602 million of long-term debt, which had an estimated fair value of $9,345 million as of the acquisition date. In accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, we recorded the assumed debt at its fair value as of the acquisition date. Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
During 2011, the Company issued $2,979 million of long-term debt. We used $979 million of this newly issued debt and paid a premium of $208 million to exchange $1,022 million of existing long-term debt that was assumed in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business in the fourth quarter of 2010. The remaining cash from the issuance was used to reduce the Company's outstanding commercial paper balance and exchange a certain amount of short-term debt.
During the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company extinguished long-term debt that had a carrying value of $20 million and was not scheduled to mature until 2012. This debt was outstanding prior to the Company's acquisition of CCE's North American business. In addition, the Company repurchased long-term debt during 2011 that was assumed in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business. The repurchased debt included $99 million in unamortized fair value adjustments recorded as part of our purchase accounting for the CCE transaction and was settled throughout the year as follows:
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• | During the first quarter of 2011, the Company repurchased all of our outstanding U.K. pound sterling notes that had a carrying value of $674 million; |
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• | During the second quarter of 2011, the Company repurchased long-term debt that had a carrying value of $42 million; and |
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• | During the third quarter of 2011, the Company repurchased long-term debt that had a carrying value of $19 million. |
The Company recorded a net charge of $9 million in the line item interest expense in our consolidated statement of income during the year ended December 31, 2011. This net charge was due to the exchange, repurchase and/or extinguishment of long-term debt described above.
On November 15, 2010, the Company issued $4,500 million of long-term notes and used some of the proceeds to repurchase $2,910 million of long-term debt. The Company used the remaining cash from the issuance to reduce our outstanding commercial paper balance. The repurchased debt consisted of $1,827 million of debt assumed in our acquisition of CCE's North American business and $1,083 million of the Company's debt that was outstanding prior to the acquisition. The Company recorded a charge of $342 million in 2010 related to the premiums paid to repurchase the long-term debt and the costs associated with the settlement of treasury rate locks issued in connection with the debt tender offer.
Refer to the heading "Interest Expense" below and Note 10 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the Company's long-term debt balance.
In 2010, we recognized a gain of $4,978 million due to the remeasurement of our equity interest in CCE to fair value upon the close of the transaction. This gain was classified in the line item other income (loss) — net in our consolidated statement of income.
Although our 2010 operating results and certain key metrics were affected by these structural changes, our 2011 consolidated financial statements reflect 12 months of operating results of the acquired CCE North American business and DPS license agreements compared to three months in 2010. Therefore, these structural changes had a much larger impact on our operating results and certain key metrics in 2011, when compared to 2010.
Prior to the closing of this acquisition, we had accounted for our investment in CCE under the equity method of accounting. Under the equity method of accounting, we recorded our proportionate share of CCE's net income or loss in the line item equity income (loss) — net in our consolidated statements of income. However, as a result of this transaction, beginning October 2, 2010, the Company no longer records equity income or loss related to CCE; and therefore, this transaction negatively impacted the amount of equity income the Company recorded during both 2011 and 2010. Refer to the heading "Equity Income (Loss) — Net" below.
Divestiture of Norwegian and Swedish Bottling Operations
The divestiture of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations had no impact on our consolidated unit case volume and consolidated concentrate sales volume, for the same reasons discussed above in relation to our acquisition of CCE's North American business. The divestiture of these bottling operations reduced unit case volume for the Bottling Investments operating segment. In addition, the divestiture reduced net operating revenues and net income for our consolidated operating results and the Bottling Investments operating segment. However, since we divested a finished products business, it had a positive impact on our gross profit margins and operating margins. Furthermore, the impact these divestitures had on the Company's net operating revenues was partially offset by the concentrate revenues that were recognized on sales to these bottling operations. These concentrate sales had previously been eliminated because they were intercompany transactions. The net impact to net operating revenues was included as a structural change in our analysis of changes to net operating revenues. Refer to the heading "Net Operating Revenues" below.
This divestiture resulted in a gain of $597 million in 2010, which was classified in the line item other income (loss) — net in our consolidated statement of income. In 2011, the Company recorded charges of $5 million related to the finalization of working capital adjustments in connection with the divestiture of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations. These charges reduced the transaction gain the Company previously reported in 2010.
Impact of New Accounting Guidance
Beginning January 1, 2010, we deconsolidated certain entities as a result of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB. These entities are primarily bottling operations, and the Company accounted for them under the equity method of accounting upon deconsolidation. The entities that were deconsolidated as a result of this change in accounting guidance accounted for 3 percent of the Company's consolidated net operating revenues and less than 1 percent of net income attributable to shareowners of The Coca-Cola Company in 2009. Refer to the heading "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — Principles of Consolidation" above. These entities accounted for 4 percent of the Company's equity income in 2010. Refer to the heading "Equity Income (Loss) — Net" below. The impact that the deconsolidation of these entities had on net operating revenues was included as a structural change. Refer to the heading "Net Operating Revenues" below.
Beverage Volume
We measure the volume of Company beverage products sold in two ways: (1) unit cases of finished products and (2) concentrate sales. As used in this report, "unit case" means a unit of measurement equal to 192 U.S. fluid ounces of finished beverage (24 eight-ounce servings); and "unit case volume" means the number of unit cases (or unit case equivalents) of Company beverage products directly or indirectly sold by the Company and its bottling partners to customers. Unit case volume primarily consists of beverage products bearing Company trademarks. Also included in unit case volume are certain products licensed to, or distributed by, our Company, and brands owned by Coca-Cola system bottlers for which our Company provides marketing support and from the sale of which we derive economic benefit. In addition, unit case volume includes sales by joint ventures in which the Company has an equity interest. We believe unit case volume is one of the measures of the underlying strength of the Coca-Cola system because it measures trends at the consumer level. The unit case volume numbers used in this report are derived based on estimates received by the Company from its bottling partners and distributors. Concentrate sales volume represents the amount of concentrates and syrups (in all cases expressed in equivalent unit cases) sold by, or used in finished beverages sold by, the Company to its bottling partners or other customers. Unit case volume and concentrate sales volume growth rates are not necessarily equal during any given period. Factors such as seasonality, bottlers' inventory practices, supply point changes, timing of price increases, new product introductions and changes in product mix can impact unit case volume and concentrate sales volume and can create differences between unit case volume and concentrate sales volume growth rates. In addition to the items mentioned above, the impact of unit case volume from certain joint ventures, in which the Company has an equity interest, but to which the Company does not sell concentrates or syrups, may give rise to differences between unit case volume and concentrate sales volume growth rates.
Information about our volume growth by operating segment is as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Percent Change |
| 2011 vs. 2010 | | 2010 vs. 2009 |
Year Ended December 31, | Unit Cases1,2 |
| | Concentrate Sales |
| | Unit Cases1,2 |
| | Concentrate Sales |
|
Worldwide | 5 | % | | 5 | % | | 5 | % | | 5 | % |
Eurasia & Africa | 6 | % | | 5 | % | | 12 | % | | 12 | % |
Europe | 2 |
| | 1 |
| | — |
| | — |
|
Latin America | 6 |
| | 5 |
| | 5 |
| | 7 |
|
North America | 4 |
| | 4 |
| | 2 |
| | 2 |
|
Pacific | 5 |
| | 6 |
| | 6 |
| | 6 |
|
Bottling Investments | — |
| | N/A |
| | (1 | ) | | N/A |
|
| |
1 | Bottling Investments operating segment data reflects unit case volume growth for consolidated bottlers only. |
| |
2 | Geographic segment data reflects unit case volume growth for all bottlers in the applicable geographic areas, both consolidated and unconsolidated. |
Unit Case Volume
The Coca-Cola system sold approximately 26.7 billion unit cases of our products in 2011, approximately 25.5 billion unit cases in 2010 and approximately 24.4 billion unit cases in 2009.
Year Ended December 31, 2011, versus Year Ended December 31, 2010
In Eurasia and Africa, unit case volume increased 6 percent, which consisted of 5 percent growth in sparkling beverages and 13 percent growth in still beverages. The group's unit case volume growth was largely due to growth in our key markets, including India and Turkey. India experienced 12 percent unit case volume growth, which consisted of 12 percent growth in sparkling beverages and 11 percent growth in still beverages. India's growth in sparkling beverages was primarily due to 17 percent growth in Trademark Sprite, 15 percent growth in Trademark Thums Up and 11 percent growth in Trademark Coca-Cola. Still beverages in India benefited from 14 percent growth in our Kinley water brand and 11 percent growth in Maaza, a component of our juice portfolio in India. The group also benefited from unit case volume growth of 10 percent in Turkey, which included strong growth in brand Coca-Cola. Unit case volume grew 5 percent in Russia, primarily due to our acquisition of Nidan in the third quarter of 2010. Excluding the impact of the acquired Nidan juice, Russia's overall unit case volume declined 2 percent in 2011. Eurasia and Africa also benefited from unit case volume growth of 8 percent in the Company's Middle East and North Africa Business Unit despite ongoing geopolitical challenges in the region. The group's unit case volume growth in the markets described above was partially offset by a 2 percent unit case volume decline in South Africa. This decline was primarily due to the impact of unfavorable weather conditions during our peak summer selling season as well as higher pricing in the marketplace.
Unit case volume in Europe increased 2 percent, despite an unseasonably cold and rainy summer selling season and moderate consumer confidence. The Company achieved these results by strategically tailoring our price and package offerings to meet the needs of each market with consideration for the current economic environment. The group benefited from the Company's successful launch of our 125th anniversary marketing campaign as well as other integrated marketing campaigns. The group had 2 percent growth in sparkling beverages, including 3 percent growth in Trademark Coca-Cola and growth of 14 percent in Coca-Cola Zero. Unit case volume for still beverages increased 2 percent, led by growth in energy drinks and tea. Germany's unit case volume increased 6 percent, primarily attributable to 6 percent growth in Trademark Coca-Cola and 13 percent growth in Trademark Fanta. Our German business continued to benefit from the Company's bottler restructuring efforts and our effective marketing campaigns. In addition, France and Great Britain had growth of 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively, each led by growth in Trademark Coca-Cola.
In Latin America, unit case volume increased 6 percent, which consisted of 4 percent growth in sparkling beverages and 15 percent growth in still beverages. The group's sparkling beverage unit case volume growth was led by 4 percent growth in brand Coca-Cola. Still beverages benefited from the successful performance of Del Valle as well as strong growth in other still beverages, including water and tea. Mexico had unit case volume growth of 9 percent, led by 7 percent growth in sparkling beverages, which included 7 percent growth in Trademark Coca-Cola. In addition, Argentina had 10 percent growth in Trademark Coca-Cola which contributed to its overall unit case volume growth of 10 percent. Argentina's unit case volume growth benefited from strong integrated marketing campaigns, including sponsorship of the Copa America soccer tournament in July. Brazil's unit case volume increased 1 percent despite a general slowdown in the country's economy. The group's unit case volume growth in the markets described above was partially offset by a 10 percent volume decline in Venezuela. The decline in Venezuela is a reflection of the continued economic and political pressures affecting the country.
Unit case volume in North America increased 4 percent, including 3 percent growth attributable to the new license agreements with DPS. The group's unit case volume growth was driven by 3 percent growth in sparkling beverages, primarily due to the sale of Dr Pepper brands under the new license agreements. Coca-Cola Zero continued its strong performance in North America with 11 percent unit case volume growth. Unit case volume for still beverages in North America increased 4 percent, including 12 percent growth in Trademark Powerade, 10 percent growth in Trademark Dasani and 48 percent growth in Gold Peak. The growth in still beverages in North America was partially offset by a decline of 2 percent in juice and juice drinks, a reflection of increased pricing to offset commodity costs. In December 2011, the Company acquired Great Plains Coca-Cola Bottling Company ("Great Plains") in the United States. As a result of this acquisition, we will report volume from cross-licensed brands, primarily Dr Pepper, that were previously distributed by Great Plains. Unit case volume for these cross-licensed brands was 12 million unit cases for full year 2011. The Company began reporting unit case volume for these cross-licensed brands in December 2011.
In Pacific, unit case volume increased 5 percent, which consisted of 4 percent growth in sparkling beverages and 8 percent growth in still beverages. The group's volume growth was led by 13 percent growth in China, which included 12 percent growth in sparkling beverages attributable to strong growth in Trademark Sprite, Coca-Cola and Fanta. The group also benefited from China's 16 percent growth in still beverages, including strong growth in Minute Maid Pulpy and other still beverages, including water. In Japan, unit case volume growth was even, reflecting the impact of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the northern and eastern portions of the country on March 11, 2011. The group's unit case volume growth in the markets described above was partially offset by a 9 percent volume decline in the Philippines.
Unit case volume for Bottling Investments was even when compared to the prior year. The group had growth in key markets where we own or otherwise consolidate bottling operations, including unit case volume growth of 13 percent in China, 12 percent in India and 6 percent in Germany. The Company's consolidated bottling operations accounted for 34 percent, 66 percent and 100 percent of the unit case volume in China, India and Germany, respectively. However, growth in these markets was offset by the unfavorable impact of the Company's sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE during the fourth quarter of 2010 as well as a unit case volume decline of 9 percent in the Philippines where we own 100 percent of the country's bottling operations.
Year Ended December 31, 2010, versus Year Ended December 31, 2009
In Eurasia and Africa, unit case volume increased 12 percent, which consisted of 10 percent growth in sparkling beverages and 21 percent growth in still beverages. The group's unit case volume growth was primarily attributable to 17 percent growth in India, which included growth of 15 percent and 23 percent in sparkling and still beverages, respectively. India's growth in sparkling beverages was led by double-digit growth in Trademarks Sprite, Thums Up and Coca-Cola, which reflected the benefit of successful national marketing programs. Still beverage growth in India included the impact of 22 percent growth in our Maaza juice brand. In addition to growth in India, the group's unit case volume growth included 14 percent growth in Turkey, 8 percent growth in North and West Africa, 16 percent growth in Russia, 20 percent growth in Southern Eurasia, 12 percent growth in East and Central Africa and 5 percent growth in South Africa. The growth across the African continent was attributable to the strong performance of both sparkling and still beverages and the benefit of our FIFA World CupTM activation programs.
Unit case volume in Europe was even, which reflected the impact of continuing difficult macroeconomic conditions throughout certain regions in Europe. The group's unit case volume included unit case volume growth of 5 percent in France, 1 percent in Germany and 2 percent in our Nordic Business Unit. The growth in these regions was offset by unit case volume declines in other regions, including a 7 percent decline in South and Eastern Europe, primarily due to continuing macroeconomic pressures. The group's unit case volume also included unit case volume declines of 2 percent and 1 percent in Italy and Iberia, respectively.
In Latin America, unit case volume increased 5 percent, which consisted of 4 percent growth in sparkling beverages and 9 percent growth in still beverages. The group's unit case volume growth was led by 11 percent growth in Brazil and 3 percent growth in Mexico. Brazil's unit case volume growth was primarily due to 11 percent growth in sparkling beverages, led by 11 percent growth in Trademark Coca-Cola. Mexico's unit case volume growth was impacted by adverse weather conditions. The group's unit case volume growth also included 5 percent growth in our South Latin Business Unit. All of the aforementioned markets benefited from our strong FIFA World CupTM activation programs.
Unit case volume in North America increased 2 percent, including 1 percent attributable to the new license agreements with DPS. The group's unit case volume growth was driven by 5 percent growth in still beverages, led by 19 percent growth in Trademark Powerade, 12 percent growth in teas and 23 percent growth in Trademark Simply. Unit case volume for sparkling beverages in North America increased 1 percent, primarily due to the sale of DPS brands under the new license agreements. Coca-Cola Zero continued its strong performance in North America with 15 percent growth in 2010. The group's strong marketing initiatives, including our FIFA World CupTM activation programs, contributed to the unit case volume growth in North America.
The volume and net operating revenues attributable to the sale of DPS brands have been included as a structural change in our analysis of net operating revenues. Refer to the heading "Net Operating Revenues" below and "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above.
In Pacific, unit case volume increased 6 percent, which consisted of 13 percent growth in still beverages and 2 percent growth in sparkling beverages. The group's volume growth was led by 6 percent growth in China, 15 percent growth in the Philippines and 3 percent growth in Japan. China's volume growth included 21 percent growth in juices and juice drinks primarily due to the continued strong momentum of Minute Maid Pulpy, as well as strong growth in other still beverages including water. Tough weather conditions, including flooding in the higher per capita consumption regions, negatively impacted unit case volume in China. In the Philippines, unit case volume growth was led by 14 percent growth in Trademark Coca-Cola. In Japan, the unit case volume growth was driven by successful in-market activations, strong innovation and favorable weather conditions.
Included in Japan's unit case volume growth was 5 percent growth in Trademark Coca-Cola, primarily due to strong FIFA World CupTM activation programs and our Coca-Cola Summer Promotion. Japan's unit case volume growth also benefited from 17 percent growth in sports drinks.
Unit case volume for Bottling Investments decreased 1 percent, primarily due to the deconsolidation of certain entities as a result of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB. These entities are primarily bottling operations and have been accounted for under the equity method of accounting since they were deconsolidated on January 1, 2010. Refer to the heading "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — Principles of Consolidation" and "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above. The deconsolidation of these entities negatively impacted the unit case volume for Bottling Investments by approximately 9 percent. Unit case volume for Bottling Investments was also negatively impacted by the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE. The unfavorable impact of the aforementioned items was partially offset by growth in markets where we own or otherwise consolidate the bottling operations. Unit case volume grew 6 percent in China, 17 percent in India, 15 percent in the Philippines and 1 percent in Germany. The Company's consolidated bottling operations account for 33 percent, 66 percent, 100 percent and 100 percent of the unit case volume in China, India, the Philippines and Germany, respectively.
Concentrate Sales Volume
In 2011, concentrate sales volume and unit case volume both grew 5 percent compared to 2010. Likewise, in 2010, concentrate sales volume and unit case volume both grew 5 percent compared to 2009. The differences between concentrate sales volume and unit case volume growth rates for individual operating segments in 2011 and 2010 were primarily due to the timing of concentrate shipments and the impact of unit case volume from certain joint ventures in which the Company has an equity interest, but to which the Company does not sell concentrates, syrups, beverage bases or powders.
Analysis of Consolidated Statements of Income
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Percent Change |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
| | 2011 vs. 2010 | | 2010 vs. 2009 |
(In millions except percentages and per share data) | | | | | | | | | |
NET OPERATING REVENUES | $ | 46,542 |
| | $ | 35,119 |
| | $ | 30,990 |
| | 33 | % | | 13 | % |
Cost of goods sold | 18,216 |
| | 12,693 |
| | 11,088 |
| | 44 |
| | 14 |
|
GROSS PROFIT | 28,326 |
| | 22,426 |
| | 19,902 |
| | 26 |
| | 13 |
|
GROSS PROFIT MARGIN | 60.9 | % | | 63.9 | % | | 64.2 | % | | |
| | |
|
Selling, general and administrative expenses | 17,440 |
| | 13,158 |
| | 11,358 |
| | 33 |
| | 16 |
|
Other operating charges | 732 |
| | 819 |
| | 313 |
| | * |
| | * |
|
OPERATING INCOME | 10,154 |
| | 8,449 |
| | 8,231 |
| | 20 |
| | 3 |
|
OPERATING MARGIN | 21.8 | % | | 24.1 | % | | 26.6 | % | | |
| | |
|
Interest income | 483 |
| | 317 |
| | 249 |
| | 52 |
| | 27 |
|
Interest expense | 417 |
| | 733 |
| | 355 |
| | (43 | ) | | 106 |
|
Equity income (loss) — net | 690 |
| | 1,025 |
| | 781 |
| | (33 | ) | | 31 |
|
Other income (loss) — net | 529 |
| | 5,185 |
| | 40 |
| | * |
| | * |
|
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES | 11,439 |
| | 14,243 |
| | 8,946 |
| | (20 | ) | | 59 |
|
Income taxes | 2,805 |
| | 2,384 |
| | 2,040 |
| | 18 |
| | 17 |
|
Effective tax rate | 24.5 | % | | 16.7 | % | | 22.8 | % | | |
| | |
|
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME | 8,634 |
| | 11,859 |
| | 6,906 |
| | (27 | ) | | 72 |
|
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests | 62 |
| | 50 |
| | 82 |
| | 24 |
| | (39 | ) |
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SHAREOWNERS OF THE COCA-COLA COMPANY | $ | 8,572 |
| | $ | 11,809 |
| | $ | 6,824 |
| | (27 | )% | | 73 | % |
BASIC NET INCOME PER SHARE1 | $ | 3.75 |
| | $ | 5.12 |
| | $ | 2.95 |
| | (27 | )% | | 74 | % |
DILUTED NET INCOME PER SHARE1 | $ | 3.69 |
| | $ | 5.06 |
| | $ | 2.93 |
| | (27 | )% | | 73 | % |
| |
* | Calculation is not meaningful. |
| |
1 | Basic net income per share and diluted net income per share are calculated based on net income attributable to shareowners of The Coca-Cola Company. |
Net Operating Revenues
Year Ended December 31, 2011, versus Year Ended December 31, 2010
The Company's net operating revenues increased $11,423 million, or 33 percent.
Net operating revenues for the North America operating segment increased $9,366 million, or 84 percent. This increase primarily reflects the impact of structural changes related to the acquisition of CCE's North American operations in addition to the impact of our new license agreements with DPS. Net operating revenues for the North America operating segment also included a 1 percent increase in pricing to retailers, driven by a 2 percent increase in pricing on sparkling beverages, and a 1 percent favorable impact due to foreign currency exchange fluctuations.
The following table illustrates, on a percentage basis, the estimated impact of key factors resulting in the increase (decrease) in net operating revenues for each of our international and Bottling Investments operating segments:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Percent Change 2011 vs. 2010 |
| Volume2 |
| | Structural Changes |
| | Price, Product & Geographic Mix |
| | Currency Fluctuations |
| | Total |
|
International (including Bottling Investments)1 | 5 | % | | (3 | )% | | 2 | % | | 4 | % | | 8 | % |
Eurasia & Africa | 5 | % | | — | % | | 7 | % | | (1 | )% | | 11 | % |
Europe | 1 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 3 |
| | 4 |
|
Latin America | 5 |
| | (2 | ) | | 7 |
| | 4 |
| | 14 |
|
Pacific | 6 |
| | — |
| | (2 | ) | | 7 |
| | 11 |
|
Bottling Investments | 4 |
| | (8 | ) | | 3 |
| | 4 |
| | 3 |
|
| |
1 | Represents the total change in net operating revenues for Bottling Investments and each of our geographic operating segments, excluding North America. |
| |
2 | Represents the percent change in net operating revenues attributable to the increase (decrease) in concentrate sales volume for our geographic operating segments (expressed in equivalent unit cases). For our Bottling Investments operating segment, this represents the percent change in net operating revenues attributable to the increase (decrease) in unit case volume for the Bottling Investments operating segment after considering the impact of structural changes. Our Bottling Investments operating segment data reflects unit case volume growth for consolidated bottlers only. Refer to the heading "Beverage Volume" above. |
Refer to the heading "Beverage Volume" above for additional information related to changes in our unit case and concentrate sales volume.
The structural change in the Bottling Investments operating segment was primarily related to the sale of all our ownership interests in our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE on October 2, 2010. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above. The structural change in the Latin America operating segment was related to the sale of 50 percent of our investment in Leão Junior, S.A. ("Leão Junior") during the third quarter of 2010.
Price, product and geographic mix had a favorable 2 percent impact on our international and Bottling Investments net operating revenues. Price, product and geographic mix for our operating segments was impacted by a variety of factors and events including, but not limited to, the following:
| |
• | Our international and Bottling Investments operating segments' results were unfavorably impacted by geographic mix as a result of growth in our emerging and developing markets. The revenue per unit sold in these markets is generally less than in developed markets; |
| |
• | Eurasia and Africa was favorably impacted by price mix as a result of pricing increases in a number of key markets; |
| |
• | Europe's price mix was even, including a negative 1 percent impact as a result of a change in our concentrate pricing strategy in Germany with our consolidated bottler; |
| |
• | Latin America was favorably impacted by price mix as a result of pricing increases in a number of key markets. Also, still beverages grew faster than sparkling beverages in Latin America, bolstered by the strong performance of Del Valle; |
| |
• | Pacific was unfavorably impacted by geographic mix due to the growth in emerging and developing markets. The revenue per unit sold in these markets is generally less than in developed markets; |
| |
• | Pacific was unfavorably impacted by channel and product mix due to the earthquake and tsunami that devastated |
northern and eastern Japan on March 11, 2011; and
| |
• | Bottling Investments was favorably impacted by price mix as a result of pricing increases in a number of key markets, including China, India and Latin America. |
The favorable impact of foreign currency fluctuations increased net operating revenues for our international and Bottling Investments operating segments by 4 percent. The favorable impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates was primarily due to a weaker U.S. dollar compared to certain other foreign currencies, including the euro, Japanese yen, Mexican peso, Brazilian real, British pound, South African rand and Australian dollar, which had a favorable impact on the Eurasia and Africa, Europe, Latin America, Pacific and Bottling Investments operating segments. Refer to the heading "Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position — Foreign Exchange."
Year Ended December 31, 2010, versus Year Ended December 31, 2009
Net operating revenues increased $4,129 million, or 13 percent. The following table illustrates, on a percentage basis, the estimated impact of key factors resulting in the increase (decrease) in net operating revenues by operating segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Percent Change 2010 vs. 2009 |
| | | Structural Changes | | | | | | |
| Volume 1 |
| | Volume2 |
| Other |
| | Price, Product & Geographic Mix |
| | Currency Fluctuations |
| | Total |
|
Consolidated | 5 | % | | — | % | 5 | % | | 1 | % | | 2 | % | | 13 | % |
Eurasia & Africa | 12 | % | | — | % | — | % | | (2 | )% | | 6 | % | | 16 | % |
Europe | — |
| | — |
| 2 |
| | 1 |
| | (2 | ) | | 1 |
|
Latin America | 7 |
| | — |
| (13 | ) | | 9 |
| | 3 |
| | 6 |
|
North America | 1 |
| | 1 |
| 32 |
| | — |
| | 1 |
| | 35 |
|
Pacific | 6 |
| | — |
| 1 |
| | (5 | ) | | 6 |
| | 8 |
|
Bottling Investments | 10 |
| | (11 | ) | — |
| | (1 | ) | | 2 |
| | — |
|
Corporate | * |
| | * |
| * |
| | * |
| | * |
| | * |
|
| |
* | Calculation is not meaningful. |
| |
1 | Represents the percent change in net operating revenues attributable to the increase (decrease) in concentrate sales volume for our geographic operating segments, excluding the impact of volume associated with new license agreements (expressed in equivalent unit cases). For our Bottling Investments operating segment, this represents the percent change in net operating revenues attributable to the increase (decrease) in unit case volume for the Bottling Investments operating segment after considering the impact of structural changes. Our Bottling Investments operating segment data reflects unit case volume growth for consolidated bottlers only. Refer to the heading "Beverage Volume" above. |
| |
2 | Represents the percent change in net operating revenues attributable to the increase (decrease) in concentrate sales volume related to new license agreements for our geographic operating segments. For our Bottling Investments operating segment, this represents the percent change in net operating revenues attributable to the increase (decrease) in unit case volume for the Bottling Investments operating segment due to structural changes. Our Bottling Investments operating segment data reflects unit case volume growth for consolidated bottlers only. Refer to the heading "Beverage Volume" above. |
Refer to the heading "Beverage Volume" above for additional information related to changes in our unit case and concentrate sales volume.
Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above for additional information related to significant structural changes. Although we do not normally consider new license agreements to be structural changes, in the case of the DPS license agreements, given their correlation to our acquisition of CCE's North American business, we have included the impact of these license agreements as structural changes when explaining our 2010 financial results. Likewise, the total revenues attributable to CCE's North American business, including DPS, recognized by the Company during the three months following the date of acquisition in 2010 are considered a structural change.
Price, product and geographic mix had a favorable 1 percent impact on consolidated net operating revenues. Price, product and geographic mix for our operating segments was impacted by a variety of factors and events including, but not limited to, the following:
| |
• | Consolidated results were unfavorably impacted by geographic mix as a result of growth in our emerging and developing markets. The growth in our emerging and developing markets resulted in unfavorable geographic mix due to the fact that the revenue per unit sold in these markets is generally less than in developed markets; |
| |
• | Eurasia and Africa was unfavorably impacted by negative geographic mix due to the growth in emerging and developing markets such as India and Russia. The revenue per unit sold in these markets is generally less than in developed markets; |
| |
• | Latin America was favorably impacted by pricing in a number of our key markets and the impact of still beverages growing faster than sparkling beverages; and |
| |
• | Pacific was negatively impacted by unfavorable geographic mix due to the growth in emerging and developing markets such as China and the Philippines. The revenue per unit sold in these markets is generally less than in developed markets. |
The favorable impact of foreign currency fluctuations increased net operating revenues by 2 percent. The favorable impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates was primarily due to a weaker U.S. dollar compared to certain other foreign currencies, including the Japanese yen, Mexican peso, Brazilian real, South African rand and Australian dollar, which had a favorable impact on the Eurasia and Africa, Latin America, Pacific and Bottling Investments operating segments. The favorable impact of a weaker U.S. dollar compared to the aforementioned currencies was partially offset by the impact of a stronger U.S. dollar compared to certain other foreign currencies, including the euro and British pound, which had an unfavorable impact on the Europe and Bottling Investments operating segments. Refer to the heading "Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position — Foreign Exchange."
Net Operating Revenues by Operating Segment
Information about our net operating revenues by operating segment as a percentage of Company net operating revenues is as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
|
Eurasia & Africa | 5.8 | % | | 6.9 | % | | 6.4 | % |
Europe | 10.3 |
| | 12.6 |
| | 13.9 |
|
Latin America | 9.4 |
| | 11.0 |
| | 12.0 |
|
North America | 44.2 |
| | 31.7 |
| | 26.4 |
|
Pacific | 11.7 |
| | 14.1 |
| | 14.6 |
|
Bottling Investments | 18.3 |
| | 23.4 |
| | 26.4 |
|
Corporate | 0.3 |
| | 0.3 |
| | 0.3 |
|
| 100.0 | % | | 100.0 | % | | 100.0 | % |
Net operating revenue growth rates are impacted by sales volume, structural changes, price and product/geographic mix, and foreign currency fluctuations. The percentage of the Company's net operating revenues contributed by our North America operating segment increased 12.5 percent and 5.3 percent in 2011 and 2010, respectively, as a result of our acquisition of CCE's North American business on October 2, 2010. The CCE acquisition resulted in a decrease in the proportionate share of the Company's consolidated net operating revenues contributed by our operating segments outside of North America for both 2011 and 2010. The percentage of the Company's net operating revenues contributed by our Bottling Investments operating segment decreased 5.1 percent and 3.0 percent in 2011 and 2010, respectively, primarily due to the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE and the segment's proportionate decrease in the Company's consolidated net operating revenues due to the CCE acquisition in North America. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above.
The size and timing of structural changes are not consistent from period to period. As a result, anticipating the impact of such events on future net operating revenues, and other financial statement line items, usually is not possible. We expect structural changes to have an impact on our consolidated financial statements in future periods.
Gross Profit Margin
Year Ended December 31, 2011, versus Year Ended December 31, 2010
Our gross profit margin decreased to 60.9 percent in 2011 from 63.9 percent in 2010. The decrease was primarily due to the full year impact of consolidating CCE's North American business as well as a significant increase in commodity costs. The unfavorable impact of these items was partially offset by favorable geographic and product mix, price increases in many of our key markets and foreign currency exchange fluctuations. In addition, the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations during the fourth quarter of 2010 had a favorable impact on our full year 2011 gross profit margin.
The Company's acquisition of CCE's North American business during the fourth quarter of 2010 resulted in a significant adjustment to our overall cost structure, especially in North America. Finished products operations typically have lower gross profit margins and greater exposure to fluctuations in the cost of raw materials when compared to concentrate operations. The following inputs represent a substantial portion of the Company's total cost of goods sold: (1) sweeteners, (2) metals, (3) juices and (4) PET. The bulk of these costs reside within our North America and Bottling Investments operating segments. The cost to purchase these inputs increased significantly in 2011 when compared to 2010. As a result, the Company incurred incremental costs of $800 million related to these inputs during 2011. The Company anticipates that the cost of underlying commodities will continue to face upward pressure in 2012. We currently expect the incremental impact of increased commodity costs related to these inputs, primarily juices and sweeteners, to range between $350 million and $450 million on our full year 2012 consolidated results.
Upon the close of our acquisition of CCE's North American business, the Company increased our hedging activities related to certain commodities in order to mitigate a portion of the price risk associated with forecasted purchases. Many of the derivative financial instruments used by the Company to mitigate the risk associated with these commodity exposures do not qualify for hedge accounting. As a result, the change in fair value of these derivative instruments was included as a component of net income in each reporting period. Refer to Note 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above for additional information regarding the impact of our acquisition of CCE's North American business.
The favorable geographic mix was primarily due to many of our emerging markets recovering from the global recession at a quicker pace than our developed markets. Although this shift in geographic mix has a negative impact on net operating revenues, it generally has a favorable impact on our gross profit margin due to the correlated impact it has on our product mix. The product mix in the majority of our emerging and developing markets is more heavily skewed toward our sparkling beverage products, which generally yield a higher gross profit margin compared to our still beverages and finished products. Refer to the heading "Net Operating Revenues" above.
Year Ended December 31, 2010, versus Year Ended December 31, 2009
Our gross profit margin decreased to 63.9 percent in 2010 from 64.2 percent in 2009. The decrease was primarily due to our acquisition of CCE's North American business, partially offset by favorable geographic mix, product mix, the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations and the deconsolidation of certain entities as a result of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB.
Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above for additional information regarding the impact of our acquisition of CCE's North American business, the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations and the deconsolidation of certain entities as a result of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB. The favorable geographic mix was primarily due to many of our emerging markets recovering from the global recession at a quicker pace than our developed markets. Although this shift in geographic mix has a negative impact on net operating revenues, it generally has a favorable impact on our gross profit margin due to the correlated impact it has on our product mix. The product mix in the majority of our emerging and developing markets is more heavily skewed toward our sparkling beverage products, which generally yield a higher gross profit margin compared to our still beverages and finished products. Refer to the heading "Net Operating Revenues" above.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
The following table sets forth the significant components of selling, general and administrative expenses (in millions):
|
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
|
Stock-based compensation expense | $ | 354 |
| | $ | 380 |
| | $ | 241 |
|
Advertising expenses | 3,256 |
| | 2,917 |
| | 2,791 |
|
Bottling and distribution expenses | 8,501 |
| | 3,902 |
| | 2,627 |
|
Other operating expenses | 5,329 |
| | 5,959 |
| | 5,699 |
|
Selling, general and administrative expenses | $ | 17,440 |
| | $ | 13,158 |
| | $ | 11,358 |
|
Year Ended December 31, 2011, versus Year Ended December 31, 2010
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $4,282 million, or 33 percent. Foreign currency fluctuations increased selling, general and administrative expenses by 3 percent. The decrease in stock-based compensation expense was primarily related to the impact of modifications made to certain replacement performance share unit awards on our prior year results, partially offset by higher estimated payouts tied to performance in conjunction with our long-term incentive compensation programs. Advertising expenses increased during the year and reflect the Company's continued investment in the health and strength of our brands and building market execution capabilities. The increase in bottling and distribution expenses was primarily due to the full year impact of consolidating CCE's North American business in addition to our continued investments in our other bottling operations around the world. This increase was partially offset by the full year impact of the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE during the fourth quarter of 2010. Other operating expenses decreased during the year, partially reflecting the impact of the Company's productivity and integration initiatives.
In 2012, our pension expense is expected to decrease by approximately $50 million compared to 2011. The anticipated decrease is primarily due to approximately $953 million of contributions the Company expects to make to various plans in 2012, of which $900 million was contributed to the Company's U.S. pension plans during the first quarter of 2012. The expected favorable impact of this item will be partially offset by the expected unfavorable impact of a decrease in the weighted-average discount rate used to calculate the Company's benefit obligation. Refer to the heading "Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position" below for information related to these contributions. Refer to the heading "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — Pension Plan Valuations" above and Note 13 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the discount rates used by the Company.
As of December 31, 2011, we had $516 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested share-based compensation arrangements granted under our plans. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.8 years as stock-based compensation expense. This expected cost does not include the impact of any future stock-based compensation awards. Refer to Note 12 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Year Ended December 31, 2010, versus Year Ended December 31, 2009
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $1,800 million, or 16 percent. Foreign currency fluctuations increased selling, general and administrative expenses by 1 percent. The increase in stock-based compensation was primarily related to higher payouts tied to performance in conjunction with our long-term incentive compensation programs and the impact of modifications made to certain replacement performance share unit awards issued by the Company in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business. The Company modified primarily all of these replacement performance share unit awards to eliminate the remaining holding period, which resulted in $74 million of accelerated expense in the fourth quarter of 2010. Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The increase in advertising expenses reflected the Company's continued investment in our brands and building market execution capabilities.
The increase in bottling and distribution expenses was primarily related to the impact of our acquisition of CCE's North American business and our continued investments in our other bottling operations. The unfavorable impact of these items was partially offset by the deconsolidation of certain entities as a result of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB. These entities are primarily bottling operations and accounted for approximately 2 percent of the Company's consolidated selling, general and administrative expenses in 2009. Bottling and distribution expenses were also reduced due to the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above for additional information related to significant structural changes.
Other Operating Charges
Other operating charges incurred by operating segment were as follows (in millions):
|
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
|
Eurasia & Africa | $ | 12 |
| | $ | 7 |
| | $ | 4 |
|
Europe | 25 |
| | 50 |
| | 7 |
|
Latin America | 4 |
| | — |
| | — |
|
North America | 374 |
| | 133 |
| | 31 |
|
Pacific | 54 |
| | 22 |
| | 1 |
|
Bottling Investments | 89 |
| | 122 |
| | 141 |
|
Corporate | 174 |
| | 485 |
| | 129 |
|
Total | $ | 732 |
| | $ | 819 |
| | $ | 313 |
|
In 2011, the Company incurred other operating charges of $732 million, which primarily consisted of $633 million associated with the Company's productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives; $50 million due to charges associated with the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northern and eastern Japan on March 11, 2011; $35 million of costs associated with the merger of Embotelladoras Arca, S.A.B. de C.V. ("Arca") and Grupo Continental S.A.B. ("Contal"); and $10 million associated with the floods in Thailand that impacted the Company's supply chain operations in the region. The Company's integration activities include costs associated with the integration of CCE's North American business, as well as the integration of 18 German bottling and distribution operations acquired in 2007.
In 2010, the Company began an integration initiative related to our acquisition of CCE's North American business on October 2, 2010. Upon completion of the CCE transaction, we combined the management of the acquired North American business with the management of our existing foodservice business; Minute Maid and Odwalla juice businesses; North America supply chain operations; and Company-owned bottling operations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a unified bottling and customer service organization called CCR. In addition, we reshaped our remaining CCNA operations into an organization that primarily provides franchise leadership and consumer marketing and innovation for the North American market. As a result of the transaction and related reorganization, our North American businesses operate as aligned and agile organizations with distinct capabilities, responsibilities and strengths. Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
We incurred expenses of $358 million in 2011 related to this initiative which impacted the North America and Corporate operating segments. These expenses were primarily related to both internal and external costs associated with the development, design and initial implementation of our future operating framework as well as contract termination fees and relocation costs. We believe this acquisition will result in an evolved franchise system that will enable us to better serve the unique needs of the North American market. The creation of a unified operating system will strategically position us to better market and distribute our nonalcoholic beverage brands in North America. The Company initially estimated that the total cost of these integration initiatives would be approximately $425 million, and the initiatives were expected to generate annualized savings of at least $350 million per year. The Company realized nearly all of the $350 million in annualized savings by the end of 2011, and the total cost we incurred since the inception of this integration initiative was $493 million. As such, this initiative was successfully completed at the end of 2011. Refer to Note 18 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to this integration initiative.
The Company's integration initiatives include costs related to the integration of 18 German bottling and distribution operations acquired in 2007. We incurred expenses of $67 million in 2011 related to this initiative. The expenses recorded in connection with these integration activities have been primarily due to involuntary terminations. The Company began these integration initiatives in 2008 and has incurred total pretax expenses of $292 million since they commenced. The Company is currently reviewing other integration and restructuring opportunities within the German bottling and distribution operations, which if implemented will result in additional charges in future periods. However, as of December 31, 2011, the Company had not finalized any additional plans. Refer to Note 18 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to this integration initiative.
During 2011, the Company successfully completed our four-year global productivity program and exceeded our target of providing $500 million in annualized savings from these initiatives by the end of 2011. These savings have provided the Company additional flexibility to invest for growth. The Company generated these savings in a number of areas, which include aggressively managing operating expenses supported by lean techniques, redesigning key processes to drive standardization and effectiveness, better leveraging our size and scale, and driving savings in indirect costs through the implementation of a "procure-to-pay" program. In realizing these savings, the Company incurred total costs of $508 million related to these
productivity initiatives since they commenced during the first quarter of 2008. Refer to Note 18 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the Company's ongoing productivity initiatives.
In February 2012, the Company announced a new four-year productivity and reinvestment program. This program will further enable our efforts to strengthen our brands and reinvest our resources to drive long-term profitable growth. The first component of this program is a new global productivity initiative that will target annualized savings of $350 million to $400 million. This initiative will be focused around four primary areas: global supply chain optimization; global marketing and innovation effectiveness; operating expense leverage and operational excellence; and data and IT systems standardization. The Company is in the initial stages of defining the costs associated with this initiative.
The second component of our new productivity and reinvestment program involves beginning a new integration initiative in North America related to our acquisition of CCE's North American business. The Company has identified incremental synergies in North America, primarily in the area of our North American product supply, which will better enable us to service our customers and consumers. We believe these efforts will create annualized savings of $200 million to $250 million and will result in costs of approximately $300 million.
As a combined productivity and reinvestment program, the Company anticipates generating annualized savings of $550 million to $650 million which will be phased in over the next four years starting in 2012. We expect to begin fully realizing the annual benefit of these savings in 2015, the final year of the program. The savings generated by this program will be reinvested in brand-building initiatives, and in the short term will also mitigate potential incremental commodity costs.
In 2010, the Company incurred other operating charges of $819 million, which consisted of $478 million associated with the Company's productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives; $250 million related to charitable contributions; $81 million due to transaction costs incurred in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business and the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE; and $10 million of charges related to bottling activities in Eurasia. The Company's integration activities include costs associated with the integration of CCE's North American business, as well as the integration of 18 German bottling and distribution operations acquired in 2007. The charitable contributions were primarily attributable to a cash donation to The Coca-Cola Foundation. Refer to Note 18 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on our productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives. Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the transaction costs.
In 2009, the Company incurred other operating charges of $313 million, which consisted of $273 million related to the Company's productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives and $40 million due to asset impairments. Refer to Note 18 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on our productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives. The impairment charges were related to a $23 million impairment of an intangible asset and a $17 million impairment of a building. The impairment of the intangible asset was due to a change in the expected useful life of the asset, which was previously determined to have an indefinite life. The $17 million impairment was due to a change in disposal strategy related to a building that is no longer occupied. The Company had originally intended to sell the building along with the related land. However, we determined that the maximum potential sales proceeds would likely be realized through the sale of vacant land. As a result, the building was removed. The land was not considered held-for-sale, primarily due to the fact that it was not probable a sale would be completed within one year.
Operating Income and Operating Margin
Information about our operating income contribution by operating segment on a percentage basis is as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
|
Eurasia & Africa | 10.8 | % | | 11.6 | % | | 9.8 | % |
Europe | 30.4 |
| | 35.2 |
| | 35.8 |
|
Latin America | 27.7 |
| | 28.5 |
| | 24.8 |
|
North America | 22.8 |
| | 18.0 |
| | 20.7 |
|
Pacific | 21.2 |
| | 24.2 |
| | 22.9 |
|
Bottling Investments | 2.2 |
| | 2.7 |
| | 2.2 |
|
Corporate | (15.1 | ) | | (20.2 | ) | | (16.2 | ) |
Total | 100.0 | % | | 100.0 | % | | 100.0 | % |
Information about our operating margin on a consolidated basis and by operating segment is as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
|
Consolidated | 21.8 | % | | 24.1 | % | | 26.6 | % |
Eurasia & Africa | 40.6 | % | | 40.4 | % | | 41.0 | % |
Europe | 64.7 |
| | 67.3 |
| | 68.4 |
|
Latin America | 63.9 |
| | 62.0 |
| | 55.2 |
|
North America | 11.3 |
| | 13.6 |
| | 20.7 |
|
Pacific | 39.4 |
| | 41.4 |
| | 41.6 |
|
Bottling Investments | 2.6 |
| | 2.8 |
| | 2.2 |
|
Corporate | * |
| | * |
| | * |
|
| |
* | Calculation is not meaningful. |
As demonstrated by the tables above, the percentage contribution to operating income and operating margin by operating segment fluctuated from year to year. Operating income and operating margin by operating segment were influenced by a variety of factors and events, including the following:
| |
• | In 2011, foreign currency exchange rates favorably impacted consolidated operating income by 4 percent. The favorable impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates was primarily due to a weaker U.S. dollar compared to most foreign currencies, including the euro, Japanese yen, Mexican peso, Brazilian real, British pound, South African rand and Australian dollar, which had a favorable impact on the Eurasia and Africa, Europe, Latin America, Pacific and Bottling Investments operating segments. Refer to the heading "Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position — Foreign Exchange." |
| |
• | In 2011, operating income was favorably impacted by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates by 2 percent for Europe, 4 percent for Latin America, 1 percent for North America, 7 percent for Pacific, 7 percent for Bottling Investments and 1 percent for Corporate. Operating income was unfavorably impacted by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates by 1 percent for Eurasia and Africa. |
| |
• | In 2011, our consolidated operating margin was favorably impacted by geographic mix. The favorable geographic mix was primarily due to many of our emerging markets recovering from the global recession at a quicker pace than our developed markets. Although this shift in geographic mix has a negative impact on net operating revenues, it generally has a favorable impact on our gross profit margin and operating margin due to the correlated impact it has on our product mix. The product mix in the majority of our emerging and developing markets is more heavily skewed toward products in our sparkling beverage portfolio, which generally yield a higher gross profit margin compared to our still beverages and finished products. Consequently, the shift in our geographic mix is driving favorable product mix from a global perspective. |
| |
• | In 2011, operating income and operating margin for Europe were unfavorably impacted by a change in our concentrate pricing strategy in Germany with our consolidated bottler. |
| |
• | In 2011, operating income and operating margin for Latin America were favorably impacted by volume growth across all of the group's business units and pricing increases in key markets, partially offset by continued investments in the business. |
| |
• | In 2011, the operating margin for North America was unfavorably impacted by the full year impact of the Company's acquisition of CCE's North American business. Generally, bottling and finished products operations have higher net operating revenues but lower operating margins when compared to concentrate and syrup operations. The impact of this transaction was also reflected in the Company's operating margin. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above. |
| |
• | In 2011, operating income and operating margin for North America were unfavorably impacted by higher commodity costs in the segment's finished products businesses. |
| |
• | In 2011, operating income was reduced by $19 million for North America due to the amortization of favorable supply contracts acquired in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business. |
| |
• | In 2011, operating income and operating margin for Pacific and North America were unfavorably impacted as a result of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northern and eastern Japan on March 11, 2011. Operating income was reduced by $82 million and $2 million for Pacific and North America, respectively. The charges were primarily related to the Company's charitable donations in support of relief and rebuilding efforts in Japan as well as funds we provided certain bottling partners in the affected regions. |
| |
• | In 2011, operating income was reduced by $10 million for Corporate due to charges associated with the floods in Thailand that impacted the Company's supply chain operations in the region. |
| |
• | In 2011, operating income was reduced by $12 million for Eurasia and Africa, $25 million for Europe, $4 million for Latin America, $374 million for North America, $4 million for Pacific, $89 million for Bottling Investments and $164 million for Corporate, primarily due to the Company’s ongoing productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives as well as costs associated with the merger of Arca and Contal. |
| |
• | In 2010, foreign currency exchange rates favorably impacted consolidated operating income by 3 percent. The favorable impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates was primarily due to a weaker U.S. dollar compared to most foreign currencies, including the Japanese yen, Mexican peso, Brazilian real, South African rand and Australian dollar, which had a favorable impact on the Eurasia and Africa, Latin America, Pacific and Bottling Investments operating segments. The favorable impact of a weaker U.S. dollar compared to the aforementioned currencies was partially offset by the impact of a stronger U.S. dollar compared to certain other foreign currencies, including the euro and British pound, which had an unfavorable impact on the Europe and Bottling Investments operating segments. Refer to the heading "Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position — Foreign Exchange" below. |
| |
• | In 2010, operating income was favorably impacted by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates by 7 percent for Eurasia and Africa, 3 percent for Latin America, 8 percent for Pacific and 9 percent for Bottling Investments. Operating income was unfavorably impacted by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates by 1 percent for Europe. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates had a nominal impact on operating income for North America and Corporate. |
| |
• | In 2010, our consolidated operating margin was favorably impacted by geographic mix. The favorable geographic mix was primarily due to many of our emerging markets recovering from the global recession at a quicker pace than our developed markets. Although this shift in geographic mix has a negative impact on net operating revenues, it generally has a favorable impact on our gross profit margin and operating margin due to the correlated impact it has on our product mix. The product mix in the majority of our emerging and developing markets is more heavily skewed toward products in our sparkling beverage portfolio, which generally yield a higher gross profit margin compared to our still beverages and finished products. |
| |
• | In 2010, our consolidated operating margin was favorably impacted by the deconsolidation of certain entities as a result of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB. These entities are primarily bottling operations and have been accounted for under the equity method of accounting since they were deconsolidated on January 1, 2010. Generally, bottling and finished products operations produce higher net revenues but lower operating margins compared to concentrate and syrup operations. The majority of the deconsolidated entities had previously been included in our Bottling Investments operating segment. |
| |
• | In 2010, the operating margin for the Latin America operating segment was favorably impacted by the sale of 50 percent of our ownership interest in Leão Junior, resulting in its deconsolidation, as well as the deconsolidation of certain entities as a result of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB. Price and product mix also favorably impacted Latin America's operating income and operating margin during the year. |
| |
• | In 2010, the operating margin for the North America operating segment was unfavorably impacted by the Company's acquisition of CCE's North American business. Generally, bottling and finished products operations have higher net operating revenues but lower operating margins when compared to concentrate and syrup operations. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above. |
| |
• | In 2010, operating income for the North America operating segment was reduced by $74 million due to the acceleration of expense associated with certain share-based replacement awards issued in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business. Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
| |
• | In 2010, operating income for the North America operating segment was negatively impacted by $235 million, primarily due to the elimination of gross profit in inventory on intercompany sales and an inventory fair value adjustment as a result of our acquisition of CCE's North American business. Prior to the acquisition, we recognized the profit associated with concentrate sales when the concentrate was sold to CCE, excluding the portion that was deemed to be intercompany due to our previous ownership interest in CCE. However, subsequent to the acquisition, the Company does not recognize the profit associated with concentrate sold to CCE's legacy North American business until the finished beverage products made from those concentrates are sold. |
| |
• | In 2010, operating income for the North America operating segment was reduced by $20 million due to the amortization of favorable supply contracts acquired in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business. |
| |
• | In 2010, operating income was reduced by $7 million for Eurasia and Africa, $50 million for Europe, $133 million for North America, $22 million for Pacific, $122 million for Bottling Investments and $485 million for Corporate, primarily due to the Company's productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives; charitable donations; transaction costs incurred in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business and the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE; and other charges related to bottling activities in Eurasia. Refer to the heading "Other Operating Charges" above. |
| |
• | In 2009, operating income was reduced by $4 million for Eurasia and Africa, $7 million for Europe, $31 million for North America, $1 million for Pacific, $141 million for Bottling Investments and $129 million for Corporate, primarily as a result of restructuring costs, the Company's ongoing productivity initiatives and asset impairments. Refer to the heading "Other Operating Charges" above. |
Interest Income
Year Ended December 31, 2011, versus Year Ended December 31, 2010
Interest income was $483 million in 2011, compared to $317 million in 2010, an increase of $166 million, or 52 percent. The increase was primarily due to the impact of higher average cash, cash equivalents and short-term investment balances in addition to higher average interest rates, particularly in international locations. The majority of our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments are held by our international locations.
Year Ended December 31, 2010, versus Year Ended December 31, 2009
Interest income was $317 million in 2010, compared to $249 million in 2009, an increase of $68 million, or 27 percent. The increase was primarily due to the impact of higher average cash and short-term investment balances, partially offset by lower average interest rates.
Interest Expense
Year Ended December 31, 2011, versus Year Ended December 31, 2010
Interest expense was $417 million in 2011, compared to $733 million in 2010, a decrease of $316 million, or 43 percent. The decrease was primarily due to a $342 million charge recorded in 2010 related to debt assumed in connection with the Company's acquisition of CCE's North American business. See prior year's discussion below for further information related to the charge recorded during 2010. This decrease was partially offset by the full year impact of increased interest expense on long-term debt assumed in connection with the CCE acquisition as well as additional long-term debt issued by the Company in 2011. The Company's interest expense also includes the impact of interest rate swap agreements. Refer to Note 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to our interest rate swaps.
During 2011, the Company issued $2,979 million of long-term debt. We used $979 million of this newly issued debt and paid a premium of $208 million to exchange $1,022 million of existing long-term debt that was assumed in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business in the fourth quarter of 2010. The remaining cash from the issuance was used to reduce the Company's outstanding commercial paper balance and exchange a certain amount of short-term debt.
The general terms of the notes issued during 2011 are as follows:
| |
• | $1,655 million total principal amount of notes due September 1, 2016, at a fixed interest rate of 1.8 percent; and |
| |
• | $1,324 million total principal amount of notes due September 1, 2021, at a fixed interest rate of 3.3 percent. |
During the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company extinguished long-term debt that had a carrying value of $20 million and was not scheduled to mature until 2012. This debt was outstanding prior to the Company's acquisition of CCE's North American business. In addition, the Company repurchased long-term debt during 2011 that was assumed in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business. The repurchased debt included $99 million in unamortized fair value adjustments recorded as part of our purchase accounting for the CCE transaction and was settled throughout the year as follows:
| |
• | During the first quarter of 2011, the Company repurchased all of our outstanding U.K. pound sterling notes that had a carrying value of $674 million; |
| |
• | During the second quarter of 2011, the Company repurchased long-term debt that had a carrying value of $42 million; and |
| |
• | During the third quarter of 2011, the Company repurchased long-term debt that had a carrying value of $19 million. |
The Company recorded a net charge of $9 million in the line item interest expense in our consolidated statement of income during the year ended December 31, 2011. This net charge was due to the exchange, repurchase and/or extinguishment of long-term debt described above.
As of December 31, 2011, the carrying value of the Company's long-term debt included $733 million of fair value adjustments related to the debt assumed from CCE. These fair value adjustments will be amortized over a weighted-average period of approximately 16 years, which is equal to the weighted-average maturity of the assumed debt to which these fair value adjustments relate. The amortization of these fair value adjustments will be a reduction of interest expense in future periods, which will typically result in our interest expense being less than the actual interest paid to service the debt. Total interest paid was $573 million in 2011.
Year Ended December 31, 2010, versus Year Ended December 31, 2009
Interest expense was $733 million in 2010, compared to $355 million in 2009, an increase of $378 million, or 106 percent. The increase was primarily due to a $342 million charge related to the premiums paid to repurchase long-term debt and the costs associated with the settlement of treasury rate locks issued in connection with the debt tender offer. The increase also reflects the impact of interest expense on debt assumed from CCE. In connection with the Company's acquisition of CCE's North American business, we assumed $266 million of short-term borrowings and $7,602 million of long-term debt. The estimated fair value of the long-term debt was $9,345 million as of the acquisition date. In accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, we recorded the assumed debt at its fair value as of the acquisition date. On November 15, 2010, the Company issued $4,500 million of long-term notes and used some of the proceeds to repurchase $2,910 million of long-term debt. The remaining cash from the issuance was used to reduce our outstanding commercial paper balance.
Equity Income (Loss) — Net
Year Ended December 31, 2011, versus Year Ended December 31, 2010
Equity income (loss) — net represents our Company's proportionate share of net income or loss from each of our equity method investees. In 2011, equity income was $690 million, compared to equity income of $1,025 million in 2010, a decrease of $335 million, or 33 percent. The decrease was primarily due to the Company's acquisition and consolidation of CCE's North American business during the fourth quarter of 2010. As a result of this transaction, the Company stopped recording equity income related to CCE beginning October 2, 2010, and our 2011 consolidated statement of income reflects the full year impact of not having an equity interest in New CCE. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above. In addition, the decrease in equity income (loss) — net was partially due to the Company's sale of its investment in Coca-Cola Embonor, S.A. ("Embonor") during the first quarter of 2011. The unfavorable impact of these items was partially offset by the Company's proportionate share of increased net income from certain of our equity method investees and the favorable impact of foreign currency exchange fluctuations.
Year Ended December 31, 2010, versus Year Ended December 31, 2009
In 2010, equity income was $1,025 million, compared to equity income of $781 million in 2009, an increase of $244 million, or 31 percent. The increase was primarily due to our proportionate share of increased net income from certain of our equity method investees; the favorable impact of foreign currency exchange fluctuations; a decrease in the Company's proportionate share of asset impairments and restructuring charges recorded by equity method investees; and the impact of the Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB. The impact of these items was partially offset by the impact of our acquisition and consolidation of CCE's North American business. As a result of this transaction, the Company stopped recording equity income related to CCE beginning October 2, 2010. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above.
The Company's adoption of new accounting guidance issued by the FASB resulted in the deconsolidation of certain entities. On January 1, 2010, the Company began to account for these entities under the equity method of accounting. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above. The entities that have been deconsolidated accounted for approximately 4 percent of the Company's equity income in 2010.
Other Income (Loss) — Net
Other income (loss) — net includes, among other things, the impact of foreign currency exchange gains and losses; dividend income; rental income; gains and losses related to the disposal of property, plant and equipment; realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading securities; realized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities; other-than-temporary impairments of available-for-sale securities; and the accretion of expense related to certain acquisitions. The foreign currency exchange gains and losses are primarily the result of the remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities from certain currencies into functional currencies. The effects of the remeasurement of these assets and liabilities are partially offset by the impact of our economic hedging program for certain exposures on our consolidated balance sheets. Refer to Note 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
In 2011, other income (loss) — net was income of $529 million, primarily related to a net gain of $417 million the Company recognized as a result of the merger of Arca and Contal; a net gain of $122 million the Company recognized as a result of an equity method investee issuing additional shares of its own stock at per share amounts greater than the carrying value of the Company's per share investment, partially offset by charges associated with certain of the Company's equity method investments in Japan; and a gain of $102 million related to the sale of our investment in Embonor. Other income (loss) — net also included $10 million of realized and unrealized gains on trading securities. The net favorable impact of the previous items was partially offset by foreign currency exchange losses of $73 million; charges of $41 million due to the impairment of an investment in an entity accounted for under the equity method of accounting; $17 million due to other-than-temporary declines in the fair value of certain of the Company's available-for-sale securities; and $5 million related to the finalization of working capital adjustments associated with the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish Bottling operations to New CCE during the fourth quarter of 2010. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
In 2010, other income (loss) — net was income of $5,185 million, primarily related to a $4,978 million gain due to the remeasurement of our equity investment in CCE to fair value upon the close of our acquisition of CCE's North American business and a $597 million gain related to the sale of all our ownership interests in our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations to New CCE. Refer to the heading "Structural Changes, Acquired Brands and New License Agreements" above and Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. These gains were partially offset by a $265 million charge related to preexisting relationships with CCE and foreign currency exchange losses of $148 million. The charge related to preexisting relationships was primarily due to the write-off of our investment in infrastructure programs with CCE. The foreign currency exchange losses were primarily due to a charge of $103 million related to the remeasurement of our Venezuelan subsidiary's net assets. Refer to the heading "Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position — Foreign Exchange" below. In addition to the items mentioned above, other income (loss) — net also included a $23 million gain on the sale of 50 percent of our investment in Leão Junior and $48 million of charges related to other-than-temporary impairments and a donation of preferred shares in one of our equity investees. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
In 2009, other income (loss) — net was income of $40 million, primarily related to a realized gain of $44 million on the sale of equity securities classified as available-for-sale, $40 million from the sale of other investments and $18 million of dividend income from cost method investments. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the gain on the sale of available-for-sale securities. These gains were partially offset by $34 million in net foreign currency exchange losses and an other-than-temporary impairment charge of $27 million on a cost method investment. Refer to the heading "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — Investments in Equity and Debt Securities" above and Note 16 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Income Taxes
Our effective tax rate reflects the tax benefits of having significant operations outside the United States, which are generally taxed at rates lower than the U.S. statutory rate of 35 percent. As a result of employment actions and capital investments made by the Company, certain tax jurisdictions provide income tax incentive grants, including Brazil, Costa Rica, Singapore and Swaziland. The terms of these grants range from 2015 to 2020. We expect each of the grants to be renewed indefinitely. Tax incentive grants favorably impacted our income tax expense by $193 million, $145 million and $191 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. In addition, our effective tax rate reflects the benefits of having significant earnings generated in investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting, which are generally taxed at rates lower than the U.S. statutory rate.
A reconciliation of the statutory U.S. federal tax rate and our effective tax rate is as follows:
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| | | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
| |
Statutory U.S. federal tax rate | 35.0 | % | | 35.0 | % | | 35.0 | % | |
State and local income taxes — net of federal benefit | 0.9 |
| | 0.6 |
| | 0.7 |
| |
Earnings in jurisdictions taxed at rates different from the statutory U.S. federal rate | (9.5 | ) | 1,2.3 | (5.6 | ) | 11 | (11.6 | ) | 19 |
Equity income or loss | (1.4 | ) | 4 | (1.9 | ) | 12 | (2.3 | ) | 20 |
CCE transaction | — |
| | (12.5 | ) | 13,14 | — |
| |
Sale of Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations | — |
| 5 | 0.4 |
| 15 | — |
| |
Other operating charges | 0.3 |
| 6 | 0.4 |
| 16 | 0.6 |
| 21 |
Other — net | (0.8 | ) | 7,8,9,10 | 0.3 |
| 17,18 | 0.4 |
| 22,23 |
Effective tax rate | 24.5 | % | | 16.7 | % | | 22.8 | % | |
| |
1 | Includes a tax benefit of $6 million related to amounts required to be recorded for changes to our uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties, in various international jurisdictions. |
| |
2 | Includes a zero percent effective tax rate on charges due to the impairment of available-for-sale securities. Refer to Note 3 and Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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3 | Includes a tax expense of $299 million (or a 0.7 percent impact on our effective tax rate) related to the net gain recognized as a result of the merger of Arca and Contal, the gain recognized on the sale of our investment in Embonor and gains the Company recognized as a result of an equity method investee issuing additional shares of its own stock during the year at per share amounts greater than the carrying value of the Company's per share investment. These gains were partially offset by charges associated with certain of the Company's equity method investments in Japan. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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4 | Includes a tax benefit of $7 million (or a 0.1 percent impact on our effective tax rate) related to our proportionate share of asset impairments and restructuring charges recorded by certain of our equity method investees. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
| |
5 | Includes a tax benefit of $2 million related to the finalization of working capital adjustments on the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations. Refer to Note 2 and Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
| |
6 | Includes a tax benefit of $224 million (or a 0.3 percent impact on our effective tax rate) primarily related to the Company's productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives, transaction costs incurred in connection with the merger of Arca and Contal, costs associated with the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northern and eastern Japan and costs associated with the flooding in Thailand. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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7 | Includes a tax benefit of $8 million related to the amortization of favorable supply contracts acquired in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business. |
| |
8 | Includes a tax benefit of $3 million related to net charges we recognized on the repurchase and/or exchange of certain long-term debt assumed in connection with our acquisition of CCE's North American business as well as the early extinguishment of certain other long-term debt. Refer to Note 10 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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9 | Includes a tax benefit of $14 million on charges due to the impairment of an investment in an entity accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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10 | Includes a tax benefit of $2 million related to amounts required to be recorded for changes to our uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties, in certain domestic jurisdictions. |
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11 | Includes tax expense of $265 million (or a 1.9 percent impact on our effective tax rate), primarily related to deferred tax expense on certain current year undistributed foreign earnings that are not considered indefinitely reinvested and amounts required to be recorded for changes to our uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties. |
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12 | Includes a tax benefit of $9 million (or a 0.1 percent impact on our effective tax rate) related to charges recorded by our equity method investees. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
| |
13 | Includes a tax benefit of $34 million (or a reduction of 12.5 percent on our effective tax rate) related to the remeasurement of our equity investment in CCE to fair value upon our acquisition of CCE's North American business. The tax benefit reflects the impact of reversing deferred tax liabilities associated with our equity investment in CCE prior to the acquisition. Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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14 | Includes a tax benefit of $99 million related to charges associated with the write-off of preexisting relationships with CCE. Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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15 | Includes a tax expense of $261 million (or a 0.4 percent impact on our effective tax rate) related to the sale of our Norwegian and Swedish bottling operations. Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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16 | Includes a tax benefit of $223 million (or a 0.4 percent impact on our effective tax rate), primarily related to the Company's productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives, transaction costs and charitable contributions. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
| |
17 | Includes a tax benefit of $114 million (or a 0.5 percent impact on our effective tax rate) related to charges associated with the repurchase of certain long-term debt and costs associated with the settlement of treasury rate locks issued in connection with the debt tender offer, the loss related to the remeasurement of our Venezuelan subsidiary's net assets, other-than-temporary impairment charges and a donation of preferred shares in one of our equity method investees. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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18 | Includes a tax expense of $31 million (or a 0.2 percent impact on our effective tax rate) related to amounts required to be recorded for changes to our uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties, and other tax matters in certain domestic jurisdictions. |
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19 | Includes a tax benefit of $16 million (or a reduction of 0.2 percent on our effective tax rate) related to amounts required to be recorded for changes to our uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties, in various international jurisdictions. |
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20 | Includes a tax benefit of $17 million (or a 0.1 percent impact on our effective tax rate) related to charges recorded by our equity method investees. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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21 | Includes a tax benefit of $16 million (or a 0.6 percent impact on our effective tax rate) related to restructuring charges and asset impairments. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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22 | Includes a zero percent effective rate (or a reduction of 0.2 percent on our effective tax rate) related to the sale of all or a portion of certain investments. Refer to Note 3 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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23 | Includes a zero percent effective rate (or a 0.1 percent impact on our effective tax rate) related to an other-than-temporary impairment of a cost method investment. Refer to Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
In 2010, the Company recorded a $4,978 million pre-tax remeasurement gain associated with the acquisition of CCE's North American business. This remeasurement gain was not recognized for tax purposes and therefore no tax expense was recorded on this gain. Also, as a result of this acquisition, the Company was required to reverse $34 million of deferred tax liabilities which were associated with our equity investment in CCE prior to the acquisition. In addition, the Company recognized a $265 million charge related to the settlement of preexisting relationships with CCE, and we recorded a tax benefit of 37 percent related to this charge. The tax impact of the remeasurement gain, reversal of the net deferred tax liabilities on our equity investment and the settlement of preexisting relationships with CCE will not impact our future effective tax rate.
As of December 31, 2011, the gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits was $320 million. If the Company were to prevail on all uncertain tax positions, the net effect would be a benefit to the Company's effective tax rate of $149 million, exclusive of any benefits related to interest and penalties. The remaining $171 million, which was recorded as a deferred tax asset, primarily represents tax benefits that would be received in different tax jurisdictions in the event the Company did not prevail on all uncertain tax positions. Refer to Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
A reconciliation of the changes in the gross balance of unrecognized tax benefit amounts is as follows (in millions):
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| | | | | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
|
Beginning balance of unrecognized tax benefits | $ | 387 |
| | $ | 354 |
| | $ | 369 |
|
Increases related to prior period tax positions | 9 |
| | 26 |
| | 49 |
|
Decreases related to prior period tax positions | (19 | ) | | (10 | ) | | (28 | ) |
Increases related to current period tax positions | 6 |
| | 33 |
| | 16 |
|
Decreases related to current period tax positions | (1 | ) | | — |
| | — |
|
Decreases related to settlements with taxing authorities | (5 | ) | | — |
| | (27 | ) |
Reductions as a result of a lapse of the applicable statute of limitations | (46 | ) | | (1 | ) | | (73 | ) |
Increase related to acquisition of CCE's North American business | — |
| | 6 |
| | — |
|
Increases (decreases) from effects of foreign currency exchange rates | (11 | ) | | (21 | ) | | 48 |
|
Ending balance of unrecognized tax benefits | $ | 320 |
| | $ | 387 |
| | $ | 354 |
|
The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. The Company had $110 million, $112 million and $94 million in interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits accrued as of December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Of these amounts, $2 million of benefit, $17 million of expense and $16 million of benefit was recognized through income tax expense in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. If the Company were to prevail on all uncertain tax positions, the reversal of this accrual would also be a benefit to the Company's effective tax rate.
Based on current tax laws, the Company's effective tax rate in 2012 is expected to be approximately 24.0 percent to 25.0 percent before considering the effect of any unusual or special items that may affect our tax rate in future years.
Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position
We believe our ability to generate cash from operating activities is one of our fundamental financial strengths. Refer to the heading "Cash Flows from Operating Activities" below. The near-term outlook for our business remains strong, and we expect to generate substantial cash flows from operations in 2012. As a result of our expected cash flows from operations, we have significant flexibility to meet our financial commitments. The Company does not typically raise capital through the issuance of stock. Instead, we use debt financing to lower our overall cost of capital and increase our return on shareowners' equity. Refer to the heading "Cash Flows from Financing Activities" below. We have a history of borrowing funds domestically and continue to have the ability to borrow funds domestically at reasonable interest rates. Our debt financing includes the use of an extensive commercial paper program as part of our overall cash management strategy. The Company reviews its optimal mix of short-term and long-term debt regularly and may replace certain amounts of commercial paper, short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt with new issuances of long-term debt in the future. In addition to the Company's cash balances, commercial paper program, and our ability to issue long-term debt, we also had $4,625 million in lines of credit for general corporate purposes, including commercial paper backup, as of December 31, 2011. These backup lines of credit expire at various times from 2012 through 2016.
We have significant operations outside the United States. Unit case volume outside the United States represented approximately 80 percent of the Company's worldwide unit case volume in 2011. We earn a substantial amount of our consolidated operating income and income before income taxes in foreign subsidiaries that either sell concentrate to our local bottling partners or, in certain instances, sell finished products directly to our customers to fulfill the demand for Company beverage products outside the United States. A significant portion of these foreign earnings is deemed to be indefinitely reinvested in foreign jurisdictions. As a result, the majority of our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments are held by our foreign subsidiaries. We do not intend, nor foresee a need, to repatriate these funds. Additionally, the government in Venezuela has enacted certain monetary policies that restrict the ability of companies to pay dividends from retained earnings. As of December 31, 2011, cash held by our Venezuelan subsidiary accounted for approximately 2 percent of our consolidated cash and cash equivalents balance.
Net operating revenues in the United States were $18.7 billion in 2011, or approximately 40 percent of the Company's consolidated net operating revenues. We expect existing domestic cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, cash flows from operations and the issuance of debt to continue to be sufficient to fund our domestic operating activities and cash commitments for investing and financing activities. In addition, we expect existing foreign cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, and cash flows from operations to continue to be sufficient to fund our foreign operating activities and cash commitments for investing activities.
In the future, should we require more capital to fund significant discretionary activities in the United States than is generated by our domestic operations, or is available through the issuance of debt, we could elect to repatriate future periods' earnings from foreign jurisdictions. This alternative could result in a higher effective tax rate.
Based on all the aforementioned factors, the Company believes its current liquidity position is strong, and we will continue to meet all our financial commitments for the foreseeable future. These commitments include, but are not limited to, regular quarterly dividends, debt maturities, capital expenditures, share repurchases and other obligations included under the heading “Off-Balance Sheet Agreements and Aggregate Contractual Obligations” below.
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $9,474 million, $9,532 million and $8,186 million, respectively.
Cash flows from operating activities decreased $58 million, or 1 percent, in 2011 compared to 2010. This decrease was primarily attributable to an increase in contributions to our pension plans of $924 million during 2011; the temporary extension of the Company's credit terms in Japan as a result of the natural disasters that devastated the northern and eastern portions of the country during the first quarter of 2011; an increase in interest payments related to long-term debt; and an increase in cash payments related to our productivity, integration and restructuring initiatives. The unfavorable impact of these items was
partially offset by an increase in cash receipts from customers, a decrease in tax payments, and the favorable impact of foreign currency exchange rates on operations. Refer to the heading "Net Operating Revenues" above.
Cash flows from operating activities increased $1,346 million, or 16 percent, in 2010 compared to 2009. This increase was primarily attributable to increased receipts from customers, the impact of our acquisition of CCE's North American business, the favorable impact of exchange rates on operations and a decrease in contributions to our pension plans. The impact of these items was partially offset by higher tax payments in 2010. The increase in cash receipts from customers was primarily due to an increase in net operating revenues. Refer to the heading "Net Operating Revenues" above. Also, in 2009, cash flows from operating activities included the receipt of a $183 million special dividend from Coca-Cola Hellenic. The Company contributed approximately $77 million to our pension plans during the year ended December 31, 2010, compared to $269 million during the year ended December 31, 2009.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Our cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities are summarized as follows (in millions):
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| | | | | | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, | 2011 |
| | 2010 |
| | 2009 |
|
Purchases of short-term investments | $ | (4,057 | ) | |
|