UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | ||
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019
OR
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | ||
For the transition period from to
Commission File Number 001-02217
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (404) 676-2121
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
__________________________________________________
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐
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 ☐ No ☒
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 ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted 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 such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | Emerging growth company | |||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
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 June 28, 2019, the last business day of the Registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was $215,914,430,571 (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 19, 2020 was 4,290,276,067 .
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the Company's Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareowners to be held on April 22, 2020 are incorporated by reference in Part III.
THE COCA-COLA COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
Table of Contents
Page | ||
Part I | ||
Part II | ||
Part III | ||
Part IV | ||
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 our Company's actual results to differ materially from 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 nonalcoholic beverage company. We own or license and market more than 500 nonalcoholic beverage brands, which we group into the following category clusters: sparkling soft drinks; water, enhanced water and sports drinks; juice, dairy and plant-based beverages; tea and coffee; and energy drinks. We own and market four of the world's top five nonalcoholic sparkling soft drink 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 and territories.
We make our branded beverage products available to consumers throughout the world through our network of independent bottling partners, distributors, wholesalers and retailers as well as Company-owned or -controlled bottling and distribution operations — the world's largest nonalcoholic beverage distribution system. Beverages bearing trademarks owned by or licensed to us account for 2.0 billion of the approximately 61 billion servings of all beverages consumed worldwide every day.
We believe our success depends on our ability to connect with consumers by providing them with a wide variety of beverage options to meet their desires, needs and lifestyles. Our success further depends on the ability of our people to execute effectively, every day.
Our objective is to execute our growth strategy centered around disciplined portfolio growth; an aligned and engaged bottling system; and winning with our stakeholders — all supported by revenue growth management and brand-building initiatives — 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.
Operating Segments
The Company's operating structure is the basis for our internal financial reporting. Our operating structure includes the following operating segments, which are sometimes referred to as "operating groups" or "groups":
• | Europe, Middle East and Africa |
• | Latin America |
• | North America |
• | Asia Pacific |
• | Global Ventures |
• | Bottling Investments |
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Our operating structure also includes Corporate, which consists of two components: (1) a center focused on strategic initiatives, policy and governance; and (2) an enabling services organization focused on both simplifying and standardizing key transactional processes and providing support to business units through global centers of excellence.
For additional information about our operating segments and Corporate, refer to Note 21 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part II, "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this report.
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.
Products and Brands
As used in this report:
• | "concentrates" means flavorings and other ingredients which, when combined with water and, depending on the product, sweeteners (nutritive or non-nutritive) are used to prepare syrups or finished beverages, and includes minerals and other powders for purified water products; |
• | "syrups" means an intermediate product in the beverage manufacturing process produced by combining concentrates with water and, depending on the product, sweeteners (nutritive or non-nutritive); |
• | "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; |
• | "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 |
• | "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, Coca-Cola Life, Diet Coke/Coca-Cola Light and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and all their variations and any line extensions, including 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, Fanta Apple, etc.; "Trademark Sprite" includes Sprite, Diet Sprite, Sprite Zero, Sprite Light, etc.; and "Trademark Simply" includes Simply Orange, Simply Apple, Simply Grapefruit, etc.). |
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 soft drinks and other nonalcoholic beverages (we refer to this part of our business as our "finished product business" or "finished product operations"). |
Generally, finished product operations generate higher net operating revenues but lower gross profit margins than concentrate operations.
In our domestic and international concentrate operations, we typically generate net operating revenues by selling concentrates, syrups and certain finished beverages to authorized bottling operations (to which we typically refer as our "bottlers" or our "bottling partners"). Our bottling partners either combine concentrates with sweeteners (depending on the product), still water or sparkling water, or combine syrups with still or sparkling water, to produce finished beverages. The finished beverages are packaged in authorized containers, such as cans and refillable and nonrefillable glass and plastic bottles, bearing our trademarks or trademarks licensed to us and are then sold to retailers directly or, in some cases, through wholesalers or other bottlers. In addition, outside the United States, our bottling partners are typically authorized to manufacture fountain syrups, using our concentrate, which they sell to fountain retailers for use in producing beverages for immediate consumption, or to authorized fountain wholesalers who in turn sell and distribute the fountain syrups to fountain retailers. Our concentrate operations are included in our geographic operating segments and our Global Ventures operating segment.
Our finished product operations generate net operating revenues by selling sparkling soft drinks and a variety of other finished nonalcoholic beverages, such as water, enhanced water and sports drinks; juice, dairy and plant-based beverages; tea and coffee; and energy drinks, to retailers or to distributors and wholesalers who distribute them to retailers. These operations consist primarily of Company-owned or -controlled bottling, sales and distribution operations, which are included in our Bottling Investments operating segment. In certain markets, the Company also operates non-bottling finished product
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operations in which we sell finished beverages to distributors and wholesalers that are generally not one of the Company's bottling partners. These operations are generally included in one of our geographic operating segments or our Global Ventures operating segment. In the United States, we manufacture fountain syrups and sell them to fountain retailers, 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. These fountain syrup sales are included in our North America operating segment.
For information regarding net operating revenues and unit case volume related to our concentrate operations and finished product operations, refer to the heading "Our Business — General" set forth in Part II, "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of this report.
For information regarding how we measure the volume of Company beverage products sold by the Company and our bottling partners ("Coca-Cola system"), refer to the heading "Operations Review — Beverage Volume" set forth in Part II, "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of this report.
We own and market numerous valuable nonalcoholic beverage brands, including the following:
• | sparkling soft drinks: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke/Coca-Cola Light, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Fresca, Schweppes,* Sprite, Thums Up; |
• | water, enhanced water and sports drinks: Aquarius, Ciel, Dasani, glacéau smartwater, glacéau vitaminwater, Ice Dew, I LOHAS, Powerade, Topo Chico; |
• | juice, dairy and plant-based beverages: AdeS, Del Valle, fairlife, innocent, Minute Maid, Minute Maid Pulpy, Simply, ZICO; and |
• | tea and coffee: Ayataka, Costa, doğadan, FUZE TEA, Georgia, Gold Peak, HONEST TEA, Kochakaden. |
* Schweppes is owned by the Company in certain countries other than the United States.
In addition to the beverage brands we own, we also provide marketing support and otherwise participate in the sales of other nonalcoholic beverage brands through licenses, joint ventures and strategic partnerships, including, but not limited to, the following:
• | Certain Coca-Cola system bottlers distribute certain brands of Monster Beverage Corporation ("Monster"), primarily Monster Energy, in designated territories in the United States, Canada and other international territories pursuant to distribution coordination agreements between the Company and Monster and related distribution agreements between Monster and Coca-Cola system bottlers. |
• | We have a strategic partnership with Aujan Industries Company J.S.C. ("Aujan"), one of the largest independent beverage companies in the Middle East. We own 50 percent of the entity that holds the rights in certain territories to brands produced and distributed by Aujan, including Rani, a juice brand, and Barbican, a flavored malt beverage brand. |
Consumer demand determines the optimal menu of Company product offerings. Consumer demand can vary from one market to another and can change over time within a single market. Employing our business strategy, our Company seeks to further build its existing brands and, at the same time, to broaden its portfolio of brands, products and services in order to create and satisfy consumer demand in every market.
Distribution System
We make our branded beverage products available to consumers in more than 200 countries and territories through our network of independent bottling partners, distributors, wholesalers and retailers as well as Company-owned or -controlled bottling and distribution operations — the world's largest nonalcoholic beverage distribution system. Consumers enjoy finished beverage products bearing trademarks owned by or licensed to us at a rate of 2.0 billion servings each day. Our strong and stable bottling and distribution system helps us to capture growth by manufacturing, distributing and selling existing, enhanced and new innovative products to consumers throughout the world.
The Coca-Cola system sold 30.3 billion, 29.6 billion and 29.2 billion unit cases of our products in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Sparkling soft drinks represented 69 percent of our worldwide unit case volume for each of 2019, 2018 and 2017. Trademark Coca-Cola accounted for 45 percent of our worldwide unit case volume for each of 2019, 2018 and 2017.
In 2019, unit case volume in the United States represented 18 percent of the Company's worldwide unit case volume. Of the U.S. unit case volume, 62 percent was attributable to sparkling soft drinks. Trademark Coca-Cola accounted for 43 percent of U.S. unit case volume.
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Unit case volume outside the United States represented 82 percent of the Company's worldwide unit case volume for 2019. The countries outside the United States in which our unit case volumes were the largest were Mexico, China, Brazil and India, which together accounted for 31 percent of our worldwide unit case volume. Of the non-U.S. unit case volume, 70 percent was attributable to sparkling soft drinks. Trademark Coca-Cola accounted for 46 percent of non-U.S. unit case volume.
Our five largest independent bottling partners based on unit case volume in 2019 were:
• | Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. ("Coca-Cola FEMSA"), which has bottling and distribution operations in Mexico (a substantial part of central Mexico, including Mexico City, as well as southeast and northeast Mexico), Guatemala (nationwide), Nicaragua (nationwide), Costa Rica (nationwide), Panama (nationwide), Colombia (most of the country), Venezuela (nationwide), Brazil (greater São Paulo, Campiñas, Santos, the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the state of Paraná, the state of Santa Catarina, part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, part of the state of Goiás, part of the state of Rio de Janeiro and part of the state of Minas Gerais), Argentina (federal capital of Buenos Aires and surrounding areas) and Uruguay (nationwide); |
• | Coca-Cola European Partners plc ("CCEP"), which has bottling and distribution operations in Andorra, Belgium, continental France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden; |
• | Coca-Cola HBC AG ("Coca-Cola Hellenic"), which has bottling and distribution operations in Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine; |
• | Arca Continental, S.A.B. de C.V., which has bottling and distribution operations in northern and western Mexico, northern Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, and the state of Texas and parts of the states of New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas in the United States; and |
• | Swire Beverages, which has bottling and distribution operations in 11 provinces and the Shanghai Municipality in the eastern and southern areas of mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and territories in 13 states in the western United States. |
In 2019, these five bottling partners combined represented 40 percent of our total unit case volume.
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.
Bottler's Agreements
We have separate contracts, to which we generally refer as "bottler's agreements," with 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, package, distribute and sell Company Trademark Beverages in authorized containers 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 Company Trademark Beverages in such containers in the territory for sale outside the territory; (2) to prepare, package, distribute and sell such Company Trademark Beverages in the territory in any other manner or form (territorial restrictions on bottlers vary in some cases in accordance with local law); and (3) to handle certain key accounts (accounts that cover multiple territories).
While 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 concentrates and syrups is subject, both outside and within the United States, to competitive market conditions. In addition, 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. Also, in most markets, in an effort to allow our Company and our bottling partners to grow together through shared value, aligned financial objectives and the flexibility necessary to meet consumers' always changing needs and tastes, we have implemented an incidence-based concentrate pricing model. 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.
As further discussed below, our bottler's agreements for territories outside the United States differ in some respects from our bottler's agreements for territories within the United States.
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Bottler's Agreements Outside the United States
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. Generally, these bottler's agreements are subject to termination by the Company following the occurrence of certain designated events, including defined events of default and certain changes in ownership or control of the bottlers. 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.
In certain parts of the world outside the United States, we have not granted comprehensive beverage production and distribution rights to the bottlers. In such instances, we have authorized certain bottlers to (1) prepare and package Company Trademark Beverages for sale to other bottlers or (2) purchase Company Trademark Beverages from other bottlers for sale and distribution throughout their respective designated territories, often on a nonexclusive basis.
Bottler's Agreements Within the United States
In the United States, most bottlers operate under a contract to which we generally refer as a "comprehensive beverage agreement" ("CBA") that is of stated duration, subject in most cases to renewal rights of bottlers and in some cases to renewal rights of the Company. A small number of bottlers continue to operate under legacy bottler's agreements with no stated expiration date for Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages and other cola-flavored beverages. In all instances, 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.
Certain U.S. bottlers, which were granted certain additional exclusive territory rights for the distribution, promotion, marketing and sale of Company-owned and licensed beverage products (as defined by the CBAs) in connection with the refranchising of bottler territories that had previously been managed by Coca-Cola Refreshments ("CCR") (we refer to these bottlers as "expanding participating bottlers" or "EPBs"), operate under CBAs (to which we refer as "EPB CBAs") under which the Company generally retained the rights to produce the applicable beverage products for territories not covered by specific manufacturing agreements, and such bottlers purchase from the Company (or from Company-authorized manufacturing bottlers) substantially all of the finished beverage products needed in order to service the customers in these territories. The EPB CBA has a term of 10 years and is renewable, in most cases by the bottler, and in some cases by the Company, indefinitely for successive additional terms of 10 years each and includes additional requirements that provide for, among other things, a binding national governance model, mandatory incidence pricing and certain core performance requirements. The Company also entered into manufacturing agreements that authorize certain EPBs that have executed EPB CBAs to manufacture certain beverage products for their own account and for supply to other bottlers. In addition, certain U.S. bottlers that were not granted additional exclusive territory rights (to which we refer as "participating bottlers" or "PBs") converted their legacy bottler's agreements to CBAs, to which we refer as "PB CBAs," each of which has a term of 10 years, is renewable by the bottler indefinitely for successive additional terms of 10 years each, and is substantially similar in most material respects to the EPB CBAs, including with respect to requirements for a binding national governance model and mandatory incidence pricing, but includes core performance requirements that vary in certain respects from those in the EPB CBAs.
Those bottlers that have not signed CBAs continue to operate under legacy bottler's agreements that include pricing formulas that generally provide for a baseline price for certain Trademark Coca-Cola Beverages and other cola-flavored Company Trademark Beverages. 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. The U.S. unit case volume manufactured, sold and distributed under these legacy bottler's agreements is not material.
Under the terms of the bottler's agreements, bottlers in the United States generally are not authorized to manufacture fountain syrups. Rather, the 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.
Promotions and Marketing Programs
In addition to conducting our own independent advertising and marketing activities, we may provide promotional and marketing support and/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 bottler's 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 the 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 provided by our Company to bottlers, resellers or other customers of our Company's products, principally for participation in promotional and marketing programs, was $4.4 billion in 2019.
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Investments in Bottling Operations
Most of our branded beverage products are manufactured, sold and distributed by independent bottling partners. However, 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. 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. In line with our long-term bottling strategy, we may periodically consider options for divesting or reducing our ownership interest in a Company-owned or -controlled bottler, typically by selling our interest in a particular bottling operation to an independent bottler to improve Coca-Cola system efficiency. When we sell our interest in a bottling operation to one of our other bottling partners in which we have an equity method investment, our Company continues to participate in the bottler's results of operations through our share of the equity method investee's earnings or losses.
In addition, from time to time we make equity investments representing noncontrolling interests in selected bottling operations with the intention of maximizing the strength and efficiency of the Coca-Cola system's production, marketing, sales and distribution capabilities around the world by providing expertise and resources to strengthen those businesses. 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 sales for our Company's concentrate business. 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."
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
The nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry is highly competitive, consisting of numerous companies ranging from small or emerging to very large and well established. 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 soft drinks; various water products, including flavored and enhanced waters; juices and nectars; fruit drinks and dilutables (including syrups and powdered drinks); coffees and teas; energy, sports and other performance-enhancing drinks; milk and other dairy-based drinks; functional beverages, including vitamin-based products and relaxation 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 S.A., Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., Groupe Danone, The Kraft Heinz Company, Suntory Beverage & Food Limited and Unilever. We also compete against numerous regional and local companies and, increasingly, against smaller companies that are developing micro brands and selling them directly to consumers through e-commerce retailers and other e-commerce platforms. In addition, in some markets, we compete 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, in-store displays and point-of-sale marketing, product and ingredient innovation, increased efficiency in production techniques, the introduction of new packaging, new vending and dispensing equipment, contracting with marketing assets (theaters, sports arenas, universities, etc.) and brand and trademark development and protection.
Our competitive strengths include leading brands with high levels 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; 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; new industry entrants; and dramatic shifts in consumer shopping patterns due to a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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 natural resource in many parts of the world, and our Company recognizes water availability, quality and sustainability, 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"), which is nutritionally equivalent to sugar. HFCS is available from numerous domestic sources and has historically been subject to fluctuations in its market price. The principal
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nutritive sweetener used by our business outside the United States is sucrose, i.e., table sugar, which is also available from numerous sources and has historically been 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 and to our bottling partners 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, sucralose, saccharin, cyclamate and steviol glycosides. Generally, these raw materials are readily available from numerous sources. We purchase sucralose, which we consider a critical raw material, from suppliers in the United States and China. Our Company generally has not experienced major difficulties in obtaining its requirements for non-nutritive sweeteners.
Our supply chain for non-nutritive sweeteners and certain other ingredients for our products includes suppliers in China. As a result of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, beginning in January 2020, our suppliers in China have experienced some delays in the production and export of these ingredients. We have initiated contingency supply plans and do not foresee a short-term impact due to these delays. However, we may see tighter supplies of some of these ingredients in the longer term should production or export operations in China deteriorate.
Juice and juice concentrate from various fruits, particularly orange juice and orange juice concentrate, are the principal raw materials for our juice and juice drink products. We source our orange juice and orange juice concentrate primarily from Florida and the Southern Hemisphere (particularly Brazil). We work closely with Cutrale Citrus Juices U.S.A., Inc., our primary supplier of orange juice from Florida and Brazil, to ensure an adequate supply of orange juice and orange juice concentrate that meets our Company's standards. However, the citrus industry is impacted by greening disease and 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. In addition, greening disease is reducing the number of trees and increasing grower costs and prices.
Our Company-owned or consolidated bottling operations and our finished product business also purchase various other raw materials including, but not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate ("PET") resin, preforms and bottles; glass and aluminum bottles; aluminum and steel cans; plastic closures; aseptic fiber packaging; labels; cartons; cases; postmix packaging; and carbon dioxide. We generally purchase these raw materials from multiple suppliers and historically have not experienced significant shortages.
Patents, Copyrights, Trade Secrets and Trademarks
Our Company owns numerous patents, copyrights and trade secrets and other know-how and technology, which we collectively refer to in this report as "technology." This technology generally relates to beverage products and the processes for their production; packages and packaging materials; design and operation of processes and equipment useful for our business; and certain software. Some of the technology is licensed to suppliers and other parties. Trade secrets are an important aspect of our technology, and 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 all 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 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; privacy and personal data 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.
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Under a California law known as Proposition 65, if the state has determined that a substance causes cancer or harms human reproduction, a warning must be provided for any product sold in the state that exposes consumers to that substance, unless the conditions of an exemption (described below) can be met. The state maintains lists of these substances and periodically adds other substances to these lists. 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:
• | below a "safe harbor" threshold that may be established; |
• | naturally occurring; |
• | the result of necessary cooking; or |
• | 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 certain 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 or that the product is otherwise in compliance with Proposition 65. The state of California and other parties, however, have in the past taken a contrary position and may do so in the future.
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 in connection with the sale, marketing and use of certain 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 such 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.
We are also subject to various federal, state and international laws and regulations related to privacy and data protection, including the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), which became effective in May 2018, and the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 ("CCPA"), which became effective on January 1, 2020. The interpretation and application of data privacy and data protection laws and regulations are often uncertain and are evolving in the United States and internationally. We monitor pending and proposed legislation and regulatory initiatives to ascertain their relevance to and potential impact on our business and develop strategies to address regulatory trends and developments, including any required changes to our privacy and data protection compliance programs and policies.
Employees
As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, our Company had approximately 86,200 and 62,600 employees, respectively, of which approximately 10,100 and 11,400, respectively, were located in the United States. The increase in the total number of employees was primarily due to the acquisition of Costa Limited ("Costa"). Our Company, through its divisions and subsidiaries, is a party to numerous collective bargaining agreements. As of December 31, 2019, approximately 1,100 employees in North America were covered by collective bargaining agreements. These agreements have terms of three years to five years. We currently anticipate that we will be able to successfully renegotiate such agreements when they expire.
The Company believes that its relations with its employees are generally satisfactory.
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Available Information
The Company maintains a website at the following address: www.coca-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 ("SEC") in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("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. In addition, we routinely post on the "Investors" page of our website news releases, announcements and other statements about our business and results of operations, some of which may contain information that may be deemed material to investors. Therefore, we encourage investors to monitor the "Investors" page of our website and review information we post on that page.
The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at the following address: http://www.sec.gov.
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-related concerns may reduce demand for some of our products.
There is growing concern among consumers, public health professionals and government agencies about the health problems associated with obesity. Increasing public concern about obesity; other health-related public concerns surrounding consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages; possible new or increased taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages by government entities to reduce consumption or to raise revenue; additional governmental regulations concerning the advertising, marketing, labeling, packaging or sale of our sugar-sweetened 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, or increase the cost of, our sugar-sweetened beverages, which could adversely affect our profitability.
If we do not address evolving consumer product and shopping preferences, our business could suffer.
Consumer product preferences have evolved and continue to evolve as a result of, among other things, health, wellness and nutrition considerations, including concerns regarding caloric intake associated with sugar-sweetened beverages and the perceived undesirability of artificial ingredients; shifting consumer demographics; changes in consumer tastes and needs coupled with a rapid expansion of beverage options and potential delivery methods; changes in consumer lifestyles; concerns regarding location of origin or source of ingredients and raw materials and the environmental and sustainability impact of ingredient sources and the product manufacturing process; consumer emphasis on transparency related to ingredients we use in our products and collection and recyclability of, and amount of recycled content contained by, our packaging containers and other materials; concerns about the health and welfare of animals in our dairy supply chain; dramatic shifts in consumer shopping patterns as a result of the rapidly evolving digital landscape; and competitive product and pricing pressures. In addition, in many of our markets, shopping patterns are being affected by the digital evolution, with consumers rapidly embracing shopping by way of mobile device applications, e-commerce retailers and e-commerce websites or platforms. If we fail to address past changes in consumer product and shopping preferences, do not successfully anticipate and prepare for future changes in such preferences, or are ineffective or slow in developing and implementing appropriate digital transformation initiatives, our share of sales, revenue growth and overall financial results could be negatively affected.
Increased competition could hurt our business.
We operate in the highly competitive nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry. For additional information regarding the competitive environment in which we operate, including the names of certain of our significant competitors, refer to the heading "Competition" set forth in Part I, "Item 1. Business" of this report. Our ability to gain or maintain share of sales in the global market or in various local markets may be limited as a result of actions by competitors. Competitive pressures may cause us and our bottling partners to reduce prices we charge customers or may restrict our and our bottlers' ability to increase such prices in response to commodity and other cost increases. Such pressures may also increase marketing costs and in-store placement and slotting fees. In addition, the rapid growth of e‑commerce may create additional consumer price deflation by, among other things, facilitating comparison shopping, and could potentially threaten the value of some of our legacy route-to-market strategies and thus negatively affect revenues. If we do not continuously strengthen our capabilities in marketing and innovation to maintain our brand loyalty and market share while we selectively expand into other profitable categories in the nonalcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry, our business could be negatively affected.
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Water scarcity and poor quality could negatively impact the Coca-Cola system's costs and capacity.
Water is a main ingredient in substantially all of our products, is vital to the production of the agricultural ingredients on which our business relies and is needed in our manufacturing process. It also is critical to the prosperity of the communities we serve. Water is a limited resource in many parts of the world, facing unprecedented challenges from overexploitation, increasing demand for food and other consumer and industrial products whose manufacturing processes require water, increasing pollution and emerging awareness of potential contaminants, poor management, lack of physical or financial access to water, sociopolitical tensions due to lack of public infrastructure in certain areas of the world and the effects of climate change. As the demand for water continues to increase around the world, and as water becomes scarcer and the quality of available water deteriorates, the Coca-Cola system may incur higher costs or face capacity constraints and the possibility of reputational damage, which could adversely affect our profitability or net operating revenues in the long run.
Increased demand for food products and decreased agricultural productivity may negatively affect our business.
We and our bottling partners use in the manufacture of our beverage products a number of key ingredients that are derived from agricultural commodities such as sugarcane, corn, sugar beets, citrus, coffee and tea. Increased demand for food products and decreased agricultural productivity in certain regions of the world as a result of changing weather patterns and other factors may limit the availability or increase the cost of such agricultural commodities and could impact the food security of communities around the world. If we are unable to implement programs focused on economic opportunity and environmental sustainability to address these agricultural challenges and fail to make a strategic impact on food security through joint efforts with bottlers, farmers, communities, suppliers and key partners, as well as through our increased and continued investment in sustainable agriculture, our ability to source raw materials for use in our manufacturing processes and the affordability of our products and ultimately our business and results of operations could be negatively impacted.
Product safety and quality concerns could negatively affect our business.
Our success depends in large part on our ability to maintain consumer confidence in the safety and quality of all of our products. We have rigorous product safety and quality standards, which we expect our operations as well as our bottling partners to meet. However, despite our strong commitment to product safety and quality, we or our bottling partners may not always meet these standards, particularly as we expand our product offerings through innovation or acquisitions into beverage categories, such as value-added dairy and plant-based beverages, that are beyond our traditional range of beverage products. If we or our bottling partners fail to comply with applicable product safety and quality standards, or if our beverage products taken to the market are or become contaminated or adulterated by any means, we may be required to conduct costly product recalls and may become subject to product liability claims and negative publicity, which could cause our business to suffer.
Public debate and concern about perceived negative health consequences of certain ingredients, such as non-nutritive sweeteners and biotechnology-derived substances, and of other substances present in our beverage products or packaging materials, may reduce demand for our beverage products.
Public debate and concern about perceived negative health consequences of certain ingredients in our beverage products, such as non-nutritive sweeteners and biotechnology-derived substances; substances that are present in our beverage products naturally or that occur as a result of the manufacturing process, such as 4-methylimidazole ("4-MEI," a chemical compound that is formed during the manufacturing of certain types of caramel coloring used in cola-type beverages); or substances used in packaging materials, such as bisphenol A ("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 affect consumers' preferences and cause them to shift away from some of our beverage products. In addition, increasing public concern about actual or perceived health consequences of the presence of such ingredients or substances in our beverage products or in packaging materials, whether or not justified, could result in additional governmental regulations concerning the advertising, marketing, labeling, packaging or sale of our beverages; possible new or increased taxes on our beverages by government entities; and negative publicity, or actual or threatened legal actions against us or other companies in our industry, all of which could damage the reputation of, and may reduce demand for, our beverage products.
If we are not successful in our innovation activities, our financial results may be negatively affected.
Achieving our business growth objectives depends in part on our ability to evolve and improve our existing beverage products through innovation and to successfully develop, introduce and market new beverage products. The success of our innovation activities in turn depends on our ability to correctly anticipate customer and consumer acceptance and trends; obtain, maintain and enforce necessary intellectual property protections; and avoid infringing on the intellectual property rights of others. If we are not successful in our innovation activities, we may not be able to achieve our growth objectives, which may have a negative impact on our financial results.
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If we are unable to protect our information systems against service interruption, misappropriation of data or breaches of security, our operations could be disrupted, we may suffer financial losses 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, employee processes, consumer marketing, mergers and acquisitions, and research and development. We use information systems to process financial information and results of operations for internal reporting purposes and to comply with regulatory financial reporting and 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 may be impacted by system shutdowns, service disruptions or security breaches. These incidents may be caused by failures during routine operations such as system upgrades or by user errors, as well as network or hardware failures, malicious or disruptive software, unintentional or malicious actions of employees or contractors, cyberattacks by common hackers, criminal groups or nation-state organizations or social-activist (hacktivist) organizations, geopolitical events, natural disasters, failures or impairments of telecommunications networks, or other catastrophic events. In addition, such incidents could result in unauthorized or accidental disclosure of material confidential information or regulated individual personal data. 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. Unauthorized or accidental access to, or destruction, loss, alteration, disclosure, falsification or unavailability of, information could result in violations of data privacy laws and regulations, damage to the reputation and credibility of the Company, loss of opportunities to acquire or divest of businesses or brands and loss of ability to commercialize products developed through research and development efforts and, therefore, could 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, our current or former employees, our bottling partners, other customers or suppliers, or consumers or other data subjects, and may become exposed to legal action and increased regulatory oversight. 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 addition, third-party providers of data hosting or cloud services, as well as our bottling partners, distributors, joint venture partners or suppliers, may experience cybersecurity incidents that may involve data we share with them. Although the incidents that we have experienced to date have not had a material effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations, such incidents could have a material adverse effect on us in the future. In order to address risks to our information systems, we continue to make investments in personnel, technologies, cyber insurance and training of Company personnel. 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 that 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 and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.
If we fail to comply with personal data protection and privacy laws, we could be subject to adverse publicity, government enforcement actions and/or private litigation, which could negatively affect our business and operating results.
In the ordinary course of our business, we receive, process, transmit and store information relating to identifiable individuals ("personal data"), primarily employees and former employees but also some consumers. As a result, we are subject to various U.S. federal and state and foreign laws and regulations relating to personal data. These laws have been subject to frequent changes, and new legislation in this area may be enacted in other jurisdictions at any time. In the European Union ("EU"), the GDPR, which became effective on May 25, 2018 for all EU member states, includes operational requirements for companies receiving or processing personal data of EU residents and provides for significant penalties for noncompliance. In the United States, the CCPA, which became effective on January 1, 2020, provides for a private right of action for data breaches and requires companies that process information about California residents to make disclosures to consumers about their data collection, use and sharing practices and to allow consumers to opt out of certain data sharing with third parties. The changes introduced by the GDPR and the CCPA, as well as any other changes to existing personal data protection or privacy laws and the introduction of such laws in other jurisdictions, have subjected and may continue in the future to subject the Company to, among other things, additional costs and expenses and have required and may in the future require costly changes to our business practices and security systems, policies, procedures and practices. Our security controls over personal data, the training of employees and vendors on data privacy and data security, and the policies, procedures and practices we implemented or may implement in the future may not prevent the improper disclosure of personal data. Improper disclosure of personal data in violation of the GDPR, the CCPA and/or of other personal data protection or privacy laws could harm our reputation, cause loss of consumer confidence, subject us to government enforcement actions (including fines), or result in
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private litigation against us, which could result in loss of revenue, increased costs, liability for monetary damages, fines and/or criminal prosecution, all of which could negatively affect our business and operating results.
If we are not successful in our efforts to digitize the Coca-Cola system, our financial performance will be negatively affected.
The digital evolution is affecting how we interact with consumers, customers, suppliers, bottlers and other business partners and stakeholders. We believe that our future success will depend in part on our ability to adapt to and thrive in the digital environment. Therefore, one of our top priorities is to digitize the Coca-Cola system by, among other things, creating more relevant and more personalized experiences wherever our system interacts with consumers, whether in a digital environment or through digital devices in an otherwise physical environment; finding ways to create more powerful digital tools and capabilities for the Coca‑Cola system's retail customers to enable them to grow their businesses; and digitizing operations through the use of data, artificial intelligence, automation, robotics and digital devices to increase efficiency and productivity. If we are not successful in our efforts to digitize the Coca-Cola system, our ability to increase sales and reduce costs may be negatively affected and the cost and expenses we have incurred or may incur in connection with our digitization initiatives may adversely impact our financial performance.
Changes in the retail landscape or the loss of key retail or foodservice customers could adversely affect our financial performance.
Our industry is being affected by the trend toward consolidation in and blurring of the lines between retail channels, particularly in Europe and the United States. Larger retailers may seek lower prices from us and our bottling partners, may demand increased marketing or promotional expenditures, and may be more likely to use their distribution networks to introduce and develop private label brands, any of which could negatively affect the Coca-Cola system's profitability. In addition, in developed markets discounters and value stores are growing at a rapid pace, while in emerging and developing markets modern trade is growing at a faster pace than traditional trade outlets. Our industry is also being affected by the rapid growth in sales through e-commerce retailers, e-commerce websites, mobile commerce applications and subscription services, which may result in a shift away from physical retail operations to digital channels. As we build the Coca-Cola system's e-commerce capabilities, we may not be able to develop and maintain successful relationships with existing and new e-commerce retailers without experiencing a deterioration of our relationships with key customers operating physical retail channels. If we are unable to successfully adapt to the rapidly changing retail landscape, including the rapid growth in digital commerce, our share of sales, volume growth and overall financial results could be negatively affected. In addition, our success depends in part on our ability to maintain good relationships with key retail and foodservice customers. The loss of one or more of our key retail or foodservice customers could have an adverse effect on our financial performance.
If we are unable to expand our operations in emerging and developing markets, our growth rate could be negatively affected.
Our success depends in part on our ability to grow our business in emerging and developing markets, which in turn depends on economic and political conditions in those markets and on our ability to work with local bottlers to make necessary infrastructure enhancements to production facilities, distribution networks, sales equipment and technology. Additionally, we rely on local availability of talented management and employees to establish and manage our operations in these markets. Scarcity of, or heavy competition for, talented employee resources could impede our abilities in such markets. Moreover, the supply of our products in emerging and developing markets must match consumers' demand for those products. Due to product price, limited purchasing power and cultural differences, our products may not be accepted in any particular emerging or developing market.
Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could have a material adverse effect on 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 2019, we used 70 functional currencies in addition to the U.S. dollar and derived $25.6 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 currencies affect our net operating revenues, operating income and the value of balance sheet items denominated in foreign currencies. For information regarding the estimated impact of currency fluctuations on our consolidated and operating segment net operating revenues for 2019 and 2018, refer to the heading "Operations Review — Net Operating Revenues" set forth in Part II, "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of this report. Because of the geographic diversity of our operations, weaknesses in some currencies may be offset by strengths in others over time. We also use derivative financial instruments to further reduce our net exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. However, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, particularly the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against major currencies or the currencies of large developing countries, could materially affect our financial results.
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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 and to the extent appropriate, we use derivative financial instruments to reduce our exposure to interest rate risks. However, our financial risk management program may not be successful in reducing the risks inherent in exposures to interest rate fluctuations. In addition, in July 2017, the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority, the governing body responsible for regulating the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"), announced that it will no longer compel or persuade financial institutions and panel banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. This decision is expected to result in the discontinuance of the use of LIBOR as a reference rate for commercial loans and other indebtedness. Although the impact of the possible discontinuance of LIBOR publication and transition to alternative reference rates remains unclear, it is possible that these changes may have an adverse impact on our financing costs. 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 of the Company. In addition, some credit rating agencies also consider financial information of certain of our major bottling partners. 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 bottling partners' financial performance; changes in the credit rating agencies' methodology in assessing our credit strength; the credit agencies' perception of the impact of credit market conditions on our or our major bottling partners' 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 bottling partners in which we have equity method investments were to be downgraded, such bottling partners' 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 independent bottling partners and, therefore, the success of our business depends on our bottling partners' financial strength and profitability. While under our agreements with our bottling partners 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; additional regulations; or disruptions of bottling operations that may be caused by strikes, work stoppages, labor unrest, natural disasters or other catastrophic events. 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; and, if such deterioration involves one or more of our major equity investee bottling partners, could also result in a decrease in our equity income and/or impairments of our equity method investments.
Increases in income tax rates, changes in income tax laws or unfavorable resolution of tax matters could have a material adverse impact on our financial results.
We are subject to income tax in the United States and numerous other jurisdictions in which we generate profits. Our overall effective income tax rate is a function of applicable local tax rates and the geographic mix of our income before taxes, which is itself impacted by currency movements. Consequently, the isolated or combined effects of unfavorable movements in tax rates, geographic mix, or foreign exchange rates could reduce our after-tax income.
Our annual tax rate is based on our income and the tax laws in the various jurisdictions in which we operate. Significant judgment is required in determining our annual income tax expense and in evaluating our tax positions. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related disputes could be materially different
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from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. The results of audits or related disputes could have a material effect on our financial statements for the period or periods for which the applicable final determinations are made and for periods for which the statute of limitations is open. For instance, the United States Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") is seeking to increase our U.S. taxable income for tax years 2007 through 2009 by an amount that creates a potential additional U.S. federal income tax liability of approximately $3.3 billion for that period, plus interest. If this income tax dispute were to be ultimately determined adversely to us, any additional taxes, interest and potential penalties in the litigated or subsequent years could have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Any such adjustments related to years prior to 2018, either in the litigation period or later, may have an impact on the transition tax payable as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ("Tax Reform Act"). For additional information regarding this income tax dispute, refer to Note 13 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part II, "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this report.
Increased or new indirect taxes in the United States and throughout the world 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, tariffs, excise taxes, sales or value-added taxes, taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, packaging 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 U.S. 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 in the United States and throughout the world experience significant budget deficits, some lawmakers have singled out beverages among a plethora of revenue-raising items and have imposed or increased, or proposed to impose or increase, sales or similar taxes on beverages, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages. 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 and profitability.
If we do not successfully manage the possible negative consequences of our productivity initiatives, our business operations could be adversely affected.
We believe that improved productivity is 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 model possible. Consequently, we continuously search for productivity opportunities in our business. Some of the actions we may take from time to time in pursuing these opportunities may become a distraction for our managers and employees and may disrupt our ongoing business operations; cause deterioration in employee morale which may make it more difficult for us to retain or attract qualified managers and employees; disrupt or weaken the internal control structures of the affected business operations; and give rise to negative publicity which could affect our corporate reputation. If we are unable to successfully manage the possible negative consequences of our productivity initiatives, our business operations could be adversely affected.
If we are unable to attract or retain a highly skilled and diverse workforce, our business could be negatively affected.
The success of our business depends on our Company's and the Coca-Cola system's ability to attract, develop, retain and motivate a highly skilled and diverse workforce as well as on our success in nurturing a culture that supports our growth and aligns employees around the Company purpose and work that matters most. We may not be able to successfully compete for, attract and/or retain the high-quality and diverse employee talent we want and our future business needs may require, such as employees with e-commerce, social media and digital marketing and advertising skills, and/or digital and analytics capabilities. Changes in immigration laws and policies could also make it more difficult for us to recruit or relocate highly skilled technical, professional and management personnel to meet our business needs. In addition, the unexpected loss of experienced and highly skilled associates due to an increase in aggressive recruiting for best-in-class talent could deplete our institutional knowledge base and erode our competitiveness. Any of the foregoing could have a negative impact on our business.
Increase in the cost, disruption of supply or shortage of energy or fuel could affect our profitability.
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, syrup and juice production plants and the bottling plants and distribution facilities operated by our Company-owned or -controlled bottlers. An increase in the price, disruption of supply or shortage of fuel and other energy sources in countries in which we have concentrate plants, or in any of the major markets in which our Company-owned or -controlled bottlers operate, which may be caused by increasing demand, by events such as natural disasters, power outages and the like, or by government regulations, taxes, policies or programs designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change, could increase our operating costs and negatively impact our profitability.
Our independent 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. An increase in the price, disruption of supply or shortage of fuel and other energy
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sources in any of the major markets in which our independent bottling partners operate could increase the affected independent bottling partners' operating costs and thus indirectly negatively impact our results of operations.
Increase in the cost, disruption of supply or shortage of ingredients, other raw materials, packaging materials, aluminum cans and other containers could harm our business.
We and our bottling partners use various ingredients in our business, including HFCS, sucrose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, saccharin, cyclamate, steviol glycosides, ascorbic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid, caffeine and caramel color; other raw materials such as orange and other fruit juice and juice concentrates; packaging materials such as PET, bio-based PET and recycled PET for bottles; and aluminum cans and other containers. For additional information regarding ingredients, other raw materials, packaging materials and containers we use in our business, refer to the heading "Raw Materials" set forth in Part I, "Item 1. Business" of this report. The prices of these ingredients, other raw materials, packaging materials, aluminum cans and other containers fluctuate depending on market conditions. Substantial increases in the prices of our or our bottling partners' ingredients, other raw materials, packaging materials, aluminum cans and other containers to the extent they cannot be recouped through increases in the prices of finished beverage products, could increase our and our bottling partners' operating costs and reduce our profitability. Increases in the prices of our finished products resulting from a higher cost of ingredients, other raw materials, packaging materials, aluminum cans and other containers could affect affordability in some markets and reduce Coca-Cola system sales. In addition, some of our ingredients, such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and saccharin, as well as some packaging containers, such as aluminum cans, are available from a limited number of suppliers, and certain other ingredients are available from only one source each. Furthermore, some of our suppliers are located in countries experiencing political or other risks. We and our bottling partners may not be able to maintain favorable arrangements and relationships with these suppliers, and our contingency plans may not be effective in preventing disruptions that may arise from shortages of any ingredient that is available from a limited number of suppliers or from only one source.
The citrus industry is impacted by the variability of weather conditions and by greening disease, 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, greening disease is reducing the number of citrus trees and increasing grower costs and prices. Adverse weather conditions may affect the supply of other agricultural commodities from which key ingredients for our products are derived. For example, drought conditions in certain parts of the United States or in other major corn-producing areas of the world may negatively affect the supply of corn, which in turn may result in shortages of and higher prices for HFCS.
An increase in the cost, a sustained interruption in the supply, or a shortage of some of these ingredients, other raw materials, packaging materials, aluminum cans and other containers that may be caused by changes in or the enactment of new laws and regulations; a deterioration of our or our bottling partners' relationships with suppliers; supplier quality and reliability issues; trade disruptions; changes in supply chain; and increases in tariffs that may be caused by the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, commonly referred to as "Brexit"; or events such as natural disasters, widespread outbreaks of infectious diseases (such as the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19), power outages, labor strikes, political uncertainties or governmental instability, or the like could negatively impact our net operating revenues and profits.
Increasing concerns about the environmental impact of plastic bottles and other plastic packaging materials could result in reduced demand for our beverage products and increased production and distribution costs.
There are increasing concerns among consumers, governments and other stakeholders about the damaging impact of the proliferation and accumulation of plastic bottles and other packaging materials in the environment, particularly in the world's waterways, lakes and oceans. We and our bottling partners sell certain of our beverage products in plastic bottles and use other plastic packaging materials that are not biodegradable and, while largely recyclable, may not be regularly recovered and recycled due to low economic value or lack of collection and recycling infrastructure. If we and our bottling partners do not, or are perceived not to, act responsibly to address plastic materials recoverability and recycling concerns, our corporate image and brand reputation could be damaged, which may cause some consumers to reduce or discontinue consumption of some of our beverage products. In addition, from time to time we establish and publicly announce goals and commitments to reduce the Coca-Cola system's impact on the environment by increasing our use of recycled plastic and other packaging materials; increasing our use of packaging materials that are made in part of plant-based renewable materials; participating in programs and initiatives to reclaim or recover plastic bottles and other packaging materials that are already in the environment; and taking other actions and participating in other programs and initiatives organized or sponsored by nongovernmental organizations and other groups. If we and our bottling partners fail to achieve or improperly report on our progress toward achieving our announced environmental goals and commitments, the resulting negative publicity could adversely affect consumer preference for our beverage products. In addition, in response to environmental concerns, governmental entities in the United States and in many other jurisdictions around the world have adopted or are considering adopting regulations and
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policies designed to mandate or encourage plastic packaging waste reduction and an increase of recycling rates or, in some cases, restricting or even prohibiting the use of plastic containers or packaging materials. These regulations and policies, whatever their scope or form, could increase the cost of our beverage products or otherwise put the Company at a competitive disadvantage. In addition, our increased focus on reducing plastic containers and other packaging materials waste may require us to incur additional expenses and to increase our capital expenditures. A reduction in consumer demand for our beverage products and/or an increase in costs and expenditures relating to production and distribution as a result of these environmental concerns regarding plastic bottles and other packaging materials could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
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 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 in connection with the sale, marketing and use of certain beverage containers. Other proposals relating to beverage container deposits, recycling, tethered bottle caps, ecotax and/or product stewardship or even prohibitions on certain types of plastic products, packages and cups 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 the related publicity could result in the adoption of additional such legislation or regulations in the future. 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 and profitability.
Significant additional labeling or warning requirements or limitations on the marketing or sale of our products may inhibit sales of affected products.
Various jurisdictions may seek to adopt significant additional product labeling or warning requirements or limitations on the marketing or sale of our products as a result of what they contain or allegations that they cause adverse health effects. 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.
For example, under one such law in California, known as Proposition 65, if the state has determined that a substance causes cancer or harms human reproduction, a warning must be provided for any product sold in the state that exposes consumers to that substance, unless the exposure falls under an established safe harbor level or another exemption is applicable. For additional information regarding Proposition 65, refer to the heading "Governmental Regulation" set forth in Part I, "Item 1. Business" of this report. 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 could negatively impact our financial performance.
In 2019, our net operating revenues in the United States were $11.7 billion, or 31 percent, of our total net operating revenues. Unfavorable general economic conditions, such as a recession or economic slowdown, in the United States could negatively affect the affordability of, and consumer demand for, our beverages in our flagship market. 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 could reduce our profitability and could negatively affect our overall 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 2019, our operations outside the United States accounted for $25.6 billion, or 69 percent, of our total net operating revenues. Unfavorable economic conditions and financial uncertainties in our major international markets, including uncertainties related to Brexit implementation, and unstable political conditions, including civil unrest and governmental changes, in certain of our other international markets could undermine global consumer confidence and reduce consumers' purchasing power, thereby reducing demand for our products. Product boycotts resulting from political activism could reduce demand for our products, while restrictions on our ability to transfer earnings or capital across borders, price controls, limitations on profits, retaliatory tariffs, import authorization requirements and other restrictions on business activities which have been or may be imposed or expanded as a result of political and economic instability, deterioration of economic relations between countries or otherwise, could impact our profitability. In addition, U.S. trade sanctions against countries designated by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism and/or financial institutions accepting transactions for commerce within such countries could increase significantly,
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which could make it impossible for us to continue to make sales to bottlers in such countries. The imposition of retaliatory sanctions against U.S. multinational corporations by countries that are or may become subject to U.S. trade sanctions, or the delisting of our branded products by retailers in various countries in reaction to U.S. trade sanctions or other governmental action or policy, could also negatively affect our 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 in the ordinary course of business, including, but not limited to, litigation claims and legal proceedings arising out of our advertising and marketing practices, product claims and labels, intellectual property and commercial disputes, tax disputes, and environmental and employment matters. 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. Actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from our current assessments and estimates.
We conduct business in markets with high-risk legal compliance environments, which exposes us to increased legal and reputational risk.
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, our policies, procedures and related training programs may not 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.
If our third-party service providers and business partners do not satisfactorily fulfill their commitments and responsibilities, our financial results could suffer.
In the conduct of our business, we rely on relationships with third parties, including cloud data storage and other information technology service providers, suppliers, distributors, contractors, joint venture partners and other external business partners, for certain functions or for services in support of key portions of our operations. These third-party service providers and business partners are subject to similar risks as we are relating to cybersecurity, privacy violations, business interruption, and systems and employee failures, and are subject to legal, regulatory and market risks of their own. Our third-party service providers and business partners may not fulfill their respective commitments and responsibilities in a timely manner and in accordance with the agreed upon terms. In addition, while we have procedures in place for selecting and managing our relationships with third-party service providers and other business partners, we do not have control over their business operations or governance and compliance systems, practices and procedures, which increases our financial, legal, reputational and operational risk. If we are unable to effectively manage our third-party relationships, or for any reason our third-party service providers or business partners fail to satisfactorily fulfill their commitments and responsibilities, our financial results could suffer.
Failure to adequately protect, or disputes relating to, trademarks, formulae and other intellectual property rights could harm our business.
Our trademarks, formulae and other intellectual property rights (refer to the heading "Patents, Copyrights, Trade Secrets and Trademarks" in Part I, "Item 1. Business" of this report) are essential to the success of our business. We cannot be certain that the legal steps we are taking around the world are sufficient to protect our intellectual property rights or that, notwithstanding legal protection, others do not or will not infringe or misappropriate our intellectual property rights. If we fail to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, or if changes in laws diminish or remove the current legal protections available to them, the competitiveness of our products may be eroded and our business could suffer. In addition, we could come into conflict with third parties over intellectual property rights, which could result in disruptive and expensive litigation. Any of the foregoing could harm our business.
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.
Climate change and legal or regulatory responses thereto may have a long-term adverse impact on our business and results of operations.
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
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an increase in the frequency and severity of natural disasters. Decreased agricultural productivity in certain regions of the world as a result of changing weather patterns may limit the availability or increase the cost of key agricultural commodities, such as sugarcane, corn, sugar beets, citrus, coffee and tea, which are important sources of ingredients for our products, and could impact the food security of communities around the world. Climate change may also exacerbate water scarcity and cause a further deterioration of water quality in affected regions, which could limit water availability for the Coca-Cola system's bottling operations. Increased frequency or duration of extreme weather conditions could also impair production capabilities, disrupt our supply chain or impact demand for our products. Increasing concern over climate change also may result in additional legal or regulatory requirements designed to reduce or mitigate the effects of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions on the environment. Increased energy or compliance costs and expenses due to increased legal or regulatory requirements may cause disruptions in, or an increase in the costs associated with, the manufacturing and distribution of our beverage products. The effects of climate change and legal or regulatory initiatives to address climate change could have a long-term adverse impact on our business and results of operations. In addition, from time to time we establish and publicly announce goals and commitments to reduce the Coca-Cola system's carbon footprint by increasing our use of recycled packaging materials and participating in environmental and sustainability programs and initiatives organized or sponsored by nongovernmental organizations and other groups to reduce greenhouse gas emissions industry-wide. If we and our bottling partners fail to achieve or improperly report on our progress toward achieving our carbon footprint reduction goals and commitments, the resulting negative publicity could adversely affect consumer preference for our beverage products.
If negative publicity, whether or not warranted, concerning product safety or quality, workplace and human rights, obesity or other issues damages our brand image, corporate reputation and social license to operate, our business may suffer.
Our success depends in large part 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 and social license to operate. However, our continuing investment in advertising and marketing and our strong commitment to product safety and quality and human rights may not 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. 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, from time to time, we and our executives engage in public policy endeavors that are either directly related to our products and packaging or to our business operations and the general economic climate affecting the Company. These engagements in public policy debates can occasionally be the subject of backlash from advocacy groups that have a differing point of view and could result in adverse media and consumer reaction, including product boycotts. Similarly, our sponsorship relationships could subject us to negative publicity as a result of actual or alleged misconduct by individuals or entities associated with organizations we sponsor or support financially or through in-kind contributions. Likewise, campaigns by activists connecting us, or our bottling system or supply chain, with workplace and human rights issues, whether actual or perceived, could adversely impact our corporate image and reputation. Additionally, negative postings or comments on social media or networking websites about the Company or one of its brands, even if inaccurate or malicious, could generate adverse publicity that could damage the reputation of our brands or the Company. Furthermore, in June 2011, the United Nations Human Rights Council endorsed the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which outlines how businesses should implement the corporate responsibility to respect human rights principles included in the United Nations "Protect, Respect and Remedy" framework on human rights. Through our Human Rights Policy, Code of Business Conduct and Supplier Guiding Principles, and our participation in the United Nations Global Compact, as well as our active participation in the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights, we made a number of commitments to respect all human rights. Allegations, even if untrue, that we are not respecting one or more of the 30 human rights found in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights; actual or perceived failure by our suppliers or other business partners to comply with applicable workplace and labor laws, including child labor laws, or their actual or perceived abuse or misuse of migrant workers; and adverse publicity surrounding obesity and health concerns related to our products, water usage, environmental impact, labor relations or the like could negatively affect our Company's overall reputation and brand image, which in turn could have a negative impact on our products' acceptance by consumers. In addition, if we fail to protect our associates' and our supply chain employees' human rights, or inadvertently discriminate against any group of associates or hiring prospects, our ability to hire and retain the best talent will be diminished, which could have an adverse impact on our overall business.
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 and product stewardship, the protection of the environment, occupational health and safety, employment and labor practices, personal data protection and privacy, and data security. For additional information regarding laws and regulations applicable to our business, refer to the heading "Governmental Regulation" set forth in Part I, "Item 1. Business" of this report. Changes in applicable laws or regulations or evolving interpretations thereof, including increased or additional regulations to
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limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions as a result of concern over climate change, to discourage the use of plastic materials, including regulations relating to recovery and/or disposal of plastic bottles and other packaging materials due to environmental concerns, or to limit or impose additional costs on commercial water use due to local water scarcity concerns, may result in increased compliance costs, capital expenditures and other financial obligations for us and our bottling partners, which could affect our profitability, or may impede the production, distribution, marketing and sale of our products, which could affect our net operating revenues. In addition, failure to comply with U.S. trade sanctions, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other applicable laws or regulations could result in litigation, the assessment of damages, the imposition of penalties, suspension of production or distribution, costly changes to equipment or processes due to required corrective action, or a cessation or interruption of operations at our or our bottling partners' facilities, as well as damage to our or our bottling partners' image and reputation, all of which could harm our or our bottling partners' 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 financial results for the affected periods.
If we are not able to achieve our overall long-term growth objectives, 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, among other things, our evaluation of our growth prospects, which are generally driven by the sales potential of our many beverage products, some of which are more profitable than others, and on an assessment of the potential price and product mix. We may not be able to realize the sales potential and the price and product mix necessary to achieve our long-term growth objectives.
If global credit market conditions deteriorate, our financial performance could be adversely affected.
The cost and availability of credit vary by market and are subject to changes in the global or regional economic environment. If conditions in major credit markets deteriorate, our and our bottling partners' ability to obtain debt financing on favorable terms may be negatively affected, which could affect our and our bottling partners' profitability as well as our share of the income of bottling partners in which we have equity method investments. A decrease in availability of consumer credit resulting from unfavorable credit market conditions, as well as general unfavorable economic conditions, may also cause consumers to reduce their discretionary spending, which could reduce the demand for our beverages and negatively affect our and our bottling partners' financial performance.
Default by or failure of one or more of our counterparty financial institutions could cause us to incur significant losses.
As part of our hedging activities, we enter into transactions involving derivative financial instruments, including forward contracts, commodity futures contracts, option contracts, collars and swaps, with various financial institutions. In addition, we have significant amounts of cash, cash equivalents and other investments on deposit or in accounts with banks or other financial institutions in the United States and abroad. As a result, we are exposed to the risk of default by or failure of counterparty financial institutions. The risk of counterparty default or failure may be heightened during economic downturns and periods of uncertainty in the financial markets. If one of our counterparties were to become insolvent or file for bankruptcy, our ability to recover losses incurred as a result of default or to retrieve our assets that are deposited or held in accounts with such counterparty may be limited by the counterparty's liquidity or the applicable laws governing the insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings. In the event of default by or failure of one or more of our counterparties, we could incur significant losses, which could negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition.
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. 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 may nevertheless be 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 could 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 bottling operations' 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 could reduce our net operating revenues and could expose us to customer claims. Furthermore, from time to time we and our bottling partners restructure manufacturing and other operations to improve productivity. Restructuring activities and the announcement of plans for future restructuring activities may result in a general increase in insecurity among some Company associates and some employees in other parts of the Coca-Cola system, which may have negative impacts on employee morale and work performance, result in
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escalation of grievances and adversely affect the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements. If these labor relations are not effectively managed at the local level, they could escalate in the form of corporate campaigns supported by the labor organizations and could negatively affect our Company's overall reputation and brand image, which in turn could have a negative impact on our products' acceptance by consumers.
We may be required to recognize impairment charges that could materially affect our financial results.
We assess our noncurrent assets, including trademarks, bottler franchise rights, goodwill and other intangible assets, equity method investments and 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 similar recoverability and 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 impairment charges recorded by equity method investees in the future and, if we do so, our net income could be materially adversely affected.
We may incur multi-employer pension plan withdrawal liabilities in the future, which could negatively impact our financial performance.
We currently participate, and have in the past participated, in certain multi-employer pension plans in the United States. The U.S. multi-employer pension plans in which we currently participate have contractual arrangements that extend into 2021. If in the future we choose to withdraw, or are deemed to have withdrawn, from any of the multi-employer pension plans in which we currently participate, or in which we have participated in the past, we would need to record the appropriate withdrawal liabilities, which could negatively impact our financial performance in the applicable periods.
If we do not successfully integrate and manage our Company-owned or -controlled bottling operations or other acquired businesses or brands, 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. In addition, we routinely evaluate opportunities to acquire other businesses or brands to expand our beverage portfolio and capabilities. We may incur unforeseen liabilities and obligations in connection with acquiring, taking control of or managing acquired bottling operations, other businesses or brands 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 or other newly acquired businesses, which may increase the risk of failure to prevent misstatements in their financial records and in our consolidated financial statements. In addition, our product quality and safety programs and controls may not be sufficiently robust to effectively cope with the expanded range of product offerings introduced through newly acquired businesses or brands, which may increase our costs or subject us to negative publicity. Also, we may not be able to successfully manage the additional complexities involved with overseeing the various supply chain models as we expand our product offerings and seek to manage acquired businesses in a more independent, less integrated manner. Our financial performance depends in large part on how well we can manage and improve the performance of Company-owned or -controlled bottling operations and other acquired businesses or brands. However, we may not be able to achieve our strategic and financial objectives for such bottling operations, businesses or brands. If we incur unforeseen liabilities, obligations and costs in connection with acquiring or integrating bottling operations or other businesses, experience internal control or product quality failures or are unable to achieve our strategic and financial objectives for Company-owned or -controlled bottling operations and other acquired businesses or brands, our consolidated results could be negatively affected.
If we do not successfully manage our refranchising activities, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.
As part of our strategic initiative to refocus on our core business of building brands and leading our system of bottling partners, we continue to seek opportunities to refranchise Company-owned or -controlled bottling operations. Our refranchising activities require significant attention and effort on the part of, and therefore may be a distraction for, senior management. If we are unable to complete future refranchising transactions on our expected timetable and on terms and conditions favorable to us; our refranchising partners are not efficient and aligned with our long-term vision for the Coca-Cola system; or we are unable to maintain good relationships with the refranchised bottling operations, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.
If we fail to realize a significant portion of the anticipated benefits of our strategic relationship with Monster, our financial performance could be adversely affected.
In June 2015, we and Monster entered into a long-term strategic relationship in the global energy drink category. If we are unable to successfully manage our complex relationship with Monster, or if for any other reason we fail to realize all or a
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significant part of the benefits we expect from this strategic relationship and the related investment, our financial performance could be adversely affected.
Global or regional catastrophic events could impact our operations and financial results.
Because of our global presence and worldwide operations, our business could be affected by large-scale terrorist acts, cyber-strikes and radiological attacks, 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 as the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. 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 could 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 our 621,000 square foot headquarters building and an 870,000 square foot building in which our North America group's main offices are located. The complex also includes several other buildings, including our 264,000 square foot Coca-Cola Plaza building, technical and engineering facilities and a reception center. These properties, except for the North America group's main offices, are included in Corporate. The North America group's main offices are included in the North America operating segment.
We own or lease additional facilities, real estate and office space throughout the world which we use for administrative, manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, warehousing, distribution and retail operations. These properties are generally included in the geographic operating segment in which they are located, with the exception of our retail stores which are primarily included in the Global Ventures operating segment.
The following table summarizes our principal production facilities, distribution and storage facilities, and retail stores by operating segment and Corporate as of December 31, 2019:
Principal Concentrate and/or Syrup Plants | Principal Beverage Manufacturing/Bottling Plants | Principal Distribution and Storage Warehouses | Principal Retail Stores | ||||||||||||||||||||
Owned | Leased | Owned | Leased | Owned | Leased | Owned | Leased | ||||||||||||||||
Europe, Middle East & Africa | 6 | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | 12 | |||||||||||||||
Latin America | 5 | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | — | |||||||||||||||
North America | 11 | — | 9 | 1 | — | 38 | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Asia Pacific | 6 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Global Ventures | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1,718 | |||||||||||||||
Bottling Investments | — | — | 87 | 7 | 101 | 97 | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Corporate | 3 | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Total | 32 | — | 97 | 8 | 105 | 171 | — | 1,730 | |||||||||||||||
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 achieved 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 or lease 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, except as disclosed in "U.S. Federal Income Tax Dispute" below, the total liabilities of 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.
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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 ("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 ("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 15,000 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 paid funds into escrow accounts 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 ("Chartis insurers") would be finalized in May 2011, but the Chartis 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 insurance coverage litigation.
In February 2012, the parties filed and argued a number of cross-motions for summary judgment related to the issues of the enforceability of the settlement agreement and the exhaustion of policies underlying those of the Chartis insurers. The court granted defendants' motions for summary judgment that the 2011 Settlement Agreement and 2010 Term Sheet were not binding contracts, but denied their similar motions related to plaintiffs' claims for promissory and/or equitable estoppel. On or about May 15, 2012, the parties entered into a mutually agreeable settlement/stipulation resolving two major issues: exhaustion of underlying coverage and control of defense. On or about January 10, 2013, the parties reached a settlement of the estoppel claims and all of the remaining coverage issues, with the exception of one disputed issue relating to the scope of the Chartis insurers' defense obligations in two policy years. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the Company and Aqua-Chem on that one open issue and entered a final appealable judgment to that effect following the parties' settlement. On January 23, 2013, the Chartis insurers filed a notice of appeal of the trial court's summary judgment ruling. On October 29,
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2013, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals affirmed the grant of summary judgment in favor of the Company and Aqua-Chem. On November 27, 2013, the Chartis insurers filed a petition for review in the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, and on December 11, 2013, the Company filed its opposition to that petition. On April 16, 2014, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin denied the Chartis insurers' petition for review.
The Georgia Case remains subject to the stay agreed to in 2004.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Dispute
On September 17, 2015, the Company received a Statutory Notice of Deficiency (the "Notice") from the IRS for the tax years 2007 through 2009 after a five-year audit. In the Notice, the IRS claimed that the Company's U.S. taxable income should be increased by an amount that creates a potential additional federal income tax liability of approximately $3.3 billion for the period plus interest. No penalties were asserted in the Notice. The disputed amounts largely relate to a transfer pricing matter involving the appropriate amount of taxable income the Company should report in the United States in connection with its licensing of intangible property to certain related foreign licensees regarding the manufacturing, distribution, sale, marketing and promotion of products in certain foreign markets.
During the 2007-2009 audit period, the Company followed the same transfer pricing methodology for these licenses that had consistently been followed since the methodology was agreed with the IRS in a 1996 closing agreement (the "Closing Agreement") that applied back to 1987. The Closing Agreement provided prospective penalty protection conditioned on the Company's continued adherence to the prescribed methodology absent a change in material facts or circumstances or relevant federal tax law. Although the IRS subsequently asserted, without explanation, that material facts and circumstances and relevant federal tax law had changed, it has not asserted penalties. The Company's compliance with the Closing Agreement was audited and confirmed by the IRS in five successive audit cycles covering the subsequent 11 years through 2006, with the last audit concluding as recently as 2009.
The Notice represents a repudiation of the methodology previously adopted in the Closing Agreement. The IRS designated the matter for litigation on October 15, 2015. Due to the fact that the matter remains designated, the Company is prevented from pursuing any administrative settlement at IRS Appeals or under the IRS Advance Pricing and Mutual Agreement Program.
The Company firmly believes that the IRS' claims are without merit and is pursuing, and will continue to pursue, all available administrative and judicial remedies necessary to vigorously defend its position. To that end, the Company filed a petition in the U.S. Tax Court on December 14, 2015, and the IRS filed its answer on February 12, 2016. On October 4, 2017, the IRS filed an amended answer to the Company's petition in which it increased its transfer pricing adjustment by $385 million, resulting in an additional tax adjustment of $135 million.
On June 20, 2017, the Company filed a motion for summary judgment on the portion of the IRS' adjustments related to our licensee in Mexico. On December 14, 2017, the U.S. Tax Court issued a decision on the summary judgment motion in favor of the Company. This decision effectively reduced the IRS' potential tax adjustment by approximately $138 million.
The U.S. Tax Court trial was held from March 8, 2018 through May 11, 2018. The Company and the IRS filed and exchanged final post-trial briefs in April 2019. It is not known how much time will elapse thereafter prior to the issuance of the Court's opinion. In the interim, or subsequent to the court's opinion, the IRS may propose similar adjustments for years subsequent to the 2007-2009 litigation period. While the Company continues to strongly disagree with the IRS' position, there is no assurance that the court will rule in the Company's favor, and it is possible that all or some portion of the adjustment proposed by the Notice ultimately could be sustained. In that event, the Company will be subject to significant additional liabilities for the years at issue and potentially also for subsequent periods, which could have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
Environmental Matter
In April 2019, the Company received a Finding and Notice of Violation ("NOV") from the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") alleging that the Company violated the California Truck and Bus Regulation and the California Drayage Truck Regulation by failing to verify compliance with such regulations by certain diesel-fueled vehicles owned by third parties that the Company caused to be operated in California. The Company reached a settlement with the EPA regarding this matter under which it paid a civil penalty of $145,000.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
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ITEM X. INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following are the executive officers of our Company as of February 24, 2020:
Manuel Arroyo, 52, is Chief Marketing Officer of the Company and President of the Asia Pacific Group. Mr. Arroyo first joined the Company in 1995 in Madrid in brand management and served in roles of increasing responsibility with the Company until his appointment as General Manager for Spain in 2004, a position which he held until 2006. Mr. Arroyo served as President of the South East and West Asia business unit from 2006 to 2010 and as President of the ASEAN business unit from 2010 to August 2014. Mr. Arroyo served as Senior Vice President and President, Asia Pacific, of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., a multinational consumer product manufacturer, from September 2014 to May 2015, and as Chief Executive Officer of Deoleo, S.A., a Spanish multinational olive oil processing company, from May 2015 until September 2016. Mr. Arroyo returned to the Company as General Manager for Iberia in February 2017 and was appointed President of the Mexico business unit in July 2017, a position in which he served until his appointment as President of the Asia Pacific Group effective January 1, 2019. Mr. Arroyo was appointed Chief Marketing Officer of the Company effective January 1, 2020 and continues to serve as President of the Asia Pacific Group.
Lisa Chang, 51, is Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer of the Company. Ms. Chang joined the Company as Chief People Officer effective March 1, 2019. Prior to joining the Company, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for AMB Group LLC, which is the investment management and shared services arm of The Blank Family of Businesses, from 2014 through 2018. Prior to joining AMB Group LLC, Ms. Chang served as Vice President of Human Resources for International at Equifax Inc. from 2013 through 2014, where she led human resources for all of its global locations. Prior to Equifax Inc., Ms. Chang held various senior human resources positions in the media and entertainment industry with Turner Broadcasting System Inc. and The Weather Channel from 1998 through 2013. Ms. Chang was elected Senior Vice President of the Company effective March 1, 2019.
James L. Dinkins, 57, is Senior Vice President of the Company and President, Coca-Cola North America. Mr. Dinkins joined the Company in 1988, serving in various account management, marketing and field sales roles with Coca-Cola USA until July 1999. He rejoined the Company in August 2002 as Managing Director, NCAA Sports, and held positions of increasing responsibility in the Coca-Cola Foodservice and On-Premise business of Coca-Cola North America. From November 2010 to April 2014, he served as President, 7-Eleven Global Customer Team, and from April 2014 to August 2014, he served as Senior Vice President, National Retail Sales for select grocery, club and convenience retail customers. From August 2014 to May 2017, he served as Chief Retail Sales Officer for Coca-Cola North America. From May 2017 to December 2017, he served as President of the Minute Maid business unit and Chief Retail Sales Officer for Coca-Cola North America. Mr. Dinkins was appointed President of Coca-Cola North America and elected Senior Vice President of the Company effective January 1, 2018.
Nikos Koumettis, 55, is President of the Europe, Middle East and Africa Group. Mr. Koumettis joined the Company in January 2001 as Southeast Mediterranean Region General Manager for Greece and Cyprus. Mr. Koumettis served as President of the Adriatic and Balkans business unit from January 2003 to June 2008, as President of Coca-Cola Ltd. based in Canada from June 2008 to April 2011, and as President of the Central and Southern Europe business unit from April 2011 to April 2016. In April 2016, Mr. Koumettis was appointed President of the Central and Eastern Europe business unit based in Athens and continued in that position until his appointment as President of the Europe, Middle East and Africa Group effective January 1, 2019.
Robert Long, 62, is Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of the Company. Mr. Long joined the Company in April 2004 as Vice President, Global Packaging Platforms. In October 2007, he moved to Japan to lead research and development for Japan, a position he held until coming to Coca-Cola North America in August 2010 to lead research and development. In October 2012, he also assumed North America responsibility for Technical Governance (Quality, Environment, Safety and Scientific & Regulatory Affairs). Mr. Long served as Vice President, Research and Development, of the Company from December 2016 until his appointment as Chief Innovation Officer and election as Senior Vice President of the Company effective May 1, 2017.
Jennifer K. Mann, 47, is Senior Vice President of the Company and President, Global Ventures. Ms. Mann joined the Company in 1997 as Manager in the National Customer Support Division of Coca-Cola North America. She served as Vice President and General Manager of Coca-Cola Freestyle from June 2012 until October 2015, when she was appointed Chief of Staff for James Quincey, then President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Ms. Mann was appointed Chief People Officer and elected Senior Vice President of the Company effective May 1, 2017. She continued to serve as Chief of Staff for the Chief Executive Officer of the Company until October 2018. Ms. Mann was appointed to the additional position of President, Global Ventures, effective January 1, 2019 and continued to serve as Chief People Officer until March 1, 2019.
John Murphy, 58, is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Mr. Murphy joined the Company in 1988 as an International Internal Auditor. In 1991, he moved to Coca-Cola Japan and served as Executive Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Murphy served in various finance, planning and operations roles with expanded responsibilities at
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Coca-Cola Japan and subsequently worked for F&N Coca-Cola Ltd., the Coca-Cola bottling partner in Singapore. He rejoined the Company in 1996 as Region Manager in Indonesia. From March 2000 to November 2000, Mr. Murphy served as Vice President of Business Systems in Coca-Cola North America, and from December 2000 to May 2003, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Coca-Cola Japan. From June 2003 to May 2005, he served as Deputy President of Coca-Cola Japan, and in June 2005, he was appointed Vice President of Strategic Planning of the Company, a position he held until he became President of the Latin Center business unit in October 2008. Mr. Murphy was appointed President of the South Latin business unit in January 2013 and served in that role until his appointment to the position of President of the Asia Pacific Group in August 2016. Mr. Murphy was elected Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Financial Officer of the Company effective January 1, 2019 and served in those capacities until his election as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company effective March 16, 2019.
Beatriz Perez, 50, is Senior Vice President and Chief Communications, Public Affairs, Sustainability and Marketing Assets Officer of the Company. Ms. Perez joined the Company in 1996 and has served in various roles of increasing responsibility in brand and marketing management, field operations, sustainability, public affairs and communications. From April 2010 to June 2011, she served as Chief Marketing Officer for Coca-Cola North America. She served as the Company's first Chief Sustainability Officer from July 2011 to April 2017, and as Vice President, Global Partnerships and Licensing, Retail and Attractions from July 2016 to April 2017. Ms. Perez was appointed Chief Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability Officer of the Company effective May 1, 2017 (Ms. Perez's functional title was subsequently changed to Chief Communications, Public Affairs, Sustainability and Marketing Assets Officer). Ms. Perez was elected Vice President of the Company in July 2011 and served in that capacity until her election as Senior Vice President of the Company effective May 1, 2017.
Nancy Quan, 53, is Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of the Company. Ms. Quan joined the Company in May 2007 as R&D General Manager for the Europe and Eurasia Group. Ms. Quan served as Vice President, Innovation, of the Company from April 2008 to January 2010, as Vice President, R&D, for the Pacific Group from January 2010 to January 2012, and as Global R&D Officer for the Company from January 2012 to July 2016. Ms. Quan was appointed Chief Technical Officer of Coca-Cola North America in July 2016 and continued in that position until her election as Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of the Company effective January 1, 2019.
James Quincey, 55, is Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Quincey joined the Company in 1996 as Director, Learning Strategy for the Latin America Group. He went on to serve in a series of operational roles of increasing responsibility in Latin America, leading to his appointment as President of the South Latin Division in December 2003, a position in which he served until his appointment as President of the Mexico Division in December 2005. In October 2008, he was named President of the Northwest Europe and Nordics business unit and served in that role until he was appointed President of the Europe Group in January 2013. He was elected President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company effective August 2015 and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective May 1, 2017. Mr. Quincey served as President until December 2018. Mr. Quincey was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Company in April 2017. In December 2018, the Board of Directors elected Mr. Quincey to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company effective upon his re-election as a Director at the Annual Meeting of Shareowners of the Company held on April 24, 2019.
Alfredo Rivera, 58, is President of the Latin America Group. Mr. Rivera joined the Company in April 1997 as a District Manager for Guatemala and El Salvador. In July 1999, he was appointed Southeast Region Manager in the Brazil Division, serving in this role until December 2003. From January 2004 to August 2006, he served as General Manager for the Ecuador business. From September 2006 to December 2012, Mr. Rivera served as Sparkling Beverages General Manager for the Mexico business unit. In January 2013, he was appointed President of the Latin Center business unit and served in that role until his appointment to his current position in August 2016.
Barry Simpson, 59, is Senior Vice President and Chief Information and Integrated Services Officer of the Company. In 2008, Mr. Simpson joined the Coca-Cola system, where he served as Chief Information Officer of Coca-Cola Amatil Limited, a Coca-Cola bottler based in Sydney, Australia, until December 2015. He joined the Company in January 2016 as the head of Global Business Unit Information Technology Services. Mr. Simpson was appointed Chief Information Officer in October 2016 and was elected Senior Vice President of the Company in December 2016. Effective January 1, 2019, Mr. Simpson's duties were expanded to include oversight of portions of the Company's Enabling Services organization and his title was changed to Senior Vice President and Chief Information and Integrated Services Officer of the Company.
Brian Smith, 64, is President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Mr. Smith joined the Company in 1997 as Latin America Group Manager for Mergers and Acquisitions, a role he held until July 2001. From 2001 to 2002, he worked as Executive Assistant to Brian Dyson, then Chief Operating Officer and Vice Chairman of the Company. Mr. Smith served as President of the Brazil Division from 2002 to 2008 and President of the Mexico business unit from 2008 through December 2012. Mr. Smith served as President of the Latin America Group from January 2013 to August 2016 and as President of the
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Europe, Middle East and Africa Group from August 2016 until his election as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company effective January 1, 2019.
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 and the corresponding trading symbol is "KO."
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 are at the discretion of our Board of Directors.
As of February 19, 2020, there were 200,770 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 subheading "Equity Compensation Plan Information" under the principal heading "Compensation" in the Company's definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareowners to be held on April 22, 2020 ("Company's 2020 Proxy Statement"), to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is incorporated herein by reference.
During the year ended December 31, 2019, 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, 2019 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 Plan2 | Maximum Number of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under Publicly Announced Plans3 | ||||||||
September 28, 2019 through October 25, 2019 | 955,091 | $ | 54.22 | 945,000 | 167,390,321 | |||||||
October 26, 2019 through November 22, 2019 | 3,769,586 | 52.92 | 3,770,300 | 163,620,021 | ||||||||
November 23, 2019 through December 31, 2019 | 4,131,840 | 54.16 | 2,590,354 | 161,029,667 | ||||||||
Total | 8,856,517 | $ | 53.64 | 7,305,654 | ||||||||
1 | The total number of shares purchased includes: (i) shares purchased pursuant to the 2012 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. |
2 | On October 18, 2012, the Company publicly announced that our Board of Directors had authorized a plan ("2012 Plan") for the Company to purchase up to 500 million shares of our common stock. This column discloses the number of shares purchased pursuant to the 2012 Plan during the indicated time periods (including shares purchased pursuant to the terms of preset trading plans meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act). |
3 | On February 21, 2019, the Company publicly announced that our Board of Directors had authorized a new plan ("2019 Plan") for the Company to purchase up to 150 million shares of our common stock following the completion of the 2012 Plan. This column discloses the number of shares available for purchase under the 2012 Plan and the number of shares authorized for purchase under the 2019 Plan. |
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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
December 31, | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | ||||||||||||
The Coca-Cola Company | $ | 100 | $ | 105 | $ | 105 | $ | 120 | $ | 128 | $ | 154 | ||||||
Peer Group Index | 100 | 113 | 125 | 139 | 113 | 140 | ||||||||||||
S&P 500 Index | 100 | 101 | 114 | 138 | 132 | 174 | ||||||||||||
The total return assumes that dividends were reinvested daily and is based on a $100 investment on December 31, 2014.
The Peer Group Index is a self-constructed peer group of companies that are included in the Dow Jones Food & Beverage Index and the Dow Jones Tobacco Index, from which the Company has been excluded.
The Peer Group Index consists of the following companies: Altria Group, Inc., Archer Daniels Midland Company, Beyond Meat, Inc., The Boston Beer Company, Inc., Brown-Forman Corporation, Bunge Limited, Campbell Soup Company, Conagra Brands, Inc., Constellation Brands, Inc., Darling Ingredients Inc., Flowers Foods, Inc., General Mills, Inc., The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Herbalife Nutrition Ltd., The Hershey Company, Hormel Foods Corporation, Ingredion Incorporated, Jefferies Financial Group Inc., Kellogg Company, The Kraft Heinz Company, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc., Lancaster Colony Corporation, McCormick & Company, Incorporated, Molson Coors Brewing Company, Mondelēz International, Inc., Monster Beverage Corporation, National Beverage Corp., PepsiCo, Inc., Performance Food Group Company, Philip Morris International Inc., Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, Post Holdings, Inc., Seaboard Corporation, The J.M. Smucker Company, TreeHouse Foods, Inc., Tyson Foods, Inc. and US Foods Holding Corp.
Companies included in the Dow Jones Food & Beverage Index and the Dow Jones Tobacco Index change periodically. In 2019, the Dow Jones Food & Beverage Index and the Peer Group Index included Beyond Meat, Inc. and The Boston Beer Company, Inc., which were not included in the indices in 2018. Additionally, in 2019, these indices do not include B&G Foods, Inc., which was included in the indices in 2018.
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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 our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes thereto contained in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this report.
Year Ended December 31, | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | ||||||||||
(In millions except per share data) | |||||||||||||||
Summary of Operations | |||||||||||||||
Net operating revenues | $ | 37,266 | $ | 34,300 | $ | 36,212 | $ | 41,863 | $ | 44,294 | |||||
Consolidated net income | 8,985 | 6,476 | 1,283 | 6,550 | 7,366 | ||||||||||
Net income attributable to shareowners of The Coca-Cola Company | 8,920 | 6,434 | 1,248 | 6,527 | 7,351 | ||||||||||
Per Share Data | |||||||||||||||
Basic net income | $ | 2.09 | $ | 1.51 | $ | 0.29 | $ | 1.51 | $ | 1.69 | |||||
Diluted net income | 2.07 | 1.50 | 0.29 | 1.49 | 1.67 | ||||||||||
Cash dividends | 1.60 | 1.56 | 1.48 | 1.40 | 1.32 | ||||||||||
Balance Sheet Data | |||||||||||||||
Total assets | $ | 86,381 | $ | 83,216 | $ | 87,896 | $ | 87,270 | $ | 89,996 | |||||
Long-term debt | 27,516 | 25,376 | 31,202 | 29,684 | 28,311 | ||||||||||
The Company's results are impacted by acquisitions and divestitures. Refer to "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" for additional information.
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 platform for sustained performance; 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 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; and the impact of inflation and changing prices. |
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Our Business
General
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest nonalcoholic beverage company. We own or license and market more than 500 nonalcoholic beverage brands, which we group into the following category clusters: sparkling soft drinks; water, enhanced water and sports drinks; juice, dairy and plant-based beverages; tea and coffee; and energy drinks. We own and market four of the world's top five nonalcoholic sparkling soft drink 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 and territories.
We make our branded beverage products available to consumers throughout the world through our independent network of bottling partners, distributors, wholesalers and retailers as well as Company-owned or -controlled bottling and distribution operations — the world's largest nonalcoholic beverage distribution system. Beverages bearing trademarks owned by or licensed to us account for 2.0 billion of the approximately 61 billion servings of all beverages consumed worldwide every day.
We believe our success depends on our ability to connect with consumers by providing them with a wide variety of beverage 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 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 soft drinks and other nonalcoholic beverages (we refer to this part of our business as our "finished product business" or "finished product operations"). |
Generally, finished product operations generate higher net operating revenues but lower gross profit margins than concentrate operations.
In our domestic and international concentrate operations, we typically generate net operating revenues by selling concentrates, syrups and certain finished beverages to authorized bottling operations (to which we typically refer as our "bottlers" or our "bottling partners"). Our bottling partners either combine concentrates with sweeteners (depending on the product), still water or sparkling water, or combine syrups with still or sparkling water, to produce finished beverages. The finished beverages are packaged in authorized containers, such as cans and refillable and nonrefillable glass and plastic bottles, bearing our trademarks or trademarks licensed to us and are then sold to retailers directly or, in some cases, through wholesalers or other bottlers. In addition, outside the United States, our bottling partners are typically authorized to manufacture fountain syrups, using our concentrate, which they sell to fountain retailers for use in producing beverages for immediate consumption, or to authorized fountain wholesalers who in turn sell and distribute the fountain syrups to fountain retailers. Our concentrate operations are included in our geographic operating segments and our Global Ventures operating segment.
Our finished product operations generate net operating revenues by selling sparkling soft drinks and a variety of other finished nonalcoholic beverages, such as water, enhanced water and sports drinks; juice, dairy and plant-based beverages; tea and coffee; and energy drinks, to retailers or to distributors and wholesalers who distribute them to retailers. These operations consist primarily of Company-owned or -controlled bottling, sales and distribution operations, which are included in our Bottling Investments operating segment. In certain markets, the Company also operates non-bottling finished product operations in which we sell finished beverages to distributors and wholesalers that are generally not one of the Company's bottling partners. These operations are generally included in one of our geographic operating segments or our Global Ventures operating segment. In the United States, we manufacture fountain syrups and sell them to fountain retailers, 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. These fountain syrup sales are included in our North America operating segment.
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The following table sets forth the percentage of total net operating revenues related to concentrate operations and finished product operations:
Year Ended December 31, | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |||
Concentrate operations | 55 | % | 58 | % | 50 | % |
Finished product operations | 45 | 42 | 50 | |||
Total | 100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % |
The following table sets forth the percentage of total worldwide unit case volume related to concentrate operations and finished product operations:
Year Ended December 31, | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |||
Concentrate operations | 83 | % | 82 | % | 77 | % |
Finished product operations | 17 | 18 | 23 | |||
Total | 100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % |
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, the 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 fluctuations, fuel prices and weather patterns.
Our Platform for Sustained Performance
We have established a platform for sustained performance centered around disciplined portfolio growth; an aligned and engaged bottling system; and winning with our stakeholders — all supported by revenue growth management and brand-building initiatives.
Disciplined Portfolio Growth
• | Continuous innovation to offer consumers more personalized product solutions that match their tastes and lifestyles |
• | Leveraging the Coca-Cola system to lift, shift and scale leading brands and winning concepts quickly and efficiently around the world |
• | Utilizing mergers and acquisitions opportunities that strike the right balance between strategic rationale, financial returns and risk profile as an enabler to further our growth strategy |
An Aligned and Engaged Bottling System
• | Strategically aligned bottling partners with a sharper focus on value growth rather than volume growth |
• | Gaining efficiencies through scale and improved supply chains |
• | Strong marketplace execution across the bottling system |
• | A winning culture |
Winning with Our Stakeholders
• | Succeeding as a company by empowering our employees, satisfying consumers with a wide variety of beverage options, and providing solutions to grow our customers' beverage businesses |
• | Making a positive difference in the communities where we operate |
• | Helping to create value for all of our stakeholders for a better shared future |
Underpinning our platform for sustained performance are three enablers: digitizing the enterprise; fostering a growth culture; and growing sustainably.
Digitizing the Enterprise
The digital evolution is changing consumers' behaviors, influencing the way consumers think, interact and ultimately how they shop. We believe this evolution impacts every aspect of the Coca-Cola system and creates an opportunity to partner in different ways with our customers and re-engineer our supply chain and route-to-market.
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Fostering a Growth Culture
We believe that sustainable and profitable growth is the product of a strong culture, with a focus on our employees, customers and consumers worldwide. As we move our business into the future, we will continue to drive a growth culture centered around curiosity, empowerment, inclusion and agility. Our belief is that focusing on these behaviors will enhance our associates' work performance and help us become a more growth-minded company.
Growing Sustainably
We are focused on giving people the drinks they want while trying to improve the world we all share, turning our passion for consumers into brands people love and creating shared opportunities through growth. We act in ways which we believe will create a more sustainable and better shared future for all of our stakeholders. We attempt to make a positive difference in peoples' lives, communities and our planet by doing business the right way.
Core Capabilities
To support our platform for sustained performance, we must continue to enhance our core capabilities of consumer marketing, commercial leadership and franchise leadership.
Consumer Marketing
Marketing investments are designed to enhance consumer awareness of, and increase consumer preference for, our brands. Successful marketing investments produce 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 are focusing on marketing strategies to drive volume growth in emerging markets, increase our brand value in developing markets and grow net operating revenues and 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 generally at a slower rate than gross profit growth.
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 create enhanced value for 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 brand-building initiatives with our customers in order to drive consumer 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 processes that enable us to quickly achieve scale and efficiencies, and we share best practices throughout the bottling system. 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 in specific markets to ensure that we appropriately share the value created by our beverages with our bottling partners. We must also continue to build a supply chain network that leverages the size and scale of the Coca-Cola system to gain a competitive advantage.
Challenges and Risks