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NEW YORK — Coca-Cola Co., the world's largest beverage maker, reports its first quarter results before the market opens Tuesday.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Soft drink sales are slipping in North America, but they're rising in emerging markets like India and China. The recession and a desire to be healthy has people in established markets cutting back their purchases, or switching to juices and teas. Keep an eye on how Coca-Cola's sales of juices, teas and other drinks beyond soda are faring.
Analysts expect flat volume in the first quarter, with some improvement in the U.S. market. The company could also see some benefit from the Winter Olympics in Canada, wrote UBS analyst Kaumil Gajrawala. Coca-Cola had been a sponsor.
He said analysts will focus on the company's comments about improvement in emerging markets and stabilization in developed markets like North America and Europe.
WHY IT MATTERS: Coca-Cola's products are sold around the world to people of all income levels, so their sales can show how people feel about the economy.
WHAT'S EXPECTED: Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect Coca-Cola to earn 74 cents per share on revenue of $7.7 billion.
LAST YEAR'S QUARTER: Coca-Cola reported profit of $1.35 billion, or 58 cents per share on revenue of $7.17 billion a year earlier.
