Despite sliding in a hair under analyst estimates, Monster Beverage (Nasdaq: MNST) still smashed its way to new records in 2011, reporting $410 million in sales in a seasonally slow quarter. Full-year sales clocked in at $1.7 billion, growing 31% from 2010. That's a caffeinated drop in the bucket compared to beverage leader Coca-Cola's (NYSE: KO) just-released $46.5 billion operating revenue, which increased an incredible 33% for the same time frame.

Of course, Monster hasn't had to digest a major bottling subsidiary, nor did it gain any Dr Pepper Snapple (NYSE: DPS) licensing agreements. By that account, Monster's organic growth is still blowing the doors off its competition. And we know which of the two stocks has been a rocket over the past decade.

Breaking down the numbers
Monster has its best quarters in the summer, but its latest results are quite a bit higher than 2009's peak sales:


Sources: Morningstar and Monster Beverage earnings release.


The company continues to expand its product line and broaden its European push, laying siege to the stronghold of privately held Red Bull. One of its newer products is Monster Rehab, an Arnold Palmer (that means iced tea and lemonade) concoction that's touted as one of its current best sellers. The branding and caffeinated nature of the drink sets it apart from other iced teas made by Coke, Snapple, and PepsiCo's (NYSE: PEP) Brisk. Monster's competition hasn't been lying down, though:

Source: YCharts.

Dr Pepper Snapple's been kind of woebegone over the last few years, so let's compare Coke and Pepsi's growth rates to Monster, whose $1.7 billion in revenue is an 88% improvement over their 2007 annual total, handily beating both Coke and Pepsi, both of which have far more diversified businesses. Granted, Monster doesn't offer a dividend, and its earnings multiple is twice either Coke's or Pepsi's. But much of the Big Two's growth has been from major overseas expansions, a process that Monster's barely begun.

Do you think Monster's got enough energy left in the tank to keep its pace through 2012? Analysts expect a brisk growth rate going forward. That ought to keep Monster stockholders like its consumers -- a little revved up.

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