Iconic beverage king Coca-Cola (KO 0.68%) reported earnings this morning, and shares are basically trading flat so far. Coca-Cola had a slight beat on earnings, although revenue was down 3%.
Net income grew to $2.45 billion, a 6% increase year over year. Coca-Cola reported earnings per share of $0.53. North America saw 2% sales growth, primarily driven by Coca-Cola's non-fizzy beverages like Honest Tea and Fuze, which were up by double digits. Coca-Cola saw better sales jumps abroad -- which accounts for 60% of its total revenue -- with the strongest growth coming in the Pacific region. However, growth lagged 1% in Europe, and Latin America stayed flat.
Motley Fool analyst Matt Argersinger notes that while Coca-Cola didn't exactly wow investors, it's not that kind of investment. The company is a Dow stalwart, and pays a 3% dividend. It even qualifies as a Dividend Aristocrat twice over, having increased dividends annually for 50 years. Matt thinks this is the kind of reliable stock you can slot in your portfolio with ease.
