Coca Cola

NEW YORK - The Coca-Cola Co. is seeking its first stock split in 16 years. The world's biggest beverage maker said Wednesday the 2-for-1 split is in line with its plan to double revenue over this decade. The Atlanta-based company's stock began trading in 1919. Since then, the stock has been split only 10 times. Companies split stocks when they think their share price has gotten too expensive or if the stock is trading too far above similar companies' stock. If approved, Coke's split would increase the number of its shares to 11.2 billion from 5.6 billion.

Brad Keselowski got the first of many surprises at his first meeting with racing great Roger Penske. The rising NASCAR star now driving Penske Racing's No. 2 discovered the Michigan address for their get together was an unmarked, routine building Keselowski had driven by all the time growing up in Rochester Hills. He never knew it housed Penske's offices. Keselowski shrugs his shoulder and smiles, saying, "That's just Roger. " Penske will see if his buttoned-down approach works during one of auto racing's biggest weekends, at the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. ...

BEIJING - Coca-Cola Co. and its Chinese bottling partners will invest $4 billion in the world's fastest growing economy over three years from 2012 amid plans to build more factories and win market share from rival PepsiCo Inc. The money will help build bottling plants, fund distribution and develop new cold drinks for the maker of Fanta, Nestea, and Glaceau Vitaminwater, Coca-Cola spokeswoman Zhao Yanghong said yesterday. The world's largest soft-drink maker is investing to focus more on "one of our most important growth markets in the world," Chief Executive Muhtar Kent...

It's been awhile, but Richard Petty has bragging rights once again in Charlotte. Aric Almirola took the pole for the Coca-Cola 600 with a lap of 192.940 mph Thursday night and teammate Marcus Ambrose finished second at 191.598, giving Petty a front-row sweep at Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR's longest race. "Hey ya'll," Petty said to reporters as he walked into press conference and took a spot behind the table in the front of the interview room. "Haven't sat up here in a while.

NEW YORK - Coca-Cola Co. is giving "mid-calorie" sodas another try, this time with Sprite and Fanta. The Atlanta-based company will test Sprite Select and Fanta Select this summer. They will have about half the calories of regular soda. The drinks will be made with a blend of sugar and other sweeteners, including Truvia and erythritol. The tests will take place in stores in Atlanta, Detroit, Louisville, Ky., and Memphis, Tenn. The new formulas will both have 70 calories per 12-ounce can. A can of regular Sprite by contrast has 140 calories and a can of regular Fanta has 160. PepsiCo...

Coca-Cola reported an effervescent fourth quarter Tuesday, as the company sold more of its drinks globally and its earnings beat analyst expectations. Coca-Cola is benefiting from raising prices in North America, where consumer sentiment is slowly improving, and expanding in emerging markets including Africa and Latin America. "Compared to 12 months ago, there are very early indications that the consumer (in North America) is feeling a little better, with more mobility, travel and eating out," said CEO Muhtar Kent in a telephone interview with the AP. "That all translates into better...

ATLANTA -- The Justice Department has abruptly ended without taking action its nearly two-year-old criminal investigation of accusations raised in a whistleblower lawsuit that alleged accounting irregularities at Coca-Cola Co. , the world's biggest soft drink maker said yesterday. Separately, the Atlanta-based company said it reached a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission over its business practices in Japan. It was not clear why the Justice Department dropped its investigation, which included grand jury testimony from several current and former Coke...

CONCORD, N.C. - NASCAR's longest race of the season spilled into a second day last night when the Coca-Cola 600 was postponed because of rain for the first time in 50 years. Light rain had delayed the scheduled 6:03 p.m. start at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but the track appeared dry and NASCAR called the cars out to pit road moments before a heavy shower soaked the surface again. The heavy rain lasted less than 15 minutes, but a persistent drizzle made it impossible to dry the track.

It's been awhile, but Richard Petty has bragging rights once again in Charlotte. Aric Almirola took the pole for the Coca-Cola 600 with a lap of 192.940 mph Thursday night and teammate Marcus Ambrose finished second at 191.598, giving Petty a front-row sweep at Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR's longest race. "Hey ya'll," Petty said to reporters as he walked into press conference and took a spot behind the table in the front of the interview room. "Haven't sat up here in a while.

Dunkin' Donuts, the Canton-based coffee-and-baked-goods chain, said it is launching a new bagel offensive as it also begins to offer Coca-Cola at its US restaurants. On the baked goods front, Dunkin' Donuts said it is switching to a new recipe that will result in "artisan bagels" that feature "a soft and chewy texture with bolder flavors. " Dunkin' said that bagels have been part of its menu since 1996. The new artisan bagels are available in such "classic bagel selections" as sesame, poppy seed, and cinnamon raisin, along with two...

Unionized workers at a Coca-Cola bottling plant in East Hartford have gone on strike, seeking either a pay raise or to maintain their current health benefits. More than 350 members of Teamsters Local 1035 walked off the job at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Their contract expired in December. Workers say they are unwilling to pay more for health care unless the company gives back $2.65 an hour in concessions that the union agreed to five years ago in order to maintain its current benefits package.

NEW YORK - Coca-Cola Co. is giving "mid-calorie" sodas another try, this time with Sprite and Fanta. The Atlanta-based company will test Sprite Select and Fanta Select this summer. They will have about half the calories of regular soda. The drinks will be made with a blend of sugar and other sweeteners, including Truvia and erythritol. The tests will take place in stores in Atlanta, Detroit, Louisville, Ky., and Memphis, Tenn. The new formulas will both have 70 calories per 12-ounce can. A can of regular Sprite by contrast has 140 calories and a can of regular Fanta has 160. PepsiCo...

NEW YORK - PepsiCo Inc. is tweeting to a new generation of music lovers. It's partnering with Twitter to provide streaming videos of live music concerts to Pepsi's followers. The deal is part of Pepsi's new global ad campaign, which will also feature a TV ad with singer Nicki Minaj. The company isn't yet saying which musicians will be featured for the Twitter concerts this summer, but the first concert is in June. The marketing push comes as Pepsi looks to revive the cola wars with Coca-Cola Co., with up to $600 million in additional marketing slated for this year.

Monster Beverage Corp.'s shares soared following a report that Coca-Cola Co. may buy the energy drink maker, but Coca-Cola, the world's biggest soft drink maker, later denied any discussions are under way - despite a Wall Street Journal report. Monster declined to discuss the matter. The companies already have a distribution relationship in many markets. A deal did not seem farfetched to investors because Coca-Cola is constantly looking beyond soda for growth and has seen some success in energy drinks.

PepsiCo Inc. is tweeting to a new generation of music lovers. The No. 2 soda company said Monday that it's partnering with Twitter to provide streaming videos of live music concerts to Pepsi's followers on the social networking site. The deal is part of Pepsi's new global ad campaign that will also feature a TV ad with singer Nicki Minaj. The company, based in Purchase, N.Y., isn't yet saying which musicians will be featured for the Twitter concerts this summer, but the first concert is slated to take place in June.

NEW YORK - The Coca-Cola Co. is seeking its first stock split in 16 years. The world's biggest beverage maker said Wednesday the 2-for-1 split is in line with its plan to double revenue over this decade. The Atlanta-based company's stock began trading in 1919. Since then, the stock has been split only 10 times. Companies split stocks when they think their share price has gotten too expensive or if the stock is trading too far above similar companies' stock. If approved, Coke's split would increase the number of its shares to 11.2 billion from 5.6 billion.

Diet Coke has topped rival Pepsi-Cola for the first time to become the second-most-popular soft drink in the country, behind Coca-Cola. It marks a victory for Coca-Cola Co. as its sodas now hold the top two spots, beating out its longtime rival PepsiCo Inc. Diet Coke’s rise reflects a long-term trend toward diet sodas. Ten years ago, only two of the top 10 were diet sodas. Now, four are on the list: the diet versions of Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Dr Pepper. Coca-Cola sold nearly 927 million cases of its diet soda in 2010, to Pepsi’s 892 million, a report by trade...

Monster Beverage Corp.'s shares soared following a report that Coca-Cola Co. may buy the energy drink maker, but Coca-Cola, the world's biggest soft drink maker, later denied any discussions are under way - despite a Wall Street Journal report. Monster declined to discuss the matter. The companies already have a distribution relationship in many markets. A deal did not seem farfetched to investors because Coca-Cola is constantly looking beyond soda for growth and has seen some success in energy drinks.

Dunkin' Brands Group - its brands include Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins - and the Coca-Cola Co. have forged a multiyear product and marketing agreement. Under it, more than 9,400 Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins restaurants in the United States will begin the conversion to serving Coca-Cola products this month. In addition to soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, and Sprite, Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins locations will serve juices, waters, and energy drinks from the Coca-Cola Co. Coca-Cola products will be available in all US Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins restaurants by August.

Dunkin' Donuts, the Canton-based coffee-and-baked-goods chain, said it is launching a new bagel offensive as it also begins to offer Coca-Cola at its US restaurants. On the baked goods front, Dunkin' Donuts said it is switching to a new recipe that will result in "artisan bagels" that feature "a soft and chewy texture with bolder flavors. " Dunkin' said that bagels have been part of its menu since 1996. The new artisan bagels are available in such "classic bagel selections" as sesame, poppy seed, and cinnamon raisin, along with two new seasonal varieties ---...