• Third quarter of 2021 net sales increased 10% versus the third quarter of 2020.
• Third quarter of 2021 gross profit was $518 million, up $45 million, or 10%, versus the third quarter of 2020.
• Income from operations for the first nine months of 2021 was $352 million, up $132 million, or 60%, versus the first nine months of 2020^(a).

Key Results

Third Quarter and First Nine Months 2021 Review

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. (NASDAQ: COKE) today reported operating results for the third quarter and first nine months ended October 1, 2021.

“Our results through the first nine months of 2021 reflect a strong balance of volume growth, price realization and prudent operating expense management. Our 60% growth in income from operations is even more remarkable when considering the pandemic-related challenges and supply chain disruptions across many industries,” said J. Frank Harrison, III, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “I am thankful for our amazing teammates, who continue to adapt and persevere through so many challenges, to ensure we serve our customers, our shareholders and our communities with excellence.”

Net sales increased 10% to $1.46 billion in the third quarter^(c), while physical case volume decreased 0.6%. The increase in net sales was driven primarily by pricing actions taken throughout the third quarter of 2021 on most of our Sparkling and Still beverages. These pricing actions were taken to help offset increases to our major input costs including aluminum, PET resin and transportation costs. Sparkling volume decreased 0.6% in the third quarter of 2021, outperforming the price elasticity historically associated with higher pricing. Still volume decreased 0.7%, while net sales increased 8%. We experienced significant supply chain challenges with several of our Still beverage brands during the third quarter of 2021, which negatively impacted our growth trend in the Still beverage category. Physical case volume and net sales increased 3.3% and 12%, respectively, for the first nine months of 2021.

Gross profit in the third quarter of 2021 increased $45.3 million, or 10%, while gross margin decreased 10 basis points to 35.5%. The improvement in gross profit was primarily due to the pricing actions taken throughout the third quarter of 2021. As we anticipated, the benefit of increased selling prices was partially offset by higher input costs, which resulted in relatively stable gross margin when compared to the third quarter of 2020. We expect higher input costs to continue in the fourth quarter of 2021 as commodity markets continue to be volatile and supply chains continue to be challenged. Gross profit in the first nine months of 2021 increased $154.3 million, or 12%.

“Our strong third quarter results demonstrate our success in navigating a very challenging operating environment. We continue to experience rising commodity costs, labor shortages for a majority of our front-line positions and supply chain interruptions for key manufacturing inputs and finished goods,” said Dave Katz, President and Chief Operating Officer. “The pricing actions we took in the third quarter in response to higher input costs are driving value across our portfolio and enabling us to maintain our margins on key brands and packages. Our sales growth of 10% in the third quarter is a testament to the strength of our brands and our continued success in executing commercial strategies across our Coca-Cola trademark brands including new Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and other brands such as AHA and BODYARMOR.”

Selling, delivery and administrative (“SD&A”) expenses in the third quarter of 2021 increased $12.1 million, or 3%. SD&A expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased 160 basis points in the third quarter of 2021. The increase in SD&A expenses related primarily to an increase in labor costs as compared to the third quarter of 2020. During the third quarter of 2021, we provided incentives to attract, reward and retain our front-line teammates and we increased the base pay in certain competitive markets. We also experienced higher overtime in the quarter as the labor pool for our front-line positions continues to be challenging. SD&A expenses in the first nine months of 2021 increased $22.0 million, or 2%. SD&A expenses as a percentage of net sales in the first nine months of 2021 decreased 250 basis points as compared to the first nine months of 2020.

“Labor shortages and wage inflation continue to be the most challenging aspects of managing our operating expenses as we work to fulfill our customer and consumer demand. We are committed to investing in our people and our work to ensure our wages and benefits are competitive and our value proposition resonates with teammates,” Mr. Katz continued. “While we continue to face near-term challenges that require us to remain flexible and nimble in our planning, we remain confident in our financial outlook for the balance of 2021. Our goal for the fourth quarter is to build on the momentum of our commercial success to successfully position ourselves for a strong start to 2022.”

Income from operations in the third quarter of 2021 was $137.0 million, compared to $103.8 million in the third quarter of 2020, an increase of 32%. On an adjusted^(d) basis, income from operations in the third quarter of 2021 was $137.2 million, an increase of 30%. For the first nine months of 2021, income from operations increased $132.3 million to $352.1 million.

Net income in the third quarter of 2021 was $68.9 million, compared to $51.9 million in the third quarter of 2020, an improvement of $17.0 million. Net income in the third quarter of 2021 was adversely impacted by fair value adjustments to our acquisition related contingent consideration liability, driven primarily by changes in future cash flow projections. Fair value adjustments to this liability are routine and non-cash in nature. Income tax expense in the third quarter of 2021 was $25.0 million, compared to $18.4 million in the third quarter of 2020. Net income increased $64.4 million in the first nine months of 2021 to $170.5 million as compared to the first nine months of 2020.

Cash flows provided by operations for the first nine months of 2021 were $439.9 million, compared to $376.4 million for the first nine months of 2020. The significant increase in operating cash flows for the first nine months of 2021 was a result of our strong operating performance. The Company reduced outstanding indebtedness by $147.3 million during the first nine months of 2021. We remain focused on the effective management of our working capital and continue to invest in long-term strategic projects to optimize our supply chain and better serve our customers.

^(a) The first nine months of 2021 included one additional selling day compared to the first nine months of 2020. We do not believe the additional selling day had a material impact on our financial results.
^(b) Fountain syrups are dispensed through equipment that mixes with carbonated or still water, enabling fountain retailers to sell finished products to consumers in cups or glasses.
^(c) All comparisons are to the corresponding period in the prior year unless specified otherwise.
^(d) The discussion of the results for the third quarter and first nine months ended October 1, 2021 includes selected non-GAAP financial information, such as “adjusted” results. The schedules in this news release reconcile such non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

About Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.

Coca-Cola Consolidated is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. Our Purpose is to honor God in all we do, serve others, pursue excellence and grow profitably. For over 119 years, we have been deeply committed to the consumers, customers and communities we serve and passionate about the broad portfolio of beverages and services we offer. We make, sell and distribute beverages of The Coca-Cola Company and other partner companies in more than 300 brands and flavors across 14 states and the District of Columbia to over 66 million consumers.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Coca-Cola Consolidated is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol COKE. More information about the Company is available at www.cokeconsolidated.com. Follow Coca‑Cola Consolidated on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Cautionary Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “project,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could” and similar expressions are intended to identify those forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s best judgment based on current information, and, although we base these statements on circumstances that we believe to be reasonable when made, there can be no assurance that future events will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking information. As such, the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may vary materially from the projected results and expectations discussed in this news release. Factors that might cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: increased costs, disruption of supply or shortages of raw materials, fuel and other supplies; the reliance on purchased finished products from external sources; changes in public and consumer perception and preferences, including concerns related to obesity, artificial ingredients, product safety and sustainability and brand reputation; changes in government regulations related to nonalcoholic beverages, including regulations related to obesity, public health, artificial ingredients and product safety and sustainability; the COVID-19 pandemic and other pandemic outbreaks in the future; decreases from historic levels of marketing funding support provided to us by The Coca‑Cola Company and other beverage companies; material changes in the performance requirements for marketing funding support or our inability to meet such requirements; decreases from historic levels of advertising, marketing and product innovation spending by The Coca‑Cola Company and other beverage companies, or advertising campaigns that are negatively perceived by the public; any failure of the several Coca‑Cola system governance entities of which we are a participant to function efficiently or on our best behalf and any failure or delay of ours to receive anticipated benefits from these governance entities; provisions in our beverage distribution and manufacturing agreements with The Coca‑Cola Company that could delay or prevent a change in control of us or a sale of our Coca‑Cola distribution or manufacturing businesses; the concentration of our capital stock ownership; our inability to meet requirements under our beverage distribution and manufacturing agreements; changes in the inputs used to calculate our acquisition related contingent consideration liability; technology failures or cyberattacks on our technology systems or our effective response to technology failures or cyberattacks on our customers’, suppliers’ or other third parties’ technology systems; unfavorable changes in the general economy; changes in our top customer relationships and marketing strategies; lower than expected net pricing of our products resulting from continued and increased customer and competitor consolidations and marketplace competition; the effect of changes in our level of debt, borrowing costs and credit ratings on our access to capital and credit markets, operating flexibility and ability to obtain additional financing to fund future needs; the failure to attract, train and retain qualified employees while controlling labor costs, and other labor issues; the failure to maintain productive relationships with our employees covered by collective bargaining agreements, including failing to renegotiate collective bargaining agreements; changes in accounting standards; our use of estimates and assumptions; changes in tax laws, disagreements with tax authorities or additional tax liabilities; changes in legal contingencies; natural disasters, changing weather patterns and unfavorable weather; and climate change or legislative or regulatory responses to such change. These and other factors are discussed in the Company’s regulatory filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including those in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release speak only as of this date, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update them, except as required by applicable law.

^(e) The Company reports its financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). However, management believes that certain non-GAAP financial measures provide users with additional meaningful financial information that should be considered when assessing the Company’s ongoing performance. Management also uses these non-GAAP financial measures in making financial, operating and planning decisions and in evaluating the Company’s performance. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, the Company’s reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company’s non-GAAP financial information does not represent a comprehensive basis of accounting.

A PDF accompanying this release is available at: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/c27ad78f-25d2-4609-bc75-d488facf6801

Source: Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.