Coca Cola 2010 Annual Report Download - page 3

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains information that may constitute ‘‘forward-looking statements.’’ Generally, the words ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘expect,’’
‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘will’’ and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which
generally are not historical in nature. However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a
statement is not forward-looking. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or
anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to volume growth, share of sales and earnings per share
growth, and statements expressing general views about future operating results — are forward-looking statements.
Management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made. However, caution should be
taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date
when made. Our Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In addition, forward-looking statements are
subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our Company’s historical
experience and our present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those
described in Part I, ‘‘Item 1A. Risk Factors’’ and elsewhere in this report and those described from time to time in our future
reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
In this report, the terms ‘‘The Coca-Cola Company,’’ ‘‘Company,’’ ‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us’’ and ‘‘our’’ mean The Coca-Cola
Company and all entities included in our consolidated financial statements.
General
The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest nonalcoholic beverage company. We own or license and market more
than 500 nonalcoholic beverage brands, primarily sparkling beverages but also a variety of still beverages such as waters,
enhanced waters, juices and juice drinks, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and energy and sports drinks. Along with
Coca-Cola, which is recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, we own and market four of the world’s top five
nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite. Finished beverage products bearing our
trademarks, sold in the United States since 1886, are now sold in more than 200 countries.
We make our branded beverage products available to consumers throughout the world through our network of
Company-owned or controlled bottling and distribution operations, bottling partners, distributors, wholesalers and
retailers — the world’s largest beverage distribution system. Of the approximately 55 billion beverage servings of all
types consumed worldwide every day, beverages bearing trademarks owned by or licensed to us account for
approximately 1.7 billion.
We believe that our success depends on our ability to connect with consumers by providing them with a wide variety of
options to meet their desires, needs and lifestyle choices. Our success further depends on the ability of our people to
execute effectively, every day.
Our goal is to use our Company’s assets — our brands, financial strength, unrivaled distribution system, global reach
and the talent and strong commitment of our management and associates — to become more competitive and to
accelerate growth in a manner that creates value for our shareowners.
We were incorporated in September 1919 under the laws of the State of Delaware and succeeded to the business of a
Georgia corporation with the same name that had been organized in 1892.
Acquisition of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.’s North American Business and Related Transactions
On October 2, 2010, we acquired the North American business of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (‘‘CCE’’), one of our
major bottlers, consisting of CCE’s production, sales and distribution operations in the United States, Canada, the
British Virgin Islands, the United States Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands, and a substantial majority of CCE’s
corporate segment. CCE shareowners other than the Company exchanged their CCE common stock for common stock
in a new entity named Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. (‘‘New CCE’’), which after the closing of the transaction continued
to hold the European operations that had been held by CCE prior to the acquisition. The Company does not have any
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