Mexico City, April 26, 2019, Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: KOF UBL, NYSE: KOF) (“Coca-Cola FEMSA”, “KOF” or the “Company”), the largest Coca-Cola franchise bottler in the world by sales volume, announces results for the first quarter of 2019.
OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
- Volumes performed strongly in Brazil; transactions outperformed volumes in Argentina and Brazil.
- Revenues increased 4.8%, while comparable revenues grew 10.0%. Pricing ahead of inflation in most of our operations, combined with volume growth in Brazil was partially offset by unfavorable currency translation effects from all of our operating currencies.
- Operating income declined 0.9% while comparable operating income increased 9.2%, driven mainly by higher concentrate costs, higher PET prices, the depreciation of most of our operating currencies as applied to our U.S. dollar denominated raw material costs and higher labor expenses, effects that were partially offset by lower sweetener costs and operating expense efficiencies.
- Earnings per share1 were Ps. 0.15 (earnings per unit were Ps. 1.23 and per ADS were Ps. 12.33).
John Santa Maria, Coca-Cola FEMSA’s CEO, commented:
“I am pleased with our Company’s positive results to start the year. Despite currency volatility and uncertain economic conditions that affected our financial performance, our revenues grew 4.8% while our comparable revenues grew 10.0%. In addition, our operating income declined 0.9% while our comparable operating income increased 9.2%. In Mexico & Central America, we reported healthy top-and-bottom line growth, as we continued leveraging our state-of-the-art analytics capabilities. Our South America Division’s performance was driven mainly by strong volume growth in Brazil, where we continued to gain share across categories thanks to our robust portfolio and relentless point-of-sale execution. To protect our profitability, we continued to implement mitigation actions to navigate complex environments in Colombia and Argentina. Finally, guided by the clarity of our vision of becoming a total beverage leader with global footprint, on April 11, we completed our previously announced stock split and listing of units for trading in the Mexican Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. This important milestone enhances the flexibility of our capital structure by increasing our capacity to issue equity, positioning our Company for further sustainable, profitable growth and expansion.”
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
- During the first quarter 2019, the Company prepaid Ps. 4,700 million of bilateral loans due in October 2019.
- On March 8, 2019, the Company held an Extraordinary General Shareholders Meeting that resolved amendments to the Company´s bylaws. As a result, Series A shareholders are entitled to appoint up to 13 Directors, Series D shareholders are entitled to appoint up to 5 and Series L shareholders continue to have the right to appoint up to 3. On March 14, as a result of these amendments our shareholders approved a Board of Directors composed of 18 members as compared to 21, previously.
- On March 14, 2019, the Company held its Annual Ordinary General Shareholders Meeting, during which its shareholders approved the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018, the annual report presented by the Board of Directors, the declaration of dividends corresponding to fiscal year 2018, and the composition of the Board of Directors and the Finance and Planning, Audit, and Corporate Practices Committees for 2019. Shareholders approved the payment of the proposed cash dividend of Ps. 3.54 per share. After giving effect to the stock split, the dividend payment approved is equivalent to Ps. 0.4425 per share, to be paid in two installments as of May 3, 2019, and November 1, 2019.
- On April 11, 2019, Coca-Cola FEMSA completed the previously announced eight-for-one stock split, the issuance of new Series B shares (with full voting rights) and the creation and listing of KOF UBL units. As a result, (a) Series A and Series D split eight-for-one, and (b) for each Series L shares (KOF L), its holders received a new KOF UBL unit that replaces the previous KOF L. Each new KOF UBL unit consists of 3 Series B shares and 5 Series L shares (with limited voting rights). As of the same date, KOF UBL units were listed for trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) under ticker symbol KOF UBL and ADSs (each representing 10 units) were listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under ticker symbol KOF.
- Coca-Cola FEMSA released its 2018 integrated report entitled “Clarity, Consistency and Commitment”, the annual report on Form 20-F filing to the Security Exchange Commission, and the annual report filing to the Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission (Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores). These three reports are available on the Investor Relations section of Coca-Cola FEMSA´s website at www.cocacolafemsa.com
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Stock listing information: Mexican Stock Exchange, Ticker: KOF UBL | NYSE (ADS), Ticker: KOF | Ratio of KOF UBL to KOF = 10:1
Coca-Cola FEMSA files reports, including annual reports and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the “SEC,” and the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, or the “BMV”) pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC (that apply to foreign private issuers) and of the BMV. Filings we make electronically with the SEC and the BMV are available to the public on the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, the BMV’s website at www.bmv.com.mx and our website at www.coca-colafemsa.com.
Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. is the largest Coca-Cola franchise bottler in the world by sales volume. The Company produces and distributes trademark beverages of The Coca-Cola Company, offering a wide portfolio of 131 brands to a population of more than 257 million. With over 83 thousand employees, the Company markets and sells approximately 3.3 billion unit cases through close to 2 million points of sale a year. Operating 49 manufacturing plants and 275 distribution centers, Coca-Cola FEMSA is committed to generating economic, social, and environmental value for all of its stakeholders across the value chain. The Company is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Index, Dow Jones Sustainability MILA Pacific Alliance Index, FTSE4Good Emerging Index, and the Mexican Stock Exchange’s IPC and Social Responsibility and Sustainability Indices, among others. Its operations encompass franchise territories in Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, and Argentina, and, nationwide, in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Uruguay, and Venezuela through its investment in KOF Venezuela. For further information, please visit www.coca-colafemsa.com
