Coca-Cola Co reported a quarterly profit in line with analysts' estimates as strong volume in China, India and Brazil offset a decline in North America.
Lower costs also helped lift profit at the world's largest soft-drink maker, which gained market share in both the carbonated and noncarbonated segments.
Coca-Cola said net income attributable to shareholders rose to $1.54 billion, or 66 cents per share, from $995 million, or 43 cents per share, a year earlier.
Analysts on average were expecting 66 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Net operating revenue rose 5 per cent to $7.51 billion. Analysts on average forecast $7.22 billion.
Overall sales by volume rose 5 per cent, after a gain of 2 per cent in the third quarter, 4 per cent in the second quarter and 2 per cent in the first.
Coca-Cola shares rose less than 1 per cent to $53.01 in premarket trading.
Coke's growth in developing markets such as India and China has helped it weather a slowdown in the United States.
Fourth-quarter volume rose 7 per cent in Latin America, 11 per cent in the Pacific region, 1 per cent in Europe and 5 per cent in the company's Eurasia and Africa divisions.
Volume fell 1 percent in the closely watched North American market, after losing 4 percent in the third quarter and 1 percent in the second quarter.
Coke's rivalry with PepsiCo Inc is poised for a new turn this year, as the No. 2 soft-drink maker is about to complete its planned acquisition of its largest bottlers, Pepsi Bottling Group Inc and PepsiAmericas Inc, to trim costs and speed decision-making.
Coke Chief Executive Muhtar Kent has repeatedly expressed his commitment to its current decentralized, franchise bottling model.
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Growth in markets such as India and China has helped Coke weather a slowdown in the US