Sydney, June 27 - Australian soft drinks firm Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd. raised its first-half earnings forecast on Wednesday, but its shares fell as much as 2.4 percent as the upgrade was below some market expectations.
Coca-Cola Amatil, 35 percent-owned by Coca-Cola Co., also said negotiations over the sale of its South Korea business, which has a book value of A$700 million ($590 million), were continuing.
The company said it now sees first-half earnings before interest and tax rising 12 percent, above a previous forecast, due to strong sales in Australia and New Zealand. It had previously forecast high single-digit growth.
"The guidance is a bit below where the market was sitting, that's why you're seeing the down-trade," said CommSec analyst Grant Saligari.
Coca-Cola Amatil has faced high commodity prices, especially for aluminium, and said commodity-driven cost increases of about 4-5 percent were expected to continue in the second half.
It maintained a forecast of high single-digit growth in earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for the 2007 second half.
For the full-year, analysts expect EBIT growth of 8.5 percent to A$346 million ($293 million), according to a Reuters Estimates survey of 10 analysts.
One analyst at an investment bank who asked not to be identified said the dip in the share price may also be because some investors had expected a decision on the South Korea sale.
"But we always knew it would take months, because even once Amatil decides who they are going to sell it to, that buyer has to go and negotiate with the Coke Co. as well," the analyst said.
SPC Group, the parent of Samlip General Foods and LG Household and Health Care Ltd. said earlier this month they have submitted final bids for the business.
The company said previously it expected to evaluate bids in mid-June and held a board meeting this week. It has not said when a decision will be made.
The company wants to achieve close to book value for the sale of its South Korean business, where growth is slowing as more consumers turn to healthier, low-sugar drinks.
The analyst said if Amatil achieves close to A$700 million for the business, that would imply an earnings upgrade of 6 percent.
Its shares last traded down 1.6 percent at A$9.12 against a broader market down 0.7 percent. The shares have rallied 17.6 percent this year, partly on hopes for a sale of the South Korean operations.