NEW YORK (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday despite a recession, helped by double-digit volume gains in China, India and Eastern Europe, sending shares up 2.4 percent.
The world's top soft-drink maker said net income fell to $995 million, or 43 cents per share, in its fourth quarter, compared with $1.21 billion, or 52 cents per share, a year ago.
Excluding items, Coke earned 64 cents per share.
Analysts on average were expecting 61 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates.
Revenue fell 2.7 percent to $7.13 billion, as worldwide sales by volume rose 4 percent.
Volume in North America fell 3 percent.
Coke shares rose to $42.25 in premarket trading from Wednesday's close of $41.27 on the New York Stock Exchange.
(Reporting by Martinne Geller, editing by Maureen Bavdek)
