A worldwide sales increase of 5 per cent saw U.S. giant Coca-Cola record profits of 8.6 billion dollars (6.6 billion euros) for 2011, the company reported Tuesday, February 7.

However, that meant profits were 27 per cent lower than in the previous year, despite revenue rising by 33 per cent.

The company blamed the drop in profit on the cost of the corporate takeover of a major beverage bottler.

Expanding markets in China and India, and even Germany - which saw a 9-per-cent increase in sales in the final quarter of 2011 - were reported by the company.

Turnover was 46.5 billion dollars. In pre-market trading, shares rose nearly one per cent, M&C reported quoting DPA.