MONTERREY, Mexico, Feb. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arca Continental, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AC*) (“Arca Continental” or “AC”), the second-largest Coca-Cola bottler in Latin America, announced its results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2019 (“4Q19” and “12M19”).

Table 1: Financial Highlights

4Q19 HIGHLIGHTS

• Net Sales reached Ps. 41,409 million, 4.9% higher than 4Q18.
• EBITDA totaled Ps. 8,016 million for a margin of 19.4%, up 17.7% when compared to 4Q18.
• Net Income came in at Ps. 2,296 million, representing a margin of 5.5%.

12M19 HIGHLIGHTS

• Net Sales rose 4.5% to Ps. 162,728 million.
• EBITDA was Ps. 30,403 million, 10.7% higher than 12M18, representing a margin of 18.7%.
• Net Income reached Ps. 9,548 million for a margin of 5.9%.

COMMENTS FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
”Continuing on our path of transformation to build an even stronger future, during 2019 we achieved revenue growth of 4.5% to reach Ps. 162,728 million and a 10.7% improvement in EBITDA. These significant results reflect the commitment and talent of our team to drive operating efficiency, perfect execution at the point of sale and deliver positive results even under challenging conditions,” stated Arturo Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer of Arca Continental.

“In 2020 we will continue to emphasize the importance of innovation by enhancing our digital initiatives and making strategic investments in all our territories, such as the case of our new plant in Houston which will generate savings of around US$30 million per year,” he added.

RECENT EVENTS

• AC announced consolidated volume growth guidance of approximately 1.0% for 2020, on a comparable basis (excluding jug water).
  
  
• In 2020, AC will remain part of the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. AC was added to this index in 2017 which includes the publicly-traded companies that demonstrate a strong commitment to best environmental, social and corporate governance practices in emerging countries. 
  
  
• The Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) announced that AC will remain part of the Sustainability and Social Responsibility Index upon having the best international practices in the areas of social and environmental responsibility and corporate governance.
  
  
• The BIVA Stock Exchange announced that AC will form part of its new index FTSE4Good BIVA which seeks to offer innovative products to bring the Mexican market closer to achieving the highest international standards in sustainability. 
  
  
• PetStar, the largest food-grade PET recycling plant in which Arca Continental owns a stake, obtained the Iberoamericano Quality Award in the Gold category, which recognizes companies for their excellence and sustainable management by the quality and innovation of their processes.

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Arca Continental will host a conference call on February 14, 2020 to discuss these results at 10:00 am Mexico/Monterrey time / 11:00 am New York time. A live webcast of this event will be available at www.arcacontal.com or connect via telephone.

To participate, please dial:
+1-877-712-5080 (U.S. participants)
+1-334-245-3009 (International participants)
0-1-800-062-2650 (Mexico participants)
Passcode:  36151

About Arca Continental
Arca Continental is a company dedicated to the production, distribution, and sale of non-alcoholic beverages which are brand names of The Coca-Cola Company as well as salty snacks under the brands of Bokados in Mexico, Inalecsa in Ecuador, and Wise and Deep River in the United States. With an outstanding track record of more than 93 years, Arca Continental is the second largest Coca-Cola bottling company in Latin America and one of the most important in the world. Within its Coca-Cola franchise, the company serves a population of more than 119 million in the northern and western parts of Mexico as well as Ecuador, Peru, the northern region of Argentina and the Southwestern U.S. Arca Continental is listed on the Mexican Stock Market under the ticker symbol "AC". For further information about Arca Continental, please visit www.arcacontal.com

This material may contain forward-looking statements regarding Arca Continental and its subsidiaries based on management’s expectations. This information as well as statements regarding future events and expectations is subject to risks and uncertainties, as well as factors that could cause the results, performance and achievements of the Company to differ at any time. Such factors include changes in the general economic, political, governmental and commercial conditions both domestically and globally, as well as variations in interest rates, inflation rates, exchange rate volatility, tax rates, the demand for and the price of carbonated beverages, water, and the price of sugar and other raw materials used in the production of sparkling beverages, weather conditions and various others. As a result of these risks and factors, actual results could be materially different from the estimates provided; therefore, Arca Continental does not accept responsibility for any variations or for the information provided by official sources.

Please Note: The full earnings release in PDF and information in the financial tables available for download in MS Excel format are now available at the following link: http://www.arcacontal.com/investors/financial-reports.aspx