Pepsi squeezes 4.4% rise out of earnings

Pepsi Bottling Group Inc, the world’s largest distributor of PepsiCo Inc beverages, said third-quarter earnings rose 4.4% on new Tropicana juice drinks and sales in Europe.

Net income climbed to $191 million (€155m), or 73 cents a share, from $183m (€149m), or 67 cents, a year earlier, the Somers, New York-based company said in a statement. Sales in the period ended September 4 increased 4.4% to $2.93 billion (€2.38bn), the smallest gain in more than a year.