DPS reports Q3 results

HOUSTON — Earnings for the Dr Pepper Snapple Group rose to $154 million, or 71 cents per share, for third quarter 2011, the company announced Wednesday.

This compared with the year-ago period, where third quarter 2010 earnings totaled $144 million, or 60 cents per share.

Year-to-date net sales increased 5% for the company, while income from operations was $753 million, compared with $757 million in the prior-year period. Net income for DPS totaled $440 million, compared with $416 million in the prior-year period.

"As we continue to operate in challenging times, I remain pleased with the performance of our portfolio," DPS president and CEO Larry Young said. "Our teams are committed to executing our focused strategy with the goal of providing value to our customers while managing price, mix and productivity to offset higher input costs. The national launch of Dr Pepper TEN is bringing excitement and energy to the Dr Pepper trademark, and we are continuing to build per capita consumption with new fountain availabilities and cold drink placements. Our rapid continuous improvement efforts are gaining traction across the organization, and we’re beginning to experience meaningful results."