"KO reported another good quarter, the fifth or sixth in a row that slightly beat the Street EPS consensus while also delivering unit volume growth at or above the top of end of its long-term target," Stifel Nicolaus analyst Mark Swartzberg wrote in a research note. The company also said it plans to repurchase between $2.5 billion and $3 billion in stock in 2007. "We continue to demonstrate that we can be successful growing sparkling beverages, while expanding our beverage portfolio," Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO Neville Isdell said in a press release. Case volume in the key North American market fell 2% for the quarter, due to weak sparkling beverage and warehouse-delivered water sales. International operations' unit case volume rose 6%.