Giant beverage firm Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (ASX: CCL) announced on Thursday that it has netted high earnings from its first half operations this year, garnering some $212.7 million from the first six months leading to the end June and improving by 12.1 percent from the net profit posted in the previous corresponding year.

The company revealed that its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) were $373.8 million, gaining by 10 percent, and earnings per share improved from 10.1 percent to 28.3 cents while total revenue shot up by 4.4 percent from the prior corresponding period, with trading revenue and volume sales increasing by four percent and 1.8 percent respectively.

Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) said that the good results would lead to an interim dividend distribution of 20.5 cents per share, fully franked, and picking some gains from the 18.5 cents dividend results during the first half of 2008/09.

CCA managing director Terry Davis said that the company delivered positive results considering that volume growth and revenue growth registered gains of 1.5 percent and 5.5 percent respectively amidst the challenge of sustaining the solid performance seen in the first half of 2009.

Mr Davis pointed to the company's strong business model as its foundation in attaining competitive pricing and market growths, which pushed CCA's profitability and market position in all its area of operations.

He added that the latest investment initiatives made by CCA in capacity, operational capability and product innovations underscored the company's sterling performance from close competitors on the food and beverage industry.

CCA said that its Australian EBIT increased by 9.6 percent while the New Zealand and Indonesia operations saw earnings growth of five percent and 20 percent respectively on local currency bases.

Also, Mr Davis said that the company's food and services division earnings gained 13.7 percent while further growths were registered by the other divisions as CCA's beer offerings were able to secure almost ten percent of the premium packaged beer market in both volume and value segments.

He said that CCA is all geared up to maintain its organic growth strategy as he revealed of new investments made in self-manufacture PET bottles, provisions of cold drink coolers, accelerating the Project Zero campaign and further investment initiatives on its Indonesian Bluetongue Brewery operation.

Mr Davis expressed confidence that CCA is poised to collect a high single-digit growth in EBIT for the second half this year as he hoped that the summer trading season in Australia and New Zealand would be able to sustain its encouraging start.