New York PepsiCo Inc and Coke Enterprises reported higher-than-expected quarterly profits, helped by price increases on sodas, and stood by their full-year forecasts.

For PepsiCo, 2012 is a transition year as it ramps up marketing, cuts thousands of jobs and streamlines its portfolio to improve its performance, especially in its North American drink business.

"As the year progresses, quarter by quarter, you'll start seeing the business strengthen," PepsiCo Chief Executive Indra Nooyi said on a conference call yesterday.

The company said results were in line with its own expectations in the quarter, during which commodity cost inflation was at the highest rate expected for the year.

Like most food and beverage companies, PepsiCo and Coke Enterprises raised prices to offset higher commodity costs. But those price increases can often hurt sales volume.

PepsiCo said net income was $1.13 billion, or 71 cents per share, in the first quarter, down from $1.14 billion, or 71 cents a share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, earnings were 69 cents per share, in line with management's expectations, but 2 cents more than analysts' estimates, according to Thomson Reuters.

Net revenue grew 4 per cent to $12.43 billion, driven by price increases. Currency exchange rates reduced revenue growth by 1 percentage point.

Volume rose 2 per cent in the company's Americas Foods unit as strength in Latin America offset declines at the North American units of Frito-Lay and Quaker Foods. The Americas Beverages unit's volume fell 1 per cent.

PepsiCo stood by its 2012 outlook for earnings to drop 5 per cent from $4.40 a share in 2011. It expects net revenue growth in the low single-digit percentage range this year.

The company has lagged Coca-Cola Co; its flagship Pepsi-Cola has fallen to No 3 among soft drinks in the United States, behind Coca-Cola and Diet Coke.

Also yesterday, Coke Enterprises reported first-quarter earnings of 36 cents per share, topping analysts' average estimate of 33 cents, according to Thomson Reuters.

The company, which bottles Coca-Cola Co drinks in Europe, affirmed its full-year forecast for earnings per share to grow about 10 per cent.