Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (DPS), a leading producer of flavored beverages in North America and the Caribbean, reported strong third-quarter earnings of 59 cents per share, compared to 41 cents in the year-earlier quarter. Excluding the one-time non-recurring items, earnings for the quarter came at 54 cents per share versus 45 cents in the year-ago period.   Bottler case sales volume increased 4% during the quarter year over year with carbonated soft drinks growing 5% and non-carbonated beverage sales up marginally. On a geographic basis, volume sales increased 4% in North America and 9% in Latin America.   Net sales of Beverage Concentrates increased 14% during the quarter due to extensive distribution of Crush-brand. Segment operating profit increased 25% year over year. In the Packaged Beverages segment, net sales decreased 1% with a 1% dip in sales volume. However, segment operating profit increased 42% due to lower ...

Kraft Foods Inc.’s (NYSE: KFT) $16.7 billion unsolicited takeover attempt of Cadbury PLC (NYSE ADR: CBY) is the latest sign of consolidation in the highly competitive food industry, and will likely lead to two things: A bidding war for Cadbury and further consolidation in the sector.

The world’s second-largest foodmaker went public with its bid for Cadbury earlier this week after being snubbed privately. Kraft’s offer – a 31% premium to the chocolate maker’s Friday closing price of $37.46 a share, but less than  – “fundamentally undervalues” Cadbury, it said. The offer is less than 15 times Cadbury’s 2008 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA).

“Any follow-up offer by Kraft would likely involve a higher price,” Moody’s Investor Service senior analyst Brian Weddington said in a note. “The increased leverage that would result under the proposed transaction would be considerable.”

Increased leverage could be a boon to Cadbury

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First Russia, then China, now U.N.? Powers of the world move to ditch the dollar …Puru Saxena on why the Fed secretly wants inflation… the more the better…The 5 examines the future of energy… from deep-water drilling to “polywell fusion”… Another government biz on the verge of collapse… one that will affect us all… Plus, some good housing news, maybe… home prices retreat to historic range

“A new global reserve system,” a panel of United Nations economists declared yesterday, “could contribute to global stability, economic strength and global equity.”

We begin with this today not because the U.N. is saying anything revolutionary, but because the global chorus to ditch the dollar is quickly becoming deafening. The Kremlin last week, China’s central bank earlier this week, Tim Geithner yesterday and now this… a U.N. panel led by an American no less.

There is “a growing

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