Disney Q1 profit flat,

beating estimates

The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday it made $844 million in the holiday quarter, roughly flat compared with a year earlier, as restructuring charges offset cost cutting and gains at ESPN and the Disney Channel. The advertising recovery had an uneven effect at Disney, with ESPN and Disney Channel benefiting from higher ad revenues, but the ABC broadcast network suffering from lower ratings and advertising prices. ABC nevertheless benefited from sales of "Criminal Minds" to other networks for reruns and in international markets.

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Strong overseas sales

put fizz in Coca-Cola's Q4

International sales again added fizz to Coca-Cola's fourth quarter, while sales in North America softened, to lift profit 55 percent in the last three months of the year. Although the economy appears to be slowly improving, the CEO of the world's largest beverage maker said Tuesday he expects 2010 to be another difficult year. Coca-Cola sold 5 percent more beverages worldwide in its fourth quarter.