CEO Douglas N. Daft. Given the one-two punch of economic turmoil in key overseas markets and lack of growth in the U.S. soda business, Coke's operating profits have risen an average of only 1% since 1997, to $5.2 billion in 2003. While the noncarbonated market is going gangbusters -- growing 8% last year alone -- U.S. soda consumption has grown by less than 1% in each of the past five years. Add mounting concerns about childhood obesity and the possibility that consumers are simply suffering from cola fatigue, and the soda market is likely to remain under pressure.