MEXICO CITY, April 27 (Reuters) – Mexico’s Coca-Cola FEMSA (KOFL.MX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the largest Coke bottler in the world, posted a 6 percent rise in first-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by a pick-up in sales and higher prices for its goods.

Like its competitors, Coca-Cola FEMSA has been trying to offset rising raw material costs by hiking prices for its own products, without losing sales to customers still cautious after the recession.

Still, the company sounded an upbeat note on its prospects even after acknowledging it expects higher costs for sweeteners and plastics.

“We feel very confident with the pricing flexibility that we have,” Hector Trevino, chief financial officer, told analysts on a call.

He said while the company is cautious about raising prices for some beverages in some regions, the strength of the Coca-Cola brand and evidence of a consumer recovery in Mexico gives the company some room to further hike prices for the cola there.

“We have a positive environment in Mexico, with improving consumer sentiment,” Trevino said.

Coca-Cola Co (KO.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which has a 31.6 percent equity stake in Coca-Cola FEMSA, has also been raising prices. The company on Tuesday reported slightly lower-than-expected quarterly profit but it also noted a 1 to 2 percent increase in North American sales after it raised prices and sold more higher-margin drinks. [ID:nN26216963]

MEXICO CITY, April 15 (Reuters) – Mexico’s top retailer Wal-Mart de Mexico on Friday reported a first-quarter profit that missed analysts’ expectations, as a pickup in sales was offset by higher costs.

The retailer, known locally as Walmex (WALMEXV.MX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), has been expanding aggressively even as consumer spending in the region has been slow to recover from the recession.

Walmex reported a profit of of 4.665 billion pesos ($392 million), up from 4.113 billion pesos in the year-earlier quarter. That was below expectations of a profit of 4.96 billion pesos, according to a Reuters’ survey of five analysts. [ID:nN12199486]

“Expenses grew faster than sales as a result of our planned investment in Mexico and Central America to improve the operation and drive future sales,” said Chief Financial Officer Rafael Matute said on a pre-recorded call.

General expenses rose 22 percent to 12.328 billion pesos in the first quarter while revenue climbed 18 percent to 85.48 billion pesos, according to the company’s statement.

This year’s late Easter holiday also affected sales in the quarter, Matute said, adding that he expects sales to pick up in April. “We still think (consumer) purchasing power will slowly recover.”

Walmex did not give further details about its increase in costs.

MEXICO CITY, April 13 (Reuters) – Foreign money managers may help invest assets on behalf of Mexican pension funds under new rules being rolled out in coming months, the funds’ chief regulator said on Wednesday.

Mexico’s private pensions, known as Afores, are by law allowed to bet 20 percent of their roughly $118 billion in assets on foreign stocks and bonds.

Foreign asset managers could collect handsome fees from the Afores if they are tapped to invest their cash.

The new rules will enable the Afores to invite the most sophisticated, experienced money managers to help maximize returns, Pedro Ordorica, the head of Mexican pension fund regulator Consar, told Reuters in an interview.

“This is a very substantial change. Above all, in terms of foreign investments,” Ordorica said, adding that this would help level the playing field between large pension funds that have in-house investment teams with smaller Afores.

Investors closely watch the Afores for clues on where they will dole out their considerable resources and whether they will expand holdings of foreign assets.

Since Mexico’s pension industry was privatized in the late 1990s, fund managers have been competing for clients and slowly diversifying their portfolios — shedding ultra-safe government bonds in favor of foreign stock, local private equity and infrastructure projects.