Coca-Cola Seeks Rejection of Lawsuit

Coca-Cola Co. asked a Georgia judge to dismiss a lawsuit by a fired executive whose claims prompted an accounting probe by federal authorities.

Coca-Cola asked Judge Elizabeth E. Long to dismiss the lawsuit by Matthew Whitley, the ex-finance director of the company’s fountain division, or at least delay pretrial evidence gathering until he identifies more facts to support his claims.

Whitley, who was fired in February, has claimed that the fountain division, which accounts for a third of Coca-Cola’s U.S. sales, improperly reported $750 million in expenses as marketing allowances rather than rebates.

Shares of Atlanta-based Coca-Cola rose 55 cents to $45.06 on the NYSE.