Monster Beverage Corp., Corona, Calif., reported a more than 10 percent increase in gross sales to nearly $614 million in the first quarter of 2014, which ended March 31. Net sales in the term also increased by more than 10 percent to $536 million, and gross profit reached 53.5 percent of net sales.
Operating expenses in the quarter decreased to $138 million, or approximately 26 percent of net sales, from about $145 million in the same quarter last year. Distribution costs as a percentage of net sales were nearly 5 percent; selling expenses were nearly 11 percent; general and administrative expenses were about 10 percent; and distributor termination expenses were $10,000.