The Coca-Cola Co has agreed to pay USD 137.5 million (593 crore approx) to settle a shareholder lawsuit that claimed company officials misrepresented or omitted information in public statements, causing the company's stock price to be inflated.


The Atlanta-based company did not admit any wrongdoing in settling the suit filed in US District Court in Atlanta, according to the agreement.


The court has preliminarily approved the settlement and scheduled a settlement fairness hearing for October 20.


The lead plaintiffs in the suit were the Carpenters Health and Welfare Fund of Philadelphia & Vicinity and 1199 SEIU Greater New York Pension Fund.


The class represented by the plaintiffs included all persons who bought Coca-Cola stock between October 21, 1999 and March 6, 2000.