Mondelez International (NASDAQ: MDLZ), the parent company of Oreo, Ritz Crackers, Chips Ahoy!, Toblerone, Trident gum, and numerous other food brands, reported its first-quarter 2021 results today after the market closed. Revenue and earnings per share (EPS) both outdid Wall Street's consensus predictions, causing shares to rise 3.03% in after-hours trading despite a slight stock price decline earlier. According to Zacks Equity Research, the eight analysts whose guesses figured into the average forecast thought the company would generate $7.04 billion in quarterly revenue. However, the actual figure was $7.24 billion, a 2.8% surprise. At the bottom line, adjusted EPS registered at $0.77, an impressive 11.6% above the $0.69 consensus. Image source: Getty Images. Having avoided the ball and chain of the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA last year, Mondelez's year-over-year gains amounted to a 7.9% jump in net revenue, a 3.8% rise in organic net revenue, and a 10.6% increase in adjusted EPS. During the quarter, Mondelez managed to return $1.5 billion to its shareholders through stock buybacks and dividend payments, while generating $699 million in net cash flow, 898.6% higher than Q1 2020's $70 million. Providing brief guidance for 2021, the earnings report stated that Mondelez expects organic revenue to increase 3% or possibly more. Free cash flow is guided to exceed $3 billion, while adjusted EPS is predicted to rise by a "high single digit" percentage. CEO Kirk Van de Put says the "first-quarter results demonstrate that we are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger." Mondelez has continued its aggressive acquisition strategy, too, with its latest significant deal giving it a majority stake in British protein bar company Grenade in late March. 10 stocks we like better than Mondelez InternationalWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Mondelez International wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 24, 2021 Rhian Hunt has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Source