CocaCola (NYSE:KO – Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at HSBC from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.
Several other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Wednesday. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $91.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $89.00 to $91.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Truist Financial set a $88.00 price objective on shares of CocaCola in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Finally, Bank of America raised their target price on shares of CocaCola from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, CocaCola currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $90.06.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on KO
CocaCola Stock Up 5.2%
CocaCola (NYSE:KO – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported $0.97 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.93 by $0.04. CocaCola had a return on equity of 40.55% and a net margin of 27.80%.The firm had revenue of $13.37 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.17 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.87 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.270-3.300 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that CocaCola will post 3.26 earnings per share for the current year.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other CocaCola news, Chairman James Quincey sold 436,296 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.13, for a total transaction of $34,960,398.48. Following the sale, the chairman directly owned 122,833 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,842,608.29. The trade was a 78.03% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Nancy Quan sold 31,625 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.93, for a total transaction of $2,559,411.25. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 223,330 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,074,096.90. This trade represents a 12.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders have sold 899,905 shares of company stock valued at $71,832,315 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.90% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Trading of CocaCola
A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in CocaCola by 1.6% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 374,771,512 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,200,276,000 after buying an additional 5,886,352 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of CocaCola by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 167,850,330 shares of the company’s stock worth $11,734,417,000 after acquiring an additional 1,992,327 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of CocaCola by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 89,984,203 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,273,037,000 after acquiring an additional 433,547 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of CocaCola in the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,865,807,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE increased its stake in CocaCola by 9.5% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 44,018,963 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,347,642,000 after purchasing an additional 3,836,640 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.26% of the company’s stock.
Trending Headlines about CocaCola
Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q2 results exceeded expectations: Coca-Cola reported adjusted earnings of $0.97 per share, above the $0.93 analyst consensus, while revenue reached approximately $13.37 billion versus estimates of $13.17 billion. Revenue increased about 6% year over year, and earnings rose from $0.87 per share in the prior-year quarter. Coca-Cola Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results and Raises Full Year Guidance
- Positive Sentiment: Demand and volumes were strong: Global unit-case volume rose 5%, reportedly Coca-Cola’s best quarterly volume growth in 17 years. Growth was helped by demand for zero-sugar beverages and fairlife, higher concentrate sales, pricing and favorable product mix. The company said it gained value share despite a challenging consumer environment. Coca-Cola hails World Cup hydration breaks as it lifts annual forecasts
- Positive Sentiment: Guidance was raised: Management now expects approximately 5% 2026 organic revenue growth, up from prior guidance of 4% to 5%, and comparable EPS growth of 9% to 10%, versus the previous 8% to 9% range. The company maintained full-year EPS guidance of roughly $3.27 to $3.30. Coca-Cola Lifts 2026 Earnings Outlook as Second-Quarter Results Top Views
- Positive Sentiment: World Cup exposure boosted optimism: Coca-Cola’s sponsorship and hydration-related marketing during the FIFA World Cup helped drive product visibility, consumption occasions and volume growth, reinforcing expectations for continued brand strength. FIFA World Cup Delivers Coca-Cola’s Best Quarterly Volume Growth in 17 Years
- Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and expectations are elevated: KO is trading near its one-year high, with a price-to-earnings ratio near 28. The strong results may support the premium, but the valuation leaves less room for execution misses or weaker consumer spending ahead.
About CocaCola
The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a global beverage manufacturer, marketer and distributor best known for its flagship Coca‑Cola soda. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company develops and sells concentrates, syrups and finished beverages across a broad portfolio of brands. Its product range spans sparkling soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, juices, ready‑to‑drink teas and coffees, and other still beverages, marketed under both global and regional brand names.
Coca‑Cola’s brand portfolio includes widely recognized names such as Coca‑Cola, Diet Coke, Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar, Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid, Powerade and Dasani, and in recent years the company has expanded into the coffee and premium beverage categories through acquisitions such as Costa Coffee.
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