CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO – Free Report) – Stock analysts at Erste Group Bank dropped their FY2026 EPS estimates for shares of CocaCola in a research note issued on Thursday, April 2nd. Erste Group Bank analyst S. Lingnau now forecasts that the company will post earnings per share of $3.22 for the year, down from their prior estimate of $3.23. The consensus estimate for CocaCola’s current full-year earnings is $2.96 per share.
CocaCola (NYSE:KO – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $11.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.04 billion. CocaCola had a net margin of 27.34% and a return on equity of 41.31%. CocaCola’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.55 EPS. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.210-3.240 EPS.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on CocaCola
CocaCola Trading Up 1.2%
Shares of CocaCola stock opened at $78.20 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $77.62 and its 200 day moving average price is $72.48. CocaCola has a twelve month low of $65.35 and a twelve month high of $82.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $336.59 billion, a PE ratio of 25.72, a P/E/G ratio of 3.27 and a beta of 0.36.
CocaCola Increases Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th were paid a $0.53 dividend. This is a positive change from CocaCola’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 13th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. CocaCola’s dividend payout ratio is 69.74%.
Insider Buying and Selling at CocaCola
In other news, insider Bruno Pietracci sold 28,765 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.41, for a total transaction of $2,284,228.65. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO John Murphy sold 72,449 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.52, for a total transaction of $5,833,593.48. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 279,917 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $22,538,916.84. This represents a 20.56% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 892,925 shares of company stock worth $70,254,796. Insiders own 0.90% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Trading of CocaCola
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in KO. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of CocaCola during the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,865,807,000. Cardano Risk Management B.V. increased its holdings in shares of CocaCola by 867.2% during the 4th quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 14,432,190 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,008,954,000 after buying an additional 12,939,959 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP increased its holdings in shares of CocaCola by 1,206.9% during the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 10,641,007 shares of the company’s stock worth $743,913,000 after buying an additional 9,826,768 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in shares of CocaCola by 29.2% during the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 40,182,323 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,809,146,000 after buying an additional 9,078,447 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital World Investors increased its holdings in shares of CocaCola by 98.7% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 12,573,527 shares of the company’s stock worth $879,015,000 after buying an additional 6,246,627 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.26% of the company’s stock.
Key Stories Impacting CocaCola
Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:
- Positive Sentiment: UBS analyst note says KO’s stock is expected to rise, providing bullish institutional support for the rally and likely encouraging buyers. CocaCola (NYSE:KO) Stock Price Expected to Rise, UBS Group Analyst Says
- Positive Sentiment: Coca‑Cola’s marketing push — the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Trophy Tour — is a positive brand catalyst that can boost engagement and seasonal sales leading into a major global sporting event. The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Trophy Tour by Coca‑Cola
- Positive Sentiment: Retail coverage (Motley Fool) is urging investors to consider buying Coca‑Cola ahead of April 28, which can drive retail interest and volume. Should You Buy Beloved Warren Buffett Stock Coca‑Cola Before April 28?
- Positive Sentiment: Underlying fundamentals remain supportive — Coca‑Cola recently beat EPS estimates and set FY2026 guidance above consensus, which underpins investor confidence in cash flow and the dividend (see company filings/earnings). KO stock profile and recent results
- Neutral Sentiment: MarketWatch notes the stock rose but still underperformed broader market moves — implying sector/market factors are also at play rather than stock‑specific news alone. Coca‑Cola Co. stock rises Wednesday, still underperforms market
- Negative Sentiment: Erste Group trimmed its FY2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts by small amounts, a reminder analysts are watching cost/mix and macro pressure; downward estimate revisions can cap upside. Erste Group analyst estimate cuts for KO
- Negative Sentiment: Technical risk: KO slipped below its 50‑day moving average in recent sessions (while still above the 200‑day), which can trigger short‑term selling or caution among momentum traders. Coca‑Cola Slips Below 50‑Day SMA
- Negative Sentiment: Earlier intraday weakness and a day‑to‑day pullback were reported (volatile short‑term moves); this highlights that today’s uptick may be part of a choppy recovery rather than a clear breakout. Coca‑Cola (KO) Stock Drops Despite Market Gains
CocaCola Company Profile
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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