CocaCola (NYSE:KO) Trading Down 1% – Should You Sell?

CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO)’s stock price traded down 1% on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $88.96 and last traded at $89.1550. Approximately 12,641,489 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 26% from the average session volume of 17,088,967 shares. The stock had previously closed at $90.08.

Key CocaCola News

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment improved. Zacks upgraded Coca-Cola to Rank #2 (Buy), citing greater optimism about the company’s earnings prospects. The upgrade could provide near-term support for the shares. Coca-Cola Upgraded to Buy: Here’s What You Should Know
• Positive Sentiment: Recent earnings remain a support. Coca-Cola beat quarterly EPS and revenue expectations, with revenue increasing 6.2% year over year. The company maintained fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $3.270 to $3.300, while analysts project approximately $3.29 for the full year. Coca-Cola Up 1.1% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?
• Positive Sentiment: Defensive positioning is helping demand. Coca-Cola is attracting interest as investors favor consumer-staples companies for relatively stable demand amid broader market uncertainty. Why Is Coca-Cola Drawing Steady Demand as Staples Turn Defensive?
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand marketing remains active. Coca-Cola launched a Fanta Halloween campaign designed to expand the brand’s seasonal relevance. The initiative may support visibility and sales, although its financial impact is not yet clear. Coca-Cola Launches Fanta Halloween Campaign
• Negative Sentiment: Higher Treasury yields increase income competition. The 30-year U.S. Treasury yield has risen above 5.2%, offering investors a comparatively attractive source of income versus dividend stocks such as KO. Higher yields can also pressure the valuation of defensive equities. The 30-Year U.S. Treasury Bond Now Has a Higher Yield Than Coca-Cola

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on KO. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $100.00 price target (up from $89.00) on shares of CocaCola in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $91.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. TD Cowen raised their price target on CocaCola from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on CocaCola from $90.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on CocaCola from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $95.76.

CocaCola Stock Performance

The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $84.93 and its 200-day moving average price is $80.69. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97. The firm has a market cap of $383.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.77, a PEG ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 0.33.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported $0.97 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.93 by $0.04. CocaCola had a net margin of 28.56% and a return on equity of 39.38%. The firm had revenue of $13.37 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.17 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.87 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.270-3.300 EPS. Analysts expect that CocaCola Company will post 3.29 earnings per share for the current year.

CocaCola Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. CocaCola’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 63.66%.

Insider Buying and Selling at CocaCola

In other news, CFO John Murphy sold 152,483 shares of CocaCola stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.31, for a total transaction of $13,313,290.73. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 279,917 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24,439,553.27. The trade was a 35.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Sanket Ray sold 9,958 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.50, for a total value of $861,367.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 62,105 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,372,082.50. This trade represents a 13.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 1,594,900 shares of company stock valued at $136,568,617. 0.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CocaCola

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Groupe la Francaise increased its holdings in shares of CocaCola by 17.5% in the 2nd quarter. Groupe la Francaise now owns 1,057,942 shares of the company’s stock valued at $85,338,000 after acquiring an additional 157,321 shares during the period. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new stake in CocaCola during the 2nd quarter worth $20,531,000. Financial Insights Inc. boosted its stake in CocaCola by 23.5% during the 2nd quarter. Financial Insights Inc. now owns 7,201 shares of the company’s stock worth $585,000 after purchasing an additional 1,369 shares during the period. California State Teachers Retirement System grew its position in CocaCola by 7,365.2% during the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 487,509,960 shares of the company’s stock worth $39,619,934,000 after purchasing an additional 480,979,487 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tanager Wealth Management LLP grew its position in CocaCola by 13.5% during the 2nd quarter. Tanager Wealth Management LLP now owns 4,168 shares of the company’s stock worth $339,000 after purchasing an additional 495 shares during the last quarter. 70.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.