CocaCola (NYSE:KO) CFO John Murphy Sells 72,449 Shares

Posted by Mark Dietrich on Mar 4th, 2026

CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO – Get Free Report) CFO John Murphy sold 72,449 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.52, for a total value of $5,833,593.48. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 279,917 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,538,916.84. This trade represents a 20.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

John Murphy also recently made the following trade(s):

On Wednesday, February 25th, John Murphy sold 99,437 shares of CocaCola stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.42, for a total transaction of $7,996,723.54.

CocaCola Price Performance

Shares of NYSE KO opened at $79.32 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $74.41 and its 200-day moving average price is $70.96. The company has a quick ratio of 1.25, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23. CocaCola Company has a twelve month low of $65.35 and a twelve month high of $82.00. The company has a market capitalization of $341.13 billion, a PE ratio of 26.09, a PEG ratio of 3.36 and a beta of 0.35.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $11.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.04 billion. CocaCola had a return on equity of 41.31% and a net margin of 27.34%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.55 EPS. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.210-3.240 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that CocaCola Company will post 2.96 EPS for the current year.

CocaCola Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Friday, March 13th will be paid a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th. This is a positive change from CocaCola’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. CocaCola’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 67.11%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently commented on KO. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $85.00 price objective on shares of CocaCola in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $83.00 target price on shares of CocaCola in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Truist Financial set a $85.00 price target on CocaCola in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $88.00 to $87.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their target price on CocaCola from $82.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and fifteen have issued a Buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, CocaCola presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $84.33.

View Our Latest Report on KO

Key Headlines Impacting CocaCola

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

Positive Sentiment: Major brokerages maintain a favorable view—KO was given a consensus “Buy” rating by brokerages, which supports investor confidence and may limit downside pressure. Brokerage Consensus
Positive Sentiment: KO continues to appear in dividend-focused lists (e.g., retirement/dividend growth roundups), reinforcing its reputation as a dependable income stock for yield-oriented investors and likely supporting long-term demand. Fool: Dividend Stocks
Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces and sector screens highlight consumer staples (including KO) as potential earnings-beaters, offering a watchlist signal but not a direct catalyst. These articles may attract attention from dividend and defensive‑fund flows rather than trigger immediate price moves. Zacks: Consumer Staples
Neutral Sentiment: Articles revisiting Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio moves mention KO in the context of Buffett-era shifts; this is informational and can influence sentiment among value investors but is not a company-specific catalyst. MarketBeat: Berkshire Review
Neutral Sentiment: Coca‑Cola FEMSA (KOF) proposed a 2026 ordinary dividend payable quarterly—positive for the Coca‑Cola system’s franchise/partner stability, but the direct impact on KO PLC’s stock is limited. TipRanks: KOF Dividend
Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on KO’s long dividend streak and a new investor‑relations chief frames a valuation debate—this keeps the stock in focus for income investors but may prolong volatility as market participants reassess fair value. Yahoo Finance: Dividend Streak & IR
Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CFO John Murphy sold 72,449 shares (~$5.8M at ~\$80.52), reducing his holding by ~20.6%. Large insider sales can weigh on sentiment and are likely a key driver behind intraday weakness. SEC Form 4

Institutional Trading of CocaCola

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors boosted its stake in CocaCola by 3.8% during the fourth quarter. Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors now owns 3,819 shares of the company’s stock worth $275,000 after acquiring an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. Alteri Wealth LLC boosted its position in shares of CocaCola by 1.9% during the fourth quarter. Alteri Wealth LLC now owns 7,738 shares of the company’s stock valued at $541,000 after buying an additional 141 shares during the last quarter. Apexium Financial LP increased its holdings in CocaCola by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. Apexium Financial LP now owns 12,154 shares of the company’s stock worth $810,000 after buying an additional 142 shares in the last quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in CocaCola by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 38,886 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,718,000 after buying an additional 143 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Stockman Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of CocaCola by 1.7% during the fourth quarter. Stockman Wealth Management Inc. now owns 8,901 shares of the company’s stock valued at $622,000 after purchasing an additional 147 shares during the last quarter. 70.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About CocaCola

(Get Free Report)

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.