CocaCola (NYSE:KO) Shares Up 2.7% – Still a Buy?

CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO)’s stock price traded up 2.7% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $69.46 and last traded at $69.34. 19,217,277 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 2% from the average session volume of 18,751,842 shares. The stock had previously closed at $67.54.

Key Headlines Impacting CocaCola

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Coca‑Cola is repeatedly cited as a classic dividend aristocrat and income holding, reinforcing its defensive appeal for income-seeking investors and supporting demand for the shares. The Dividend Aristocrats No One’s Talking About (And Their 30+ Year Track Records)
• Positive Sentiment: Mentions in roundups of Warren Buffett / Buffett‑style stocks keep KO in view as a long‑term, blue‑chip holding — a reputational tailwind that can attract conservative and dividend-focused flows. As a Concerned Warren Buffett Exits, His 4 Safest Dividend Stocks Are 2026 Gems
• Positive Sentiment: Several “buy/hold” analyst narratives and articles arguing KO remains a solid defensive investment are lifting investor interest and helping support the rally. Wall Street Analysts Think Coca‑Cola (KO) Is a Good Investment: Is It?
• Neutral Sentiment: General media coverage noting KO is drawing investor attention can boost short‑term flows, but this coverage is informational rather than new fundamental news. CocaCola Company (The) (KO) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparisons with Pepsi highlight KO’s defensive role in portfolios; that can attract conservative buyers but also invites valuation comparisons that may temper upside. Coca‑Cola Vs Pepsi Stock: Which is the Better Investment for 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: Operational and management headlines — CEO transition, restructuring and reported layoffs in Atlanta — create execution and morale uncertainty that can weigh on sentiment and near‑term multiple. How Investors May Respond To Coca‑Cola (KO) CEO Transition, Restructuring, and Atlanta Layoffs
• Negative Sentiment: Technical weakness — KO slipping below its 200‑day moving average amid lighter volume — raises questions about momentum and short‑term upside; technical sellers may pressure the stock if the level isn’t reclaimed. Coca‑Cola Trades Below 200‑Day SMA: Opportunity or Warning Sign?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KO has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of CocaCola from $78.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 7th. Evercore ISI reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of CocaCola in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of CocaCola in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Finally, Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and fifteen have issued a Buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, CocaCola presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $79.08.

CocaCola Stock Up 2.7%

The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $70.38 and its 200-day moving average price is $69.32. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. The company has a market capitalization of $298.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.96, a P/E/G ratio of 3.49 and a beta of 0.39.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, March 27th. The company reported $0.55 earnings per share for the quarter. CocaCola had a net margin of 27.34% and a return on equity of 43.62%. The business had revenue of $11.40 billion during the quarter. On average, sell-side analysts predict that CocaCola Company will post 2.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

CocaCola Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 1st were given a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. CocaCola’s payout ratio is 67.55%.

Insider Activity at CocaCola

In other CocaCola news, EVP Monica Howard Douglas sold 13,548 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.93, for a total transaction of $947,411.64. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 37,725 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,638,109.25. This represents a 26.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Max R. Levchin acquired 7,206 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 24th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $69.87 per share, with a total value of $503,483.22. Following the transaction, the director owned 14,267 shares in the company, valued at approximately $996,835.29. This trade represents a 102.05% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 225,252 shares of company stock worth $15,953,007. Insiders own 0.97% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CocaCola

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of KO. Sava Infond d.o.o. boosted its position in CocaCola by 210.8% during the 2nd quarter. Sava Infond d.o.o. now owns 5,750 shares of the company’s stock valued at $407,000 after acquiring an additional 3,900 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of CocaCola by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 367,441,971 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,996,519,000 after acquiring an additional 6,241,163 shares in the last quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of CocaCola by 3.6% during the 2nd quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC now owns 130,164 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,209,000 after purchasing an additional 4,469 shares during the last quarter. Aberdeen Group plc boosted its position in CocaCola by 5.0% during the second quarter. Aberdeen Group plc now owns 4,557,668 shares of the company’s stock valued at $322,455,000 after purchasing an additional 216,752 shares in the last quarter. Finally, VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al purchased a new position in CocaCola in the second quarter valued at about $22,443,000. 70.26% of the stock is owned by 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.