Key Points
- EVP Monica Howard Douglas sold 23,880 shares of Coca‑Cola on March 9 at an average $77.37 for $1.85M, reducing her holding by 57.4% to 17,725 shares, per an SEC Form 4 filing.
- Coca‑Cola increased its quarterly dividend to $0.53 (annualized $2.12, yield ~2.7%), payable April 1 with an ex‑dividend date of March 13.
- Results and outlook: KO beat quarterly EPS expectations ($0.58 vs. $0.56) while revenue slightly missed, set FY2026 guidance of $3.21–$3.24 EPS, and retains a consensus "Buy" rating with an average price target of $84.33.
CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO - Get Free Report) EVP Monica Howard Douglas sold 23,880 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.37, for a total value of $1,847,595.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 17,725 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,371,383.25. The trade was a 57.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.
Monica Howard Douglas also recently made the following trade(s):
- On Wednesday, February 25th, Monica Howard Douglas sold 20,000 shares of CocaCola stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.16, for a total value of $1,603,200.00.
CocaCola Stock Performance
Shares of CocaCola stock opened at $77.80 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.46. CocaCola Company has a 1 year low of $65.35 and a 1 year high of $82.00. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $75.17 and its 200-day simple moving average is $71.23. The firm has a market cap of $334.59 billion, a PE ratio of 25.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.35.
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 business 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 quarterly revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.55 EPS. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.210-3.240 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that CocaCola Company will post 2.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
CocaCola Increases Dividend
The business 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 dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th. This is an increase from CocaCola's previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. CocaCola's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 67.11%.
Key Headlines Impacting CocaCola
Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators point to Coca‑Cola’s defensive characteristics and superior YTD performance versus the S&P, citing strong brands, pricing power and steady demand as reasons behind the rally. Why is Coca‑Cola stock rallying this year while S&P slumps? Here's what investors need to know about KO stock
- Positive Sentiment: Zacks notes KO has climbed ~12.5% in a month, driven by pricing power, global brands and resilient demand — supportive factors for continued cash flow and dividends. Coca‑Cola Stock Rises 12.5% in a Month: Buy the Rally or Wait?
- Positive Sentiment: Motley Fool highlights continued organic revenue gains and a robust dividend that make KO attractive to income and defensive investors. Coca‑Cola Stock Is Crushing the Market This Year. Is It Time to Buy?
- Positive Sentiment: Coverage of Coca‑Cola’s FY‑2025 results and its 64th consecutive dividend increase underlines durable cash generation and management’s focus on shareholder returns. How Coca‑Cola’s 64th Dividend Hike and New CEO Will Impact Coca‑Cola (KO) Investors
- Positive Sentiment: Analyses emphasize emerging markets (India, China, ASEAN) as a key long‑term revenue driver for KO, supporting growth expectations beyond developed markets. Are Emerging Markets Key to Coca‑Cola's Long‑Term Revenue Growth?
- Neutral Sentiment: Dividend‑safety comparisons vs. Pepsi highlight KO’s consistency but note differences in business mix; useful for income‑oriented allocation decisions rather than immediate price triggers. Coke vs Pepsi: Which Dividend Is Actually Safer?
- Neutral Sentiment: Citi conference presentation transcript provides management messaging and finer operational detail but contained no major surprises likely to move the stock sharply. The Coca‑Cola Company (KO) Presents at Citi's 2026 Global Consumer & Retail Conference
- Negative Sentiment: An EVP, Monica Howard Douglas, disclosed a sizable sale (23,880 shares), reducing her stake ~57% — an insider sale that some investors may view as a negative signal. SEC Form 4 — Insider Sale Disclosure
- Negative Sentiment: Some analysts caution KO’s recent rally has pushed valuation to a premium (P/E and PEG metrics), which could limit near‑term upside and increase sensitivity to any earnings miss. Coca‑Cola Stock Rises 12.5% in a Month: Buy the Rally or Wait?
Hedge Funds Weigh In On CocaCola
Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Anfield Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in CocaCola by 438.8% during the fourth quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 361 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 294 shares in the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in shares of CocaCola in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in CocaCola in the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Cloud Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in CocaCola in the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in CocaCola by 1,081.8% during the 4th quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 390 shares of the company's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 357 shares during the period. 70.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Truist Financial set a $85.00 price target on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. UBS Group boosted their price target on CocaCola from $82.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating and set a $83.00 price objective on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $79.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $87.00 target price on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and fifteen have assigned a Buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, CocaCola presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $84.33.
Check Out Our Latest Report on CocaCola
CocaCola Company Profile
(
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.
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