CocaCola (NYSE:KO) Reaches New 52-Week High on Analyst Upgrade

CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday after Barclays raised their price target on the stock from $77.00 to $83.00. Barclays currently has an overweight rating on the stock. CocaCola traded as high as $79.62 and last traded at $79.4540, with a volume of 2319433 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $78.60.

KO has been the topic of a number of other reports. Truist Financial set a $85.00 price target on CocaCola in a research note on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $83.00 price objective on shares of CocaCola in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of CocaCola from $79.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on shares of CocaCola from $88.00 to $87.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on shares of CocaCola from $82.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and sixteen have given a Buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, CocaCola currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $84.19.

Insider Activity

In other CocaCola news, EVP Nancy Quan sold 31,625 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.17, for a total value of $2,250,751.25. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 223,330 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $15,894,396.10. This trade represents a 12.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO James Quincey sold 337,824 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.10, for a total transaction of $26,046,230.40. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 342,546 shares in the company, valued at approximately $26,410,296.60. The trade was a 49.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.97% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

CocaCola News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $87 and kept a Buy rating, citing stability in Coke’s core business — a supportive analyst takeaway for the shares. UBS Sees Stability in The Coca‑Cola Company’s Core Business, Raises PT to $87
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction to the quarter included an initial uptick — headlines reported the stock trading higher after the better‑than‑expected EPS, reflecting investor focus on margin and cash generation. CocaCola (NYSE:KO) Trading Up 2.5% Following Better‑Than‑Expected Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks notes KO hit a 52‑week high, attributing strength to pricing discipline, brand power and solid Q4 results despite FX headwinds — momentum that can attract momentum and quality‑stock flows. Coca‑Cola Hits 52‑Week High: Should You Buy the Stock Now or Wait?
• Positive Sentiment: The Motley Fool included KO among two consumer‑staples picks to buy, reinforcing its appeal to yield‑and‑defensive‑oriented investors. 2 Consumer Staples Stocks to Buy in February 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Coca‑Cola FEMSA (KOF) completed an oversubscribed Ps.10 billion bond, signaling access to cheap local financing in Latin America — relevant for regional bottler stability but indirect for KO’s US listing. Coca‑Cola FEMSA Raises Ps. 10 Billion in Oversubscribed Mexican Bond Offering
• Neutral Sentiment: Coca‑Cola Bottlers Japan reported a 2025 loss but flagged a rebound plan and governance moves (new director, reserve reclassification) — localized execution risk that’s unlikely to move KO significantly but worth monitoring for regional supply/earnings impact. Coca‑Cola Bottlers Japan Swings to 2025 Loss but Signals Earnings Rebound in 2026
• Negative Sentiment: A TipRanks piece warns that a defensive rotation has left KO “fully priced,” implying limited upside from current multiples and raising the risk of short‑term pullbacks as investors rotate into other defensives. ‘Defensive Rotation’ Leaves Coca‑Cola Stock (KO) Fully Priced, Says Analyst
• Negative Sentiment: The Motley Fool also published a cautious take suggesting alternatives they’d buy instead, highlighting concerns about valuation and a weaker revenue beat — a reminder some investors prefer higher growth or deeper discounts. Coca‑Cola Stock Is Interesting, But Here’s What I’d Buy Instead

Institutional Trading of CocaCola

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in CocaCola by 1.7% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 367,441,971 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,996,519,000 after purchasing an additional 6,241,163 shares during the period. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new stake in shares of CocaCola in the second quarter valued at $22,443,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in CocaCola by 2.9% during the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 2,051,957 shares of the company’s stock valued at $136,086,000 after buying an additional 57,407 shares in the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. grew its holdings in CocaCola by 1.9% during the third quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 10,408,798 shares of the company’s stock worth $690,311,000 after acquiring an additional 198,886 shares during the period. Finally, Nicola Wealth Management LTD. lifted its holdings in CocaCola by 42.3% in the 3rd quarter. Nicola Wealth Management LTD. now owns 185,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $12,269,000 after acquiring an additional 55,000 shares during the last quarter. 70.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

CocaCola Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $338.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.31 and a beta of 0.36. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $72.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $70.08. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.02. CocaCola had a net margin of 27.34% and a return on equity of 41.31%. The firm had revenue of $11.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.04 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.55 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.210-3.240 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that CocaCola Company will post 2.96 earnings per share for the current year.

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.