CocaCola (NYSE:KO) Trading Down 2% on Insider Selling

Key Points

• CocaCola shares fell about 2% in midday trading after news of insider selling, with trading volume running above average.
• Executive vice president Jennifer K. Mann sold multiple blocks of stock, including 23,984 shares and two separate 100,000-share sales, all under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan and partly to cover tax withholding on equity awards.
• Despite the pullback, analysts remain largely constructive: 15 analysts rate KO a Buy, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $86.69.

CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO - Get Free Report) fell 2% during mid-day trading on Monday after an insider sold shares in the company. The stock traded as low as $80.25 and last traded at $80.9390. 19,956,642 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 18% from the average session volume of 16,850,053 shares. The stock had previously closed at $82.62.

Specifically, EVP Jennifer K. Mann sold 23,984 shares of CocaCola stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.41, for a total value of $2,000,505.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 157,400 shares of the company's stock, valued at $13,128,734. The trade was a 13.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Jennifer K. Mann sold 100,000 shares of CocaCola stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.46, for a total transaction of $7,946,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 207,400 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,480,004. The trade was a 32.53% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In other news, EVP Jennifer K. Mann sold 100,000 shares of CocaCola stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.46, for a total value of $7,946,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 207,400 shares of the company's stock, valued at $16,480,004. The trade was a 32.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on KO. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of CocaCola from $83.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, March 30th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of CocaCola from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b+)" rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of CocaCola from $90.00 to $91.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, May 18th. Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on shares of CocaCola in a report on Thursday. They issued a "market perform" rating and a $84.00 target price on the stock. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their target price on shares of CocaCola from $85.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, CocaCola has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $86.69.

Key Stories Impacting CocaCola

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Coca-Cola’s cost-saving initiatives and operating efficiencies are helping offset commodity inflation and support profitability, which could bolster margins even as supply-chain pressures persist. Are Coca-Cola's Cost-Saving Initiatives Boosting Profitability?
• Positive Sentiment: KO is being highlighted as a low-beta consumer staples stock that may help investors navigate surging inflation and rate-hike fears, reinforcing demand for the shares as a defensive holding. 4 Low-Beta Consumer Staples Stocks to Navigate Through Surging Inflation
• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer described Coca-Cola as a “quintessential defensive stock,” suggesting the recent pullback was being seen as an opportunity as investors rotate into safer sectors. Jim Cramer on Coca-Cola: “This Is a Quintessential Defensive Stock”
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary continues to frame Coca-Cola as a reliable long-term income stock, supported by its Dividend King status and ongoing appeal to income-focused investors. Want a Lifetime of Passive Income? Buy Coca-Cola in June and Never Sell.
• Neutral Sentiment: Some articles focus on KO’s valuation after hitting an all-time high, with investors debating whether the stock still offers upside at current levels. Up 18% in 2026, Is Coca-Cola a Buy at an All-Time High?
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage noting Coca-Cola near a 52-week high also suggests the stock may be close to fair value, which could temper near-term upside even as the business remains strong. Coca Cola at 52-Week High: Buy, Sell or Hold?
• Negative Sentiment: One recent piece suggests McDonald’s is exploring specialty drinks beyond Coca-Cola, which could hint at competitive pressure in beverage partnerships over time. McDonald’s looks beyond Coca-Cola as it chases specialty drink boom

CocaCola Price Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average price of $78.70 and a 200 day moving average price of $75.70. The firm has a market cap of $348.24 billion, a PE ratio of 25.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.81 by $0.05. CocaCola had a return on equity of 40.55% and a net margin of 27.80%.The business had revenue of $12.47 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $12.24 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.73 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.240-3.270 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that CocaCola Company will post 3.26 EPS for the current year.

CocaCola Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be given a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. CocaCola's payout ratio is presently 66.67%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CocaCola

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. lifted its stake in CocaCola by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 19,061 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,450,000 after buying an additional 677 shares in the last quarter. Rathbones Group PLC lifted its stake in CocaCola by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. Rathbones Group PLC now owns 6,012,230 shares of the company's stock valued at $457,230,000 after buying an additional 86,475 shares in the last quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services lifted its stake in CocaCola by 16.3% in the 1st quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services now owns 11,239 shares of the company's stock valued at $855,000 after buying an additional 1,574 shares in the last quarter. Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co lifted its stake in CocaCola by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co now owns 41,097 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,129,000 after buying an additional 716 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wealthquest Corp lifted its stake in CocaCola by 2.8% in the 1st quarter. Wealthquest Corp now owns 7,598 shares of the company's stock valued at $578,000 after buying an additional 206 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.26% of the company's stock.

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.

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