CocaCola Company (The) $KO Shares Acquired by Mariner LLC

Key Points

• Mariner LLC increased its stake in Coca-Cola by 3.6% in the fourth quarter, adding 67,277 shares and bringing its total holdings to 1,951,330 shares worth about $136.4 million.
• Insider selling was notable, with EVP Jennifer K. Mann and EVP Nancy Quan both selling shares, and insiders collectively offloading 899,905 shares worth about $71.8 million over the past three months.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on KO, with 15 Buy ratings and 1 Hold, alongside recent price-target increases from several firms; Coca-Cola also reported strong quarterly results and continues to pay a $0.53 quarterly dividend.

Mariner LLC lifted its position in shares of CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO - Free Report) by 3.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,951,330 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 67,277 shares during the period. Mariner LLC's holdings in CocaCola were worth $136,420,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in KO. Anfield Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of CocaCola by 438.8% during the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 361 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 294 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of CocaCola during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of 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 last quarter. Daytona Street Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of CocaCola during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of CocaCola during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.26% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Jennifer K. Mann sold 23,984 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on 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 directly owned 157,400 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,128,734. This trade represents a 13.22% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Nancy Quan sold 31,625 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.93, for a total transaction of $2,559,411.25. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 223,330 shares in the company, valued at $18,074,096.90. The trade was a 12.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last three months, insiders have sold 899,905 shares of company stock worth $71,832,315. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting CocaCola

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentators continue to highlight Coca-Cola as a defensive consumer-staples name that can hold up well during inflation and market volatility, which may be attracting buyers seeking stability. Article: 4 Low-Beta Consumer Staples Stocks to Navigate Through Surging Inflation
• Positive Sentiment: Coca-Cola’s cost-saving initiatives and operating efficiencies are being credited with supporting profitability and helping offset commodity inflation, which is constructive for margins. Article: Are Coca-Cola's Cost-Saving Initiatives Boosting Profitability?
• Positive Sentiment: Several recent articles frame KO as a reliable long-term dividend and income stock, reinforcing investor interest in the company’s steady cash-flow profile. Article: Want a Lifetime of Passive Income? Buy Coca-Cola in June and Never Sell.
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary also notes that KO has already run up sharply this year and hit new highs, so some investors may be pausing to reassess valuation after the rally. Article: Coca Cola at 52-Week High: Buy, Sell or Hold?
• Negative Sentiment: The latest trading-day weakness appears tied more to profit-taking and rotation within the market than to any company-specific setback, with KO pulling back while broader markets were firmer. Article: Coca-Cola (KO) Stock Falls Amid Market Uptick: What Investors Need to Know

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $90.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $87.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $83.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, March 30th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $85.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $87.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, March 16th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, CocaCola presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $86.69.

CocaCola Stock Performance

Shares of KO stock opened at $80.94 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. CocaCola Company has a 52 week low of $65.35 and a 52 week high of $84.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $348.24 billion, a PE ratio of 25.45, a P/E/G ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 0.35. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $78.79 and a two-hundred day moving average of $75.76.

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

CocaCola Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be issued a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. CocaCola's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 66.67%.

About CocaCola

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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