CocaCola Company (The) $KO Shares Sold by Legal & General Group Plc

Key Points

• Legal & General Group Plc reduced its Coca-Cola stake by 5.2% in the fourth quarter, selling 1.46 million shares. It still held about 26.6 million shares valued at roughly $1.86 billion.
• Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected first-quarter results, posting EPS of $0.86 versus $0.81 estimated and revenue of $12.47 billion versus $12.24 billion expected. Revenue rose 11.4% year over year, and the company reaffirmed full-year EPS guidance around $3.24-$3.27.
• Analyst sentiment remains bullish, with multiple firms raising price targets and the consensus rating at “Buy” with a target price of $86.80. The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, implying a 2.6% yield.

Legal & General Group Plc lowered its position in CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO - Free Report) by 5.2% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 26,593,267 shares of the company's stock after selling 1,458,520 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc owned approximately 0.62% of CocaCola worth $1,859,135,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of KO. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its stake in CocaCola by 38.1% in the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 111,598 shares of the company's stock valued at $7,802,000 after buying an additional 30,786 shares in the last quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd lifted its stake in CocaCola by 82.3% in the 3rd quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd now owns 49,700 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,296,000 after buying an additional 22,444 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in CocaCola by 2.9% in the 3rd 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. Nicola Wealth Management LTD. lifted its stake 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 buying an additional 55,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp lifted its stake in CocaCola by 19.9% in the 3rd quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 120,866 shares of the company's stock valued at $8,016,000 after buying an additional 20,032 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.26% of the company's stock.

CocaCola Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of CocaCola stock opened at $81.56 on Monday. CocaCola Company has a fifty-two week low of $65.35 and a fifty-two week high of $82.66. The firm has a market cap of $350.90 billion, a PE ratio of 25.65, a P/E/G ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.35. The business's fifty day moving average is $77.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is $74.70. 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 (NYSE:KO - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 company had revenue of $12.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.24 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.73 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.240-3.270 EPS. Analysts anticipate that CocaCola Company will post 3.26 earnings per share for the current year.

CocaCola Dividend Announcement

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on KO shares. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on CocaCola from $87.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on CocaCola from $87.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Morgan Stanley set a $88.00 price target on CocaCola in a research note on Wednesday, March 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on CocaCola from $83.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Barclays increased their price target on CocaCola from $85.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, CocaCola currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $86.80.

CocaCola News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America Securities initiated or reiterated a Buy on Coca-Cola, reinforcing confidence in the company’s earnings durability and long-term outlook. Coca-Cola (KO) Gets a Buy from Bank of America Securities
• Positive Sentiment: Articles emphasizing Coca-Cola as a dividend-growth blue chip and one of Warren Buffett’s favored holdings support the stock’s appeal as a stable, income-oriented investment. Warren Buffett earns a 20% dividend yield-on-cost with Coca-Cola stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry coverage notes that soft-drink companies are still navigating margin and tariff pressures, which could affect the sector but does not point to a Coca-Cola-specific problem. 5 Soft Drinks Stocks to Track Amid Margin & Tariff Pressures
• Neutral Sentiment: Several comparison and “best stock” articles kept Coca-Cola in the spotlight, including bullish long-term income lists and a KO vs. Celsius debate, but these were mostly opinion-driven rather than new fundamentals. Coca-Cola vs. Celsius: Which Consumer Goods Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: One recent article framed Coca-Cola as a potential short candidate because the shares have rallied sharply and now trade near highs, raising valuation concerns despite solid fundamentals. Coca-Cola or Philip Morris: Which Is the Better Short Bet Right Now?

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO John Murphy sold 99,437 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.42, for a total value of $7,996,723.54. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 410,550 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $33,016,431. This trade represents a 19.50% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Bruno Pietracci sold 28,765 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $79.41, for a total value of $2,284,228.65. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 786,726 shares of company stock worth $62,547,977. Corporate insiders own 0.90% 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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