Legato Capital Management LLC Acquires New Stake in CocaCola Company (The) $KO

Key Points

• Legato Capital Management opened a new position in Coca-Cola during the fourth quarter, buying 38,177 shares valued at about $2.67 million.
• Insider selling was notable: CEO James Quincey and EVP Monica Howard Douglas both sold shares recently, and insiders have sold 786,726 shares worth about $62.5 million over the last 90 days.
• Coca-Cola’s latest quarter beat expectations, with EPS of $0.86 versus $0.81 expected and revenue of $12.47 billion, while analysts remain broadly bullish with a consensus Buy rating and average price target of $86.80.

Legato Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 38,177 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,669,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in KO. Anfield Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of CocaCola by 438.8% in 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 in the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in CocaCola in the second quarter worth about $26,000. Cloud Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in CocaCola in the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Daytona Street Capital LLC acquired a new stake in CocaCola in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of CocaCola during the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. 70.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Monica Howard Douglas sold 23,880 shares of the firm'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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 17,725 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,371,383.25. This trade represents a 57.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CEO James Quincey sold 250,688 shares of CocaCola stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.14, for a total value of $19,839,448.32. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 278,155 shares in the company, valued at $22,013,186.70. This represents a 47.40% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 786,726 shares of company stock worth $62,547,977. 0.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley set a $88.00 price objective on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Wednesday, March 11th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of CocaCola from $87.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, March 16th. Citigroup lifted their price target 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. UBS Group upped their price target on CocaCola from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on CocaCola from $85.00 to $89.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, CocaCola currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $86.80.

CocaCola Price Performance

NYSE KO opened at $81.56 on Friday. 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 Company has a 1 year low of $65.35 and a 1 year high of $82.66. The company has a market cap of $350.90 billion, a PE ratio of 25.65, a PEG ratio of 3.24 and a beta of 0.35. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $77.41 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $74.65.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $0.86 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 period last year, the company 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, analysts predict that CocaCola Company will post 3.26 EPS for the current year.

CocaCola Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed 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. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. CocaCola's payout ratio is presently 66.67%.

Trending Headlines about CocaCola

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?

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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