MML Investors Services LLC Increases Stake in CocaCola Company (The) $KO

Key Points

• MML Investors Services LLC increased its Coca-Cola stake by 6.7% in the fourth quarter, ending with 717,290 shares valued at about $50.1 million.
• Institutional ownership remains heavy, with hedge funds and other institutions holding 70.26% of Coca-Cola’s stock, even as some insiders recently sold shares under pre-arranged trading plans.
• Analysts are broadly positive on KO, with 15 Buy ratings and an average “Moderate Buy” stance; the consensus price target stands at $86.69, above the stock’s recent trading level around $80.94.

MML Investors Services LLC grew its position in CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO - Free Report) by 6.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 717,290 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 44,990 shares during the quarter. MML Investors Services LLC's holdings in CocaCola were worth $50,146,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Anfield Capital Management LLC increased its stake in 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 during the period. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in CocaCola in the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in CocaCola by 1,081.8% in 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 period. Daytona Street Capital LLC purchased a new position in CocaCola in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in CocaCola in the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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 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 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 transaction was disclosed in a 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, Chairman James Quincey sold 436,296 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.13, for a total transaction of $34,960,398.48. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman owned 122,833 shares in the company, valued at $9,842,608.29. This represents a 78.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 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 the last ninety days, insiders have sold 899,905 shares of company stock worth $71,832,315. Corporate insiders own 0.90% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

KO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of 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 $89.00 target price on shares of CocaCola in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein assumed coverage on shares of CocaCola in a research report on Thursday. They set a "market perform" rating and a $84.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of CocaCola from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on shares of CocaCola from $85.00 to $89.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, CocaCola presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $86.69.

CocaCola Trading Down 2.0%

NYSE KO opened at $80.94 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a current ratio of 1.36. The company has a market capitalization of $348.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 0.35. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $78.79 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $75.76. CocaCola Company has a one year low of $65.35 and a one year high of $84.04.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO - Get Free Report) last released 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 net margin of 27.80% and a return on equity of 40.55%. The business had revenue of $12.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $12.24 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.73 EPS. The company'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. Equities analysts forecast that CocaCola Company will post 3.26 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CocaCola Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared 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 currently 66.67%.

CocaCola News Roundup

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

CocaCola 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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