Welch & Forbes LLC Sells 11,058 Shares of CocaCola Company (The) $KO

Key Points

• Welch & Forbes reduced its Coca-Cola stake by 3.9%, selling 11,058 shares and retaining 270,059 shares valued at approximately $21.95 million. Institutional investors collectively own 70.26% of KO.
• Coca-Cola reported quarterly EPS of $0.97 and revenue of $13.37 billion, exceeding analyst estimates, while revenue grew 6.2% year over year. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $95.76.
• The stock traded near its 52-week high at $90.91, and Coca-Cola announced a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, equivalent to a $2.12 annualized payout and a 2.3% yield.

Welch & Forbes LLC cut its stake in CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO - Free Report) by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 270,059 shares of the company's stock after selling 11,058 shares during the period. Welch & Forbes LLC's holdings in CocaCola were worth $21,948,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in KO. Eurizon SLJ Capital Ltd bought a new stake in CocaCola in the 4th quarter worth approximately $552,000. Banco Santander S.A. grew its position in CocaCola by 3.1% during the second quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 1,090,758 shares of the company's stock valued at $88,646,000 after acquiring an additional 32,723 shares during the last quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp grew its position in CocaCola by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp now owns 3,852,525 shares of the company's stock valued at $269,330,000 after acquiring an additional 31,694 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. raised its stake in shares of CocaCola by 4.8% during the fourth quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 1,759,546 shares of the company's stock worth $123,010,000 after acquiring an additional 79,946 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SBI Okasan Asset Management Co.Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of CocaCola during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,544,000. Institutional investors own 70.26% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting CocaCola

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains generally supportive, with brokers highlighting Coca-Cola as an investment candidate. Recent quarterly results also exceeded expectations, with earnings and revenue above consensus and revenue growth of 6.2% year over year. Brokers Suggest Investing in Coca-Cola
• Positive Sentiment: Investors have been seeking established, lower-volatility companies, helping Coca-Cola reach an all-time high and break above $90 for the first time. Its strong brand portfolio and defensive characteristics may be attractive amid market uncertainty. Coca-Cola Hits All-Time High
• Positive Sentiment: Coca-Cola’s long dividend record continues to support its appeal to income-focused investors. Berkshire Hathaway reportedly receives approximately $848 million annually from its Coca-Cola holdings, underscoring the scale and consistency of the payout. Dividend King Pays Berkshire
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage is also examining Coca-Cola’s cash flow and dividend sustainability as interest rates and bond yields rise. Higher yields could increase the relative appeal of fixed-income investments, although Coca-Cola’s recurring cash generation remains central to its income-investor case. Coca-Cola Cash Flow as Yields Rise
• Negative Sentiment: Executive Vice President Nancy Quan sold 50,000 shares worth about $4.5 million. The filing states the sale covered tax withholding tied to vested equity awards, reducing its negative signaling value, though it may create modest near-term selling pressure.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on KO. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of CocaCola from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Argus increased their target price on shares of CocaCola from $91.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b+)" rating on shares of CocaCola in a research report on Friday, July 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $86.00 price target (up from $82.00) on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, UBS Group set a $104.00 price target on shares of CocaCola and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $95.76.

CocaCola Stock Up 0.5%

NYSE KO opened at $90.91 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.12. The stock has a market capitalization of $391.14 billion, a PE ratio of 27.30, a PEG ratio of 3.18 and a beta of 0.33. CocaCola Company has a 1 year low of $65.35 and a 1 year high of $91.86. The business's 50-day moving average is $84.27 and its 200 day moving average is $80.37.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported $0.97 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.93 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $13.37 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.17 billion. CocaCola had a return on equity of 39.38% and a net margin of 28.56%.CocaCola's quarterly revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.87 EPS. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.270-3.300 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that CocaCola Company will post 3.29 earnings per share for the current year.

CocaCola Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. CocaCola's payout ratio is 63.66%.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Nancy Quan sold 50,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $90.39, for a total transaction of $4,519,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 223,330 shares in the company, valued at $20,186,798.70. This represents a 18.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CFO John Murphy sold 152,483 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.31, for a total value of $13,313,290.73. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 279,917 shares of the company's stock, valued at $24,439,553.27. The trade was a 35.26% decrease in their position. 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 ninety days, insiders sold 1,483,535 shares of company stock valued at $126,442,198. 0.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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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