The Coca-Cola Company (KO)
The Coca-Cola Company is a global beverage giant that owns some of the world's most recognisable soft drink brands.
Is The Coca-Cola Company a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: The Coca-Cola Company is a global beverage giant that owns some of the world's most recognisable soft drink brands.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Dominance in emerging markets leads to sustained long-term revenue growth.
Significant shifts in consumer tastes away from sugary drinks permanently reduce demand.
What does The Coca-Cola Company do?
Coca-Cola makes its money by selling concentrates and syrups to bottling partners, who then turn them into the fizzy drinks you see on supermarket shelves. It is a classic 'defensive' business because people tend to keep buying their favourite sodas regardless of how the wider economy is doing. The question is how well they can keep raising prices to cover their own costs without losing customers to cheaper alternatives.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and quality, and weakest on value.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 2.4% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 7% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 29% of sales into profit
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 42%)
- Momentum screens high (79/100)
- Incredibly strong and recognisable global brand power
- High profit margins show efficient operations
- Consistent history of paying dividends to shareholders
- Value screens low (23/100)
- Stricter government taxes on sugary drinks could hurt sales
- Fluctuations in foreign currency values can impact international profits
- Rising costs of ingredients like sugar and aluminium
What do The Coca-Cola Company's numbers mean?
How much money does The Coca-Cola Company make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does The Coca-Cola Company pay a dividend?
Yes - The Coca-Cola Company currently pays a dividend of about 2.4% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does The Coca-Cola Company report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
The Coca-Cola Company is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-20 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-28 | $0.93 | $0.97 | Beat +4% |
| 2026-04-28 | $0.81 | $0.86 | Beat +6% |
| 2026-02-10 | $0.56 | $0.58 | Beat +3% |
| 2025-10-21 | $0.78 | $0.82 | Beat +5% |
| 2025-07-22 | $0.84 | $0.87 | Beat +4% |
| 2025-04-29 | $0.72 | $0.73 | Beat +2% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, The Coca-Cola Company came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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The Kraft Heinz CompanyWhat are the scenarios for The Coca-Cola Company?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of The Coca-Cola Company?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Incredibly strong and recognisable global brand power
- High profit margins show efficient operations
- Consistent history of paying dividends to shareholders
- High reliance on sugary drinks in an increasingly health-conscious world
- Limited room for massive growth in mature markets
- High price-to-book ratio suggests the shares are not 'cheap' by traditional measures
- Stricter government taxes on sugary drinks could hurt sales
- Fluctuations in foreign currency values can impact international profits
- Rising costs of ingredients like sugar and aluminium
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained, multi-year decline in global soda consumption
- A major failure in the company's supply chain or bottling network
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.