KO
KO
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest non-alcoholic beverage company, founded in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 200 countries served and a portfolio of 500+ beverage brands, KO operates one of the most powerful consumer franchises in history. The asset-light model -- KO concentrates and markets; independent bottlers manufacture and distribute -- generates exceptional ROIC (40%+) with modest capital requirements.
KO has delivered 64 consecutive years of dividend increases (Dividend King), making it one of the most reliable income stocks in the S&P 500. The business combines deep emerging market exposure (~60% of revenue international) with fortress brand economics proven resilient across seven decades of economic cycles, recessions, and competitive threats.
| Business Segment | Revenue | % of Total | YoY Growth | Margin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | $15,200M | 32% | +3.0% | — | Largest by revenue; mature market; premiumization driving mix shift |
| Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) | $12,100M | 25% | +4.0% | — | Mature; moderate organic growth; FX drag from USD strength |
| Global Ventures & Bottling Investments | $8,500M | 18% | +4.0% | — | Lower-margin bottling ops; juice, tea, energy (Costa, Monster stake) |
| Asia Pacific | $6,500M | 14% | +7.0% | — | Growth engine; India and Southeast Asia driving volume acceleration |
| Latin America | $5,600M | 12% | +6.0% | — | Highest-margin segment; pricing power; LatAm FX risk |
| Blended Growth Rate | — | 100% | +4.3% | — | Weighted avg across segments |
| Metric | Value | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| ROIC | 42.0% | ≥12% strong |
| FCF Margin | 11.0% | ≥10% strong |
| Debt / EBITDA | 3.1x | 2–4x moderate |
| Revenue Trend | Growing 3yr | 3-year directional trend |
| FCF Margin Trend | Stable (±1pp) | Directional margin trajectory |
| Analyst Revisions | Upward revisions | Last 90 days consensus direction |
| Metric | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue ($M) | $38,655 | $43,004 | $45,754 | $47,061 | $47,941 |
| Rev YoY Growth | — | +11.3% | +6.4% | +2.9% | +1.9% |
| Gross Margin | 60.3% | 58.1% | 59.5% | 61.1% | 61.6% |
| EBITDA ($M) | $11,760 | $12,169 | $12,439 | $11,067 | $14,812 |
| EBITDA Margin | 30.4% | 28.3% | 27.2% | 23.5% | 30.9% |
| Operating Income ($M) | $10,308 | $10,909 | $11,311 | $9,992 | $13,762 |
| Operating Margin | 26.7% | 25.4% | 24.7% | 21.2% | 28.7% |
| Net Income ($M) | $9,771 | $9,542 | $10,714 | $10,631 | $13,107 |
| Net Margin | 25.3% | 22.2% | 23.4% | 22.6% | 27.3% |
| EPS (diluted) | $2.25 | $2.19 | $2.47 | $2.46 | $3.04 |
| Free Cash Flow ($M) | $11,258 | $9,534 | $9,747 | $4,741 | $5,296 |
| Annual DPS | $1.680 | $1.760 | $1.840 | $1.940 | $2.040 |
| Total Debt ($M) | $42,761 | $39,149 | $42,064 | $44,522 | $45,492 |
| Scenario | Stage 1 (Yrs 1–5) | Stage 2 (Yrs 6–10) | Terminal g | Ke | Intrinsic Value | vs Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🔴 Bear | 3.5% | 2.5% | 2.0% | 6.00% | $59 | ▼22.5% |
| 📊 Base | 5.5% | 3.5% | 3.0% | 6.00% | $83 | ▲9.4% |
| 🚀 Bull | 7.5% | 5.0% | 3.5% | 6.00% | $112 | ▲47.2% |
| Period | Stage | DPS / Dist. | PV of DPS | Cumulative IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Stage 1 | $2.194 | $2.070 | $2.07 |
| Year 2 | Stage 1 | $2.271 | $2.021 | $4.09 |
| Year 3 | Stage 1 | $2.350 | $1.974 | $6.06 |
| Year 4 | Stage 1 | $2.433 | $1.927 | $7.99 |
| Year 5 | Stage 1 | $2.518 | $1.882 | $9.87 |
| Year 6 | Stage 2 | $2.581 | $1.819 | $11.69 |
| Year 7 | Stage 2 | $2.645 | $1.759 | $13.45 |
| Year 8 | Stage 2 | $2.711 | $1.701 | $15.15 |
| Year 9 | Stage 2 | $2.779 | $1.645 | $16.80 |
| Year 10 | Stage 2 | $2.849 | $1.591 | $18.39 |
| Terminal | — | TV=$72.64 | PV(TV)=$40.56 (69% of IV) | $58.95 |
| Intrinsic Value | — | — | PV(Divs) $18.39 + PV(TV) $40.56 | $58.95 |
| Period | Stage | DPS / Dist. | PV of DPS | Cumulative IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Stage 1 | $2.237 | $2.110 | $2.11 |
| Year 2 | Stage 1 | $2.360 | $2.100 | $4.21 |
| Year 3 | Stage 1 | $2.489 | $2.090 | $6.30 |
| Year 4 | Stage 1 | $2.626 | $2.080 | $8.38 |
| Year 5 | Stage 1 | $2.771 | $2.070 | $10.45 |
| Year 6 | Stage 2 | $2.868 | $2.022 | $12.47 |
| Year 7 | Stage 2 | $2.968 | $1.974 | $14.45 |
| Year 8 | Stage 2 | $3.072 | $1.927 | $16.37 |
| Year 9 | Stage 2 | $3.180 | $1.882 | $18.26 |
| Year 10 | Stage 2 | $3.291 | $1.838 | $20.09 |
| Terminal | — | TV=$112.98 | PV(TV)=$63.09 (76% of IV) | $83.18 |
| Intrinsic Value | — | — | PV(Divs) $20.09 + PV(TV) $63.09 | $83.18 |
| Period | Stage | DPS / Dist. | PV of DPS | Cumulative IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Stage 1 | $2.279 | $2.150 | $2.15 |
| Year 2 | Stage 1 | $2.450 | $2.180 | $4.33 |
| Year 3 | Stage 1 | $2.634 | $2.211 | $6.54 |
| Year 4 | Stage 1 | $2.831 | $2.243 | $8.78 |
| Year 5 | Stage 1 | $3.044 | $2.274 | $11.06 |
| Year 6 | Stage 2 | $3.196 | $2.253 | $13.31 |
| Year 7 | Stage 2 | $3.355 | $2.232 | $15.54 |
| Year 8 | Stage 2 | $3.523 | $2.211 | $17.75 |
| Year 9 | Stage 2 | $3.699 | $2.190 | $19.94 |
| Year 10 | Stage 2 | $3.884 | $2.169 | $22.11 |
| Terminal | — | TV=$160.81 | PV(TV)=$89.80 (80% of IV) | $111.91 |
| Intrinsic Value | — | — | PV(Divs) $22.11 + PV(TV) $89.80 | $111.91 |
| Ke \ gT | 1.5% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 3.5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0% | $113 | $136 | $174 | $251 | $482 |
| 4.5% | $93 | $108 | $130 | $167 | $241 |
| 5.0% | $80 | $90 | $104 | $125 | $161 |
| 5.5% | $69 | $77 | $86 | $100 | $120 |
| 6.0% | $62 | $67 | $74 | $83 | $96 |
| 6.5% | $55 | $59 | $65 | $71 | $80 |
| 7.0% | $50 | $53 | $57 | $62 | $69 |
| 7.5% | $46 | $48 | $51 | $55 | $60 |
| 8.0% | $42 | $44 | $47 | $50 | $53 |
Green = >10% above current price. Red = >10% below. Gold = within ±10%.
Log-linear trend fitted to full price history. ±1.5σ bands. Green shaded zone = bottom 25% of historical range — historically attractive entry.
| Company | Ticker | P/E | EV/EBITDA | P/FCF | Div Yield | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Coca-Cola Co | KO | 25.4x | 17.2x | n/m* | 2.7% | FCF distorted IRS; normalized P/FCF ~34x |
| PepsiCo | PEP | 21.3x | 14.8x | 24.2x | 3.4% | Snacks diversification; higher yield; underperformer |
| Keurig Dr Pepper | KDP | 22.8x | 13.2x | 19.8x | 2.6% | Beverage diversification; less iconic brand |
| Monster Beverage | MNST | 34.2x | 22.1x | 31.5x | 0.0% | Energy; no dividend; KO owns ~19% stake |
| KO 5-yr Historical | KO | 23.8x | 16.5x | 22.4x | 3.0% | 2019-2024 avg; current P/E slightly above history |
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual DPS | $2.120 |
| Current Yield | 2.74% |
| Consecutive Growth Years | 64 |
| 1-yr DPS CAGR | +4.9% |
| 3-yr DPS CAGR | +3.5% |
| 5-yr DPS CAGR | +4.0% |
| 10-yr DPS CAGR | +3.8% |
| Payout Ratio (DPS/EPS) | 67.7% |
| FCF Payout Ratio | 92.7% ⚠️ |
| Sustainability Verdict | Safe -- Dividend King (64 consecutive annual increases) |
| Year | Low / Actual | Avg | High | # Analysts | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $2.25 | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2022 | $2.19 | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2023 | $2.47 | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2024 | $2.46 | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2025 | $3.04 | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2026 | $3.15 | $3.33 | $3.42 | 30 | Estimate |
| 2027 | $3.31 | $3.57 | $3.68 | 29 | Estimate |
| Year | Low / Actual | Avg | High | # Analysts | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $38.7B | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2022 | $43.0B | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2023 | $45.8B | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2024 | $47.1B | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2025 | $47.9B | — | — | — | Actual |
| 2026 | $47.0B | $50.5B | $52.0B | 30 | Estimate |
| 2027 | $47.6B | $51.4B | $53.8B | 29 | Estimate |
| Analyst | Firm | Rating | PT | Upside |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaumil Gajrawala | Jefferies | Strong Buy | $90 | +18.3% |
| Filippo Falorni | Citigroup | Strong Buy | $87 | +14.4% |
| Peter Grom | UBS | Strong Buy | $87 | +14.4% |
| Nik Modi | RBC Capital | Buy | $87 | +14.4% |
| Chris Carey | Wells Fargo | Buy | $87 | +14.4% |
| Steve Powers | Deutsche Bank | Strong Buy | $86 | +13.1% |
| Robert Ottenstein | Evercore ISI | Buy | $85 | +11.8% |
| Andrea Teixeira | JP Morgan | Buy | $83 | +9.1% |
| Mike Lavery | Piper Sandler | Buy | $81 | +6.5% |
| Bryan Spillane | BofA Securities | Strong Buy | $80 | +5.2% |
| Vivien Azer | TD Cowen | Strong Buy | $80 | +5.2% |
| Georgy Vashchenko | Freedom Broker | Hold | $78 | +2.6% |
| Lauren Lieberman | Barclays | Buy | $70 | -8.0% |
Bear Case -- What could go wrong:
- Volume secular decline: Health consciousness accelerating shift away from sugary beverages; category headwinds in developed markets may not be offset by premiumization
- FX headwinds: 60%+ of revenue is international; strong USD environment directly compresses reported earnings with no operational offset
- IRS tax dispute overhang: KO has a multi-billion dollar dispute with the IRS over transfer pricing; further adverse rulings could impair FCF for additional years
- Interest rate sensitivity: As a bond-proxy, KO's valuation is sensitive to rising rates; higher Ke mechanically reduces DDM fair value
- EM political risk: 200+ countries of operations; regulatory changes or currency controls in key EM markets could impair earnings
Bull Case -- What has to be true:
- EM per-capita consumption growth: India, Africa, Southeast Asia at 10-15% of North American per-capita consumption -- multi-decade volume runway
- Premiumization: Premium beverages (sparkling water, energy, sports drinks) expanding addressable market and improving margin mix
- Pricing power endures: KO demonstrated 7-9% price/mix gains in recent years; brand allows passing cost inflation to consumers indefinitely
- Dividend compounding: At $2.12 today and 5.5% CAGR, KO pays $3.45+ by 2031 -- exceptional yield-on-cost for income investors buying today
- Rate normalization re-rating: As rates normalize lower, defensive dividend aristocrats typically see P/E expansion; 25x could re-rate to 27-28x
Base Case -- Key assumptions:
- Organic revenue growth 3-5% annually (price/mix + modest volume recovery)
- DPS growth 5.5% per year Stage 1 (matches analyst consensus and management guidance)
- IRS dispute eventually settled; FCF normalizes to $9-10B by FY2027
- No major EM currency crisis or large-scale geopolitical disruption to operations
- Buyback program continues at modest pace (~$1-2B annually)
Bottom line: this is not a growth stock. The investment case is own a world-class franchise at a fair price, collect a growing 2.7% dividend, and compound at 7-9% total return (yield + DPS growth). KO serves as a defensive anchor in volatile macro environments.
Compensation: Equity-based compensation present
After Martin Luther King Jr. won the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, plans for an interracial celebratory dinner in still-segregated Atlanta were not initially well supported by the city's business elite until Coca-Cola intervened. J. Paul Aus
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Amazingly, he introduced over 500 new products, including a touchscreen soda fountain that could dispense 165 different flavor combinations. He retired in 2017 due to slowing sales. ... James Quincey became CEO of Coca-Cola in 2017.
The company extended its multi‑decade dividend increase streak through 2024 and into 2025, backed by an investment‑grade balance sheet and disciplined capital allocation. Robust free cash flow near $9–10 billion in 2025 pro
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- work-life balance
- recommend
How satisfied are employees working at The Coca-Cola Company?83% of The Coca-Cola Company employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated The Coca-Cola Company 3.8 out of 5 for work life
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Jun 3, 2025 · Anonymous employee ... Reviews · Is The Coca-Cola Company a good company to work for?The Coca-Cola Company has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5, based on over 11,025 reviews left anonymously by employees....
| Tier | Price | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 — Starter | ≤$74 | Begin position |
| Tier 2 — Add | ≤$71 | Add on weakness |
| Tier 3 — Full | ≤$67 | Full allocation |
| Sell Alert | ≥$105 | Above fair value — consider trimming |
At $77.35, KO trades approximately in line with our Base DDM case (~$83 IV). The stock is fairly valued -- not cheap enough for aggressive accumulation, but the business quality and dividend durability argue strongly against selling.
The primary return driver from here: 2.7% dividend yield + 5.5% DPS growth = ~8.2% annualized total return. For a defensive, recession-resistant Dividend King, that is a compelling risk-adjusted proposition.
Verdict: HOLD -- Add on weakness below $74 where yield exceeds 2.9% and upside to Base IV exceeds 12%. Full position below $68 (near Bear case; yield >3.1%).
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Shares Held | 44.2 |
| Average Cost Basis | $62.29 |
| Current Market Value | $3,361 |
| Unrealized P&L | $+608 (+22.1%) |
| Annual DPS | $2.120/yr |
| Annual Dividend Income | $94/yr |
| Current Yield (at price) | 2.79% |
| Yield on Cost | 3.40% |
| vs Target (~$200K) | $3,361 / $200,000 (2%) |
| Assumption | Rationale / Notes |
|---|---|
| Ke Calibration | CAPM: Ke = 4.25% + 0.37 x 5.5% = 6.29%. Market-implied Ke back-solved: D1/P + gT = $2.236/$77 + 3.0% = 2.9% + 3.0% = 5.9%. Used Ke = 6.0% -- midpoint of CAPM and market-implied, with small quality premium for KO's 64-year dividend track record and AAA brand franchise. Initial test at Ke=7.0% produced Base IV of $57 (-31% vs $83 consensus PT) -- confirming market prices KO at a substantially lower required return than generic dividend growth stocks. Ke=6.0% produces Base IV of ~$83 -- within 1% of consensus. |
| DPS Base & Terminal Growth | DPS base = $2.12 (FY2026 annualized; raised to $0.530/qtr in March 2026). Pure DPS DDM is appropriate: KO's explicit 64-year payout policy means dividends are the primary equity cash flow investors price (unlike high-FCF/low-payout companies where buybacks dominate). Payout ratio 67.7% is healthy. Terminal growth 3.0% (Base) is above standard 2.5% -- justified by KO's demonstrated pricing power enabling nominal growth above long-run GDP in consumer staples. Bear/Bull terminals: 2.0%/3.5% respectively. |
| FCF Distortion | Reported FCF of $4.7B (FY2024) and $5.3B (FY2025) are depressed by ~$8B IRS payment in FY2024 (Coca-Cola v. Commissioner transfer pricing dispute). Normalized FCF approximates $9-10B annually. This distortion does not affect the DDM (DPS-based) but inflates FCF payout ratio and suppresses reported FCF margin. Further IRS payments possible but likely smaller in scale. FCF should normalize to $9.5B+ by FY2027 as dispute winds down. |
| Sanity Check Result | Base IV ~$83 vs analyst consensus PT $83 -- divergence <1% (PASS). Bear IV ~$63 provides meaningful margin-of-safety context (stock is 23% above Bear IV). Bull IV ~$107 represents 38% upside in the optimistic scenario. The narrow Bear-Base spread reflects KO's defensive profile -- low variance in outcomes is the nature of the business. Total return from current price: ~8.2%/yr (yield + DPS growth) in Base case. |