Jefferies Financial Group Issues Positive Forecast for CocaCola (NYSE:KO) Stock Price

CocaCola (NYSE:KO) had its price target increased by Jefferies Financial Group from $84.00 to $88.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on KO. Evercore ISI restated an “outperform” rating on shares of CocaCola in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on CocaCola from $75.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of CocaCola in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on CocaCola from $80.00 to $81.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and fifteen have issued a Buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, CocaCola currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $80.43.

CocaCola Stock Performance

Shares of KO stock opened at $77.31 on Wednesday. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $71.10 and its 200-day moving average price is $69.64. The stock has a market cap of $332.56 billion, a PE ratio of 25.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.95 and a beta of 0.36. The company has a current ratio of 1.21, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. CocaCola has a 12 month low of $62.58 and a 12 month high of $78.11.

Insider Buying and Selling at CocaCola

In related news, EVP Manuel Arroyo sold 139,689 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.80, for a total transaction of $9,889,981.20. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 58,067 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,111,143.60. This trade represents a 70.64% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, COO Henrique Braun sold 40,390 shares of CocaCola stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.93, for a total value of $2,864,862.70. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 62,621 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,441,707.53. The trade was a 39.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 211,704 shares of company stock worth $15,005,595. Insiders own 0.97% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of CocaCola

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in CocaCola during the second quarter valued at $3,846,270,000. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of CocaCola by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 367,441,971 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,996,519,000 after purchasing an additional 6,241,163 shares during the period. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of CocaCola by 7,239.2% during the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,149,632 shares of the company’s stock valued at $435,086,000 after purchasing an additional 6,065,840 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in shares of CocaCola by 15.1% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 39,094,276 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,592,732,000 after purchasing an additional 5,135,198 shares during the period. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its stake in shares of CocaCola by 343.3% in the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 4,486,096 shares of the company’s stock worth $297,518,000 after purchasing an additional 3,474,015 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.26% of the company’s stock.

CocaCola News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies raised its price target on KO to $88 and kept a Buy rating, signaling analyst conviction and providing near?term upside support for the shares. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights Coca?Cola’s strong history of earnings surprises and says KO currently has the setup (metrics and momentum) that makes another quarterly beat likely — a catalyst that can lift the stock into earnings. Will Coca?Cola (KO) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large options activity flagged bullish positioning: traders bought roughly 68,341 call contracts (about +35% vs. the call average), which can amplify upside if short?term momentum continues.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/strategy coverage (Zacks) points to KO’s “all?weather” playbook — marketing, innovation and portfolio strength — supporting steady growth through cycles, reinforcing its defensive, dividend?oriented appeal. Coca?Cola’s All?Weather Strategy
• Positive Sentiment: Investor commentary (Motley Fool) reiterates KO’s low?risk, dividend?king status and portfolio reshaping to match consumer trends — a narrative that attracts long?term income investors. Could Buying Coca?Cola Today Set You Up for Life?
• Neutral Sentiment: Barron’s warns the consumer?staples group (including KO) has become frothy after a strong run; that raises valuation risk if broader sentiment rotates back into cyclicals or risk assets. Staples Stocks Are Known for Safety. Now They Look Way Too Frothy.
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews note KO is headed into a scheduled quarterly report and a CEO transition period; coverage pieces focus on valuation and timing rather than new business risks — important background but not immediate upside/downside. Assessing Coca?Cola (KO) Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Prediction?market activity has put Coca?Cola’s Super Bowl plans under regulatory scrutiny, introducing a potential reputational/regulatory overhang that could create short?term volatility if investigations follow. Prediction Markets Put Coca?Cola Super Bowl Plans Under Regulatory Spotlight

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.