KO COCA COLA CO

Price Chart

Executive Summary

Bernstein initiated coverage on Coca-Cola (KO) at Market Perform with an $84 price target, implying 1.8% upside from the current $82.53. The call is cautious relative to a heavily bullish consensus — 28 of 34 analysts rate KO Buy or Strong Buy, with a mean target of $85.97. Bernstein's 51% accuracy on 497 calls and 3.3% average return places it near the middle of the pack, below top-tier firms like BofA (100% on 2 calls) and Piper Sandler (100% on 4 calls). The $84 target sits below the consensus median of $88 and the high of $92, but above the low of $71.38. Momentum is positive with 2 upgrades and 0 downgrades over the past 30 days, though EPS revisions for the current quarter show 13 downward revisions vs 2 upward. Insider selling is heavy — CEO James Quincey sold ~$35M on June 5, and EVP Jennifer Mann sold ~$12M in early June. Congressional buying from Reps. Doggett and Khanna provides a minor bullish contra-signal. The next earnings report is due July 20, 2026. Bottom line: Bernstein's neutral initiation is a cautious outlier in a bullish consensus, but the heavy insider selling and downward EPS revisions warrant a tempered view.

Impact Score

Consensus & Targets

Of 34 analysts covering KO, 8 rate it Strong Buy (23.5%), 20 rate it Buy (58.8%), and 6 rate it Hold (17.6%). Zero Sell or Strong Sell ratings. The consensus is heavily bullish, making Bernstein's Market Perform a contrarian hold-level call.

Current price: $82.53. Mean target: $85.97 (4.2% upside). Median: $88 (6.6% upside). High: $92 (11.5% upside). Low: $71.38 (13.5% downside). Bernstein's $84 target is 2.3% below the mean and 4.5% below the median, reflecting a below-consensus view.

Recent Analyst Activity

Over the past 30 days, KO has seen 2 upgrades and 0 downgrades. EPS revisions for the current quarter (0q) show 13 downward revisions vs 2 upward, with the average estimate falling from $0.93246 to $0.93466 (slight net decline). Full-year 0y estimates show 20 upward revisions vs 0 downward, with the average rising from $3.26465 to $3.26737 — a mixed picture with near-term weakness but full-year optimism.

Firm Track Record — Bernstein

Bernstein accuracy: 51% on 497 calls | avg return: 3.3%

Industry benchmark: mean 51% ± 11%. Top tier: ≥61% (mean + 1σ). Based on 12 firms with ≥5 scored calls.

Bernstein has a 51% accuracy rate on 497 scored calls with a 3.3% average return, placing it in the middle tier. Top-tier firms on KO include BofA (100% on 2 calls, 11.9% avg return), Piper Sandler (100% on 4 calls, 9% avg return), and Wells Fargo (86% on 7 calls, 3.8% avg return). Below-average firms include Morgan Stanley (33% on 6 calls, -1.8% avg return) and Truist (50% on 2 calls, -4.6% avg return).

Earnings Estimates

Next earnings: Jul 20, 2026

Cross-Platform Signals

Insider selling is heavy and concentrated: CEO James Quincey sold ~$35M on June 5, and EVP Jennifer Mann sold ~$12M in early June. These are large, non-routine sales that align with the cautious analyst view. Congressional buying is minor: Rep. Doggett bought $1K-$15K and Rep. Khanna bought $15K-$50K in late March/early April. Institutional activity is mixed: Capital Research Global Investors added 84.8% ($2.24B), while Norges Bank exited, Lindsell Train trimmed 29.4%, and Renaissance Technologies nearly exited (99.8% reduction). Soros Fund Management opened a new $11.5M position. Short interest is elevated at 57.9% of TRF volume, suggesting bearish positioning. The heavy insider selling diverges from the bullish consensus, creating a cautionary signal.

Documents Analyzed

Report based on filing metadata.

US Market Status