Clark Capital Management Group Inc. Boosts Stake in CocaCola Company (The) $KO

Clark Capital Management Group Inc. increased its position in CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO) by 0.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,594,808 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 11,479 shares during the period. Clark Capital Management Group Inc.’s holdings in CocaCola were worth $111,493,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in KO. Anfield Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of CocaCola by 438.8% in the fourth quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 361 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 294 shares in the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of CocaCola in the second quarter worth about $26,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of CocaCola by 1,081.8% in the fourth quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 390 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 357 shares in the last quarter. Daytona Street Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of CocaCola in the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of CocaCola in the third quarter worth about $30,000. 70.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KO has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup boosted their target price on CocaCola from $90.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on CocaCola from $87.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Barclays boosted their price objective on CocaCola from $85.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price objective on CocaCola from $83.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 30th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on CocaCola from $87.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, CocaCola presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $86.69.

Key Headlines Impacting CocaCola

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Coca-Cola is being highlighted by analysts and market writers as a defensive staple and a low-beta stock that can help investors navigate inflation and rate volatility, which supports its appeal in uncertain markets. Inflationary Woes Continue Despite End of Iran War: 5 Defensive Picks
• Positive Sentiment: KO is also being featured in dividend-focused articles as a “Dividend King” and a stock near record highs, reinforcing the market’s confidence in its long-term cash generation and income stability. 3 Dividend Kings With Income, Stability, and a Possible Catalyst
• Positive Sentiment: Several pieces frame Coca-Cola as a strong consumer-staples holding versus peers like Keurig Dr Pepper, suggesting investors still view KO as a premium brand with scale and pricing power. Coca-Cola vs. Keurig: Which Beverage Stock Should Investors Choose?
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary also points to cost-saving initiatives and operating efficiencies helping offset commodity inflation and support margins, which is constructive for earnings durability. Are Coca-Cola’s Cost-Saving Initiatives Boosting Profitability?
• Neutral Sentiment: Coca-Cola’s Smartwater expansion through PVOLVE studios is a brand-building move that could help visibility, but it looks more like a marketing partnership than a near-term financial catalyst. Coca-Cola Expands Smartwater Reach Through PVOLVE Studios
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the supportive commentary, KO has recently pulled back from its highs, and one market report noted the stock fell as broader market sentiment improved, suggesting investors may be rotating out of defensives. Coca-Cola (KO) Stock Falls Amid Market Uptick: What Investors Need to Know

Insider Activity

In other news, Chairman James Quincey sold 436,296 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.13, for a total transaction of $34,960,398.48. Following the transaction, the chairman owned 122,833 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,842,608.29. This represents a 78.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Nancy Quan sold 31,625 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.93, for a total value of $2,559,411.25. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 223,330 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,074,096.90. This represents a 12.40% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 899,905 shares of company stock valued at $71,832,315. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

CocaCola Trading Down 0.8%

Shares of NYSE KO opened at $80.29 on Wednesday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $78.86 and its two-hundred day moving average is $75.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.36 and a quick ratio of 1.15. CocaCola Company has a 1-year low of $65.35 and a 1-year high of $84.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $345.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.25, a PEG ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.35.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.05. CocaCola had a return on equity of 40.55% and a net margin of 27.80%.The company had revenue of $12.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $12.24 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.73 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.240-3.270 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that CocaCola Company will post 3.26 EPS for the current year.

CocaCola Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. CocaCola’s dividend payout ratio is currently 66.67%.

CocaCola 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.