Coca-Cola Company (KO)

In the past six months, The Coca-Cola Company's stock (KO) has seen some notable movements. As of October 24, 2025, the share price was $69.71, an increase of 4.56% from October 28, 2024, when it was $66.67. On October 21, 2025, KO shares jumped approximately 4% after the company reported third-quarter results that surpassed analyst expectations for both revenue and profit. The company reported adjusted earnings of $0.82 per share on revenue of $12.46 billion, exceeding consensus estimates. Organic revenue grew 6% year-on-year, and sales volumes increased by 1%, reversing a previous decline. The operating margin also expanded significantly to 32% from 21.2% in the same quarter last year. Despite a "challenging" overall environment, the company expressed confidence in meeting its 2025 guidance.

Demand for Coca-Cola products exhibits seasonality, although the company is actively working to mitigate its reliance on peak periods. While summer remains a major sales period globally, Coca-Cola is focused on developing year-round consumption occasions to smooth out seasonality. Cola sales tend to be more consistent throughout the year and are less influenced by warmer weather, while sales of water, juice, and non-cola carbonated beverages are more heavily influenced by warm weather. In winter, sports and energy drinks and cola increase their share of total soft drink sales. The company's strategies in markets like India include creating new consumption occasions and expanding low- and no-sugar offerings to align with evolving consumer preferences and reduce seasonality dependence.

The Coca-Cola Company is the world's leading producer of non-alcoholic beverages, with over 200 brands available in more than 200 countries and territories. Its business model focuses on product development, brand awareness, marketing, and syrup production, with a vast network of authorized bottlers responsible for mixing the syrup with water and sweeteners, packaging, and distributing the final products. Major products include sparkling soft drinks like Coca-Cola, Sprite, and Fanta; water, sports, coffee, and tea brands like Dasani, Powerade, and Costa; and juice, value-added dairy, and plant-based beverages like Minute Maid and Simply. The company continuously innovates, offering low- or no-calorie options and smaller package sizes to meet evolving consumer preferences.

Coca-Cola has a significant global presence, operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with over 70% of its business income generated from non-U.S. sources. Its distribution system relies on a network of company-owned and independent bottling partners across various regions, including Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America, North America, and Asia Pacific.

In the past year, The Coca-Cola Company's brand reputation faced a notable challenge in November 2024 when the company experienced overwhelmingly negative consumer backlash and condemnation from creative professionals due to its use of AI to generate three holiday commercials, rather than employing human artists.

The Coca-Cola Company's ownership is primarily dominated by institutional investors, who collectively hold more than half of the company's shares. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is the largest shareholder, owning approximately 9.2% to 9.3% of shares outstanding, followed by Vanguard Group Inc. with around 8.5% ownership, and BlackRock, Inc. with approximately 7.2%. Other significant institutional shareholders include State Street Corp, Fmr Llc, Morgan Stanley, Geode Capital Management, Llc, and Jpmorgan Chase & Co. Individual investors, including insiders, own a smaller percentage, with insider ownership typically under 1%.