Coca-Cola (KO) Stock Price, News and Forecast: What to Expect Before the Market Opens on December 1, 2025

As investors head into the first trading day of December, The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is sitting near its 52‑week highs, about to trade ex‑dividend, and attracting fresh attention from both Wall Street and options traders.

KO closed on Friday, November 28, 2025, at $73.12, up roughly 0.3% on the day and near its 52‑week range of $60.62–$74.38. ^[1] The stock is up in the high‑teens percentage range so far in 2025 and has comfortably outperformed the broader beverages sector this year. ^[2]

At the same time, Coca‑Cola’s forward dividend yield sits around 2.8% on an annualized payout of $2.04 per share, with the next ex‑dividend date on Monday, December 1, 2025, and payment scheduled for December 15, 2025. ^[3] That dividend event is likely to shape trading in KO right at the opening bell.

Below is a deep dive into KO’s price action, the most important news and analysis from November 28–30, 2025, and how the stock could trade before and after the December 1 open.

KO stock price snapshot heading into December 1, 2025

Last close (Nov 28, 2025)

• Price: $73.12
• Daily move: +0.33% vs prior close of $72.88 ^[4]
• 52‑week range: $60.62 – $74.38, so the stock is trading close to its 12‑month high. ^[5]

Performance and risk profile

• Approximate year‑to‑date total return: about 18–20%, including price appreciation and dividends. ^[6]
• Five‑year total shareholder return: ~56%, according to Simply Wall St, underscoring KO’s long‑term compounding power through dividends and buybacks. ^[7]
• Beta around 0.4–0.45, meaning KO tends to move less than the overall market — classic “defensive” behavior. ^[8]

Valuation and balance sheet (MarketBeat data)

• Market cap: ~$314 billion
• Trailing P/E: ~24x
• PEG ratio: ~3.6, reflecting a premium to expected growth. ^[9]
• Debt‑to‑equity: ~1.3, with current and quick ratios of ~1.21 and 1.00, respectively, indicating a solid but leveraged balance sheet for a mature consumer staples leader. ^[10]
• The share price is trading above both the 50‑day and 200‑day moving averages (around $68.9 and $69.9, respectively), a technically constructive sign. ^[11]

Dividend catalyst: KO trades ex‑dividend on December 1

Coca‑Cola remains one of the most prominent Dividend Kings, with more than 60 consecutive years of dividend increases. ^[12] Late November headlines and data services confirm the key details for the upcoming payout:

• Quarterly dividend:$0.51 per share
• Annualized dividend:$2.04 per share
• Forward yield: ~2.8% at the Nov 28 close
• Record / ex‑dividend date:Monday, December 1, 2025
• Payment date:Monday, December 15, 2025 ^[13]

Because KO goes ex‑dividend on December 1, traders should expect an automatic downward adjustment in the stock price at the open—typically close to the dividend amount ($0.51), all else equal. In practice, broader market conditions, investor sentiment, and demand for the name can offset or amplify that mechanical drop.

This ex‑dividend event helps explain why KO is drawing attention from options traders and yield‑focused investors right into the new month.

Key KO stock news and analysis from November 28–30, 2025

From November 28 to 30, 2025, several major outlets published fresh analyses on Coca‑Cola. Here’s what they’re saying — and how it could matter before the December 1 open.

1. Valuation debate: is KO overvalued or still cheap?

Simply Wall St (Nov 28, 2025)

Simply Wall St published a detailed valuation piece titled “Evaluating Coca‑Cola (KO) Valuation: Is the Classic Stock Priced for Predictability or Future Growth?” on November 28. ^[14] Key takeaways:

• Over the past month, KO has gained about 7%, and year‑to‑date return is ~17.85%, with a five‑year total shareholder return of 56.21% — impressive for a defensive dividend payer. ^[15]
• One valuation model (“AllTrades narrative”) pegs fair value at $67.50 vs a recent price near $72.88, implying KO is about 8% overvalued and priced for its stability. ^[16]
• Their own internal DCF model, however, estimates fair value closer to $89.90, suggesting ~19% upside from recent levels. ^[17]

In other words, valuation opinions diverge: some models see KO as slightly expensive, others see meaningful upside, reflecting how investors are paying a premium for Coca‑Cola’s predictable cash flows.

Zacks/Finviz (Nov 26, 2025)

Zacks, via Finviz, highlights that KO trades at a premium valuation relative to peers, assigning it a Value Style Score of “F”. ^[18] They expect:

• Q4 EPS of $0.56, up 1.8% year over year
• Q4 revenue around $12.07 billion, up 4.5% year over year
• Full‑year 2025 EPS of $2.98 (+3.5% YoY) and 2026 EPS of $3.22 (+8% YoY). ^[19]

Despite the premium pricing, earnings and revenue trends remain positive, leading to a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) — suggesting KO may track the broader market near term. ^[20]

2. Institutions and options traders step in (Nov 28)

Two MarketBeat pieces published on November 28, 2025 point to heavy interest in KO from both institutions and derivatives traders.

a) Unusually strong call options activity

MarketBeat reports that traders bought 94,563 KO call options on Friday, about 72% above the stock’s average daily call volume of 54,876. ^[21] That kind of surge often signals bullish speculation or hedging, particularly ahead of a known catalyst like an ex‑dividend date or an upcoming investor conference.

The same article notes:

• Consensus analyst rating: “Buy”, with an average price target of $78.43.
• KO declared the $0.51 quarterly dividend with the ex‑div date on December 1 and payment on December 15, confirming the yield around 2.8%. ^[22]
• Insiders have been net sellers over the past 90 days, unloading about 225,252 shares and now holding roughly 0.9% of the stock, even as institutions and options traders show interest. ^[23]

b) American Century increases stake

In a separate Nov 28 article, MarketBeat notes that American Century Companies Inc. boosted its stake in KO by 13.5% in Q2, to 736,084 shares worth roughly $52 million. ^[24] Several smaller funds also initiated or increased positions, and institutional and hedge‑fund ownership now stands around 70.26%. ^[25]

Taken together, the data suggest that professional investors are comfortable owning KO at current prices, even if insider selling and premium valuations hint that management sees the stock as fairly rich.

3. Medium‑ and long‑term price forecasts (Nov 29–30)

24/7 Wall St (Nov 29, 2025): 2025–2030 forecast

24/7 Wall St published a comprehensive forecast, “Coca‑Cola (NYSE: KO) Price Prediction and Forecast 2025–2030 (December 2025)”. ^[26] Highlights:

• KO has gained 4.03% in the past month and 4.10% in the prior month, putting YTD gains at 17.85%. ^[27]
• Q3 2025 earnings (reported Oct 21) beat expectations with adjusted EPS of $0.82 vs $0.78 consensus, and revenue of $12.41 billion vs ~$12.39–12.43 billion expected. ^[28]
• Using Wall Street analyst data, they quote a median 12‑month price target of $79.08, implying around 8.5% upside from the low‑$73 area. ^[29]
• Their own 2025 target is $76.00 (about 4.3% upside), with a 2030 target of $101.25, assuming steady EPS growth to roughly $4.05 by 2030. ^[30]

Intellectia AI (updated late November/early December)

AI‑driven analytics platform Intellectia aggregates Wall Street estimates and technical data:

• Confirms a 15‑analyst consensus 1‑year price target of $79.08, with a range of $71–$85, and 14 Buy / 1 Hold / 0 Sell ratings — effectively a “Strong Buy” consensus. ^[31]
• Notes that over the last three months, FY2025 revenue estimates have been revised slightly down (~‑0.36%), while EPS estimates have been nudged up (~+0.24%), and the share price has risen ~5.9% over the same period. ^[32]
• From a technical standpoint, short‑ and mid‑term moving averages are bullish (SMA 20 > SMA 60, price above key SMAs), though long‑term signals are more mixed. ^[33]

CoinCodex (Nov 30, 2025): near‑term technical forecast

Algorithmic site CoinCodex provides a short‑term, indicator‑based forecast for KO: ^[34]

• Current price (Nov 30 close): $73.12
• Technical sentiment: “Bullish,” with 24 indicators bullish vs 2 bearish
• Over the next 5 trading days, their model expects KO to rise to around $74.87 (about 2.4% upside) by December 5, 2025.
• For December 2025 overall, they project an average price near $78.46, implying ~11.6% upside from current levels.
• Their 12‑month algorithmic forecast projects KO around $88.86 (up ~21.5%), though such long‑dated model outputs can be highly uncertain. ^[35]

4. “Is Coca‑Cola a buy?” – fresh opinions from Motley Fool and Kiplinger (Nov 29)

Motley Fool via Nasdaq (Nov 29, 2025)

An article syndicated on Nasdaq titled “Is Coca‑Cola Stock a Buy Right Now?” frames KO as a defensive compounder rather than a high‑growth story: ^[36]

• Emphasizes KO’s asset‑light “concentrate plus bottler” model, which supports high margins and strong free cash flow.
• Notes the ~2.8% dividend yield and more than six decades of annual dividend raises. ^[37]
• Points out that growth is likely to remain modest — single‑digit annual revenue and EPS expansion, driven largely by emerging markets and premium pricing.
• Highlights ongoing headwinds from sugar taxes and health regulations, which cap volume growth in developed markets and push KO deeper into zero‑sugar and “better‑for‑you” categories.
• Concludes that KO remains attractive for investors seeking stability and income, but not a multibagger in the next few years. ^[38]

Kiplinger (Nov 29, 2025): 20‑year scorecard

Kiplinger’s feature, “If You’d Put $1,000 Into Coca‑Cola Stock 20 Years Ago, Here’s What You’d Have Today”, underscores KO’s long‑term defensive nature but also its underperformance vs the S&P 500: ^[39]

• A $1,000 investment 20 years ago in KO would now be worth about $6,200, an annualized return of ~9.6%, versus ~$7,900 for the same amount in an S&P 500 index fund. ^[40]
• Despite this lag, Wall Street remains decisively bullish: of 24 analysts tracked by S&P Global, 13 rate KO Strong Buy, seven Buy, and four Hold, for an overall “Buy” with high conviction. ^[41]
• Jefferies’ analyst Kaumil Gajrawala calls KO a “standout” among beverage peers, citing healthy volumes, strong pricing power, and accelerating free cash flow. ^[42]

The message from both articles: KO is not an explosive growth stock, but it remains a favored “core holding” for long‑term, income‑oriented portfolios.

5. KO as a “water” and infrastructure‑style defensive theme (Nov 29)

In a November 29 MarketBeat roundup, Coca‑Cola is featured among five “Promising Water Stocks to Consider,” highlighting companies tied to water supply, treatment, or bottled water demand (alongside Xylem, Ecolab, IDEXX and NuScale Power). ^[43]

MarketBeat pitches water‑related stocks as defensive, long‑term themes anchored to population growth, urbanization and water scarcity, while acknowledging regulatory and capital‑intensity risks. ^[44] For KO, that framing underscores the importance of its water and hydration portfolio (Dasani, Smartwater, etc.) in addition to classic sodas.

Fundamental backdrop: earnings, growth drivers and risks

Q3 2025 results and Street expectations

KO’s latest reported quarter (Q3 2025) was solid:

• Revenue: ~$12.41 billion, up about 4–5% year over year, and roughly in line with consensus. ^[45]
• Adjusted EPS:$0.82, up from $0.77–0.78 a year ago and beating consensus by roughly 4–5 cents. ^[46]
• KO continues to deliver mid‑single‑digit organic revenue growth, driven by pricing, mix upgrades, and emerging‑market volumes.

For the near term, Zacks and other aggregators expect:

• Current quarter (Q4 2025): EPS around $0.56 and revenue ~ $12.07 billion, implying low‑single‑digit EPS and mid‑single‑digit revenue growth vs last year. ^[47]
• Full‑year 2025 EPS: about $2.98 (+3.5% YoY), rising to $3.22 (+8%) in 2026. ^[48]

This suggests KO is on track for steady, if unspectacular, earnings expansion, with operating leverage and pricing doing much of the work.

Structural growth drivers

Across the late‑November coverage, a few common themes emerge: ^[49]

1. Diversification beyond soda
   • KO’s portfolio now spans water, sports drinks, juices, teas, coffees (Costa Coffee acquisition), energy drinks and alcoholic RTDs, giving it exposure to faster‑growing categories.
2. Emerging markets
   • Markets such as India, Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America are expected to drive most volume growth over the next decade. India is already KO’s fifth‑largest market by volume. ^[50]
3. Digital and AI
   • KO is increasingly described as a tech‑enabled consumer company, using AI and big data for demand forecasting, pricing, assortment and marketing efficiency, potentially supporting margins over time. ^[51]
4. Hyper‑localization
   • Tailored brands like Thums Up in India or local juice/tea offerings help KO defend and expand market share, particularly where local preferences differ sharply from Western tastes. ^[52]

Key risks

• Regulation & health trends: Sugar taxes, warning labels and tighter advertising rules in multiple countries remain long‑running headwinds. KO continues pushing zero‑sugar, functional and “better‑for‑you” options, but top‑line growth in mature markets is constrained. ^[53]
• FX exposure: About 65% of revenue comes from outside the U.S., exposing KO to currency volatility and hedging costs that can run 3–6% of exposure, according to 24/7 Wall St. ^[54]
• Valuation risk: With KO trading near record highs at roughly 24x earnings, any disappointment in earnings or guidance — or rising bond yields — could compress the multiple. ^[55]

Technical picture and short‑term trading setup before the December 1 open

Trend and indicators

Technical services broadly see KO in a bullish or at least constructive trend heading into December: ^[56]

• Price vs moving averages: KO trades above its 50‑day and 200‑day SMAs, which are clustered around $68.9–$69.9. All commonly watched SMAs (50, 100, 200 days) sit below the current price and are flashing “BUY” in CoinCodex’s framework. ^[57]
• Momentum: Multiple indicators (MACD, momentum, some oscillators) are bullish, and Intellectia notes that SMA 20 > SMA 60, signaling a strong mid‑term uptrend. ^[58]
• Overbought signals: Stochastic and other fast oscillators are in overbought territory, which could argue for short‑term consolidation or a mild pullback even within a broader uptrend. ^[59]
• Recent volatility: Over the last 30 days, KO has seen price volatility around 2.1% with 17 “green” days out of 30, according to CoinCodex, reflecting steady, low‑beta upward drift rather than violent swings. ^[60]

Intellectia’s technical summary calls KO’s mid‑term outlook “Neutral to slightly bullish” (4 buy vs 4 sell signals), but its moving averages lean clearly bullish, with resistance near $73.56 and $74.58 and support around $70.27 and $69.26. ^[61]

What to watch at Monday’s open (Dec 1, 2025)

1. Ex‑dividend adjustment
   • Mechanically, KO should open roughly $0.51 lower than it otherwise would, reflecting the cash dividend. At Friday’s close of $73.12, a purely mechanical ex‑div price would be around $72.61, before any market‑driven buying or selling.
2. Support and resistance zones
   • Short‑term traders will watch whether KO holds above the $72–$73 zone after adjusting for the dividend.
   • On the upside, $74–$75 (roughly the 52‑week high area and Intellectia’s cited resistance zone) will be key. A decisive break above could invite momentum buying, especially given the heavy call‑options interest reported on Nov 28. ^[62]
3. Options and volume
   • The surge in call option volume on Nov 28 may reflect traders positioning for a post‑ex‑dividend bounce or continued year‑end strength. If Monday’s open sees elevated volume but KO holds firm relative to the ex‑div adjustment, that would reinforce the bullish narrative. ^[63]
4. Macro and sector backdrop
   • As a defensive consumer‑staples name, KO often outperforms when markets are uneasy and lags when risk appetite is high. Any pre‑market weakness in cyclicals or renewed macro worries could paradoxically support KO relative to the broader market.

Wall Street consensus and 12‑month KO stock forecast

Pulling together the late‑November data:

• Average 12‑month analyst target:
  • ~$78–$79 per share across MarketBeat, Intellectia, Yahoo Finance and 24/7 Wall St’s cited figures. ^[64]
• Implied upside vs $73.12 close: roughly 7–9%, excluding dividends.
• Analyst ratings:
  • Intellectia: 14 Buy / 1 Hold / 0 Sell (Strong Buy). ^[65]
  • Kiplinger/S&P Global: 13 Strong Buy, 7 Buy, 4 Hold, overall “Buy.” ^[66]
• Algorithmic forecasts (non‑Wall Street):
  • CoinCodex: projects $81.59 (~+11.6%) by Dec 30, 2025, and $88.86 (~+21.5%) in one year. ^[67]
  • 24/7 Wall St’s internal model: $76 in 2025 (4.3% upside), $101.25 in 2030 (~39% upside). ^[68]

In summary, human analysts are moderately optimistic, expecting high‑single‑digit price appreciation plus a 2.8% dividend yield, while quantitative models skew more bullish, projecting double‑digit total returns over the next year—though those forecasts come with high uncertainty.

Bottom line for investors before the December 1, 2025 open

As KO heads into Monday’s ex‑dividend session, the setup looks like this:

• Near 52‑week highs: KO is trading close to its 12‑month peak, reflecting a strong 2025 performance and renewed demand for defensive names. ^[69]
• Dividend in focus: A reliable 2.8% yield and a fresh $0.51 dividend going ex‑dividend on Dec 1 make KO a magnet for income investors and dividend‑capture strategies. ^[70]
• Fundamentals solid, growth modest: Q3 results beat expectations, and consensus calls for continued low‑ to mid‑single‑digit revenue growth and mid‑single‑digit EPS growth, powered by emerging markets, pricing, and mix shift. ^[71]
• Valuation rich but not extreme: KO trades at around 24x earnings, richer than many peers, which explains why some models flag it as slightly overvalued even as others find significant upside based on discounted cash flows. ^[72]
• Sentiment and technicals constructive: Institutional buying, a spike in call‑options activity, and bullish technical readings all point to positive sentiment heading into December — tempered by overbought indicators and the mechanical ex‑div drop. ^[73]
• Upcoming catalyst: KO will participate in the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer & Retail Conference on December 2, 2025, which could bring fresh commentary on pricing, volumes and 2026 guidance. ^[74]

For long‑term investors, the late‑November coverage reinforces the usual story: Coca‑Cola remains a high‑quality, income‑oriented blue chip, better suited as a steady portfolio anchor than a high‑octane growth play.

For short‑term traders, December 1 will be all about:

• How KO trades relative to its ex‑dividend adjustment,
• Whether it can hold support in the low‑$70s, and
• If bullish flows are strong enough to push the stock toward or beyond the $74–$75 resistance area in the days that follow.

References

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