Coca-Cola Company (The) stock (NYSE: KO) is back in the spotlight on December 15, 2025, as investors balance deal chatter around Costa Coffee, a high-profile CEO transition, and a dividend payday—all while Wall Street’s consensus outlook continues to point to modest upside from current trading levels.
As of the latest U.S. session update, KO traded around $70.72, up about 0.28% on the day, after moving between $70.30 and $71.31.
Below is a full, publication-ready roundup of today’s key Coca-Cola stock news, company guidance, and the most-cited analyst forecasts and price targets shaping sentiment around KO right now.
KO stock price action on Dec. 15, 2025: steady trading, defensive profile intact
Coca-Cola shares are trading in a familiar low-volatility band that has defined much of the past several weeks. Recent price history shows KO oscillating around the low $70s, with today’s session marking another incremental move rather than a dramatic breakout. [1]
Market data services continue to characterize KO as a classic consumer staples “defensive” stock, reflected in a relatively low beta (commonly cited around 0.33) and a 52-week range that currently spans roughly $60.62 to $74.38. [2]
That calm trading pattern matters because the catalyst list for KO is growing: the company is navigating portfolio decisions (Costa), leadership change, and persistent consumer trade-down dynamics—all without the type of daily volatility seen in higher-beta sectors.
Today’s headline: Coca-Cola’s Costa Coffee sale is reportedly in “last-ditch talks”
The biggest deal-related development impacting Coca-Cola headlines today is Costa Coffee.
Reuters reports that Coca-Cola’s proposed sale of Costa Coffee is at risk of collapsing, with the company holding last-ditch talks with private equity firm TDR Capital to salvage the deal, according to a Financial Times report cited by Reuters. Reuters adds that price has become a stumbling block, and the structure under discussion would include Coca-Cola retaining a minority stake in Costa. [3]
Reuters also reiterates key context for investors: Coca-Cola bought Costa in 2018, when Whitbread sold the business for an enterprise value of $5.1 billion. [4]
Why Costa matters for KO stockholders
Even though Coca-Cola is best known for sparkling beverages, the company has spent years positioning itself as a “total beverage” player. Costa is part of that expansion, but a sale—if completed—could be interpreted in two very different ways:
- Portfolio focus / capital discipline: exiting a challenged asset can be seen as sharpening strategy and recycling capital.
- Execution questions: if the sale process stalls over valuation, it may underscore how hard it can be to scale coffee returns amid intense competition and cost pressures.
For KO stock, the market’s read-through will likely hinge on what Coca-Cola does next: complete a sale, restructure terms (minority stake or carve-outs), or keep Costa and attempt an operational reset.
Leadership transition: Henrique Braun set to become CEO as Quincey moves to executive chair
The other major narrative around Coca-Cola stock in mid-December is leadership continuity—rather than a disruptive change.
Reuters reports Coca-Cola has named company insider Henrique Braun as CEO, with Braun taking over effective March 31, 2026, while current CEO James Quincey transitions to executive chairman. [5]
Coca-Cola’s own investor relations release describes the plan as a board-led succession process and positions it as continuity, highlighting Braun’s long tenure and senior operational role. [6]
What investors are watching in the CEO handoff
Reuters frames the transition as happening amid shifting consumer preferences toward healthier options and highlights Coca-Cola’s efforts in zero-sugar beverages and premium lines (such as Fairlife) as supports for performance in a “choppy” consumer landscape. [7]
In a separate Reuters analysis, the focus is on Braun’s operational and international background—and the challenge of expanding low-sugar and functional offerings while managing costs and pricing pressure. [8]
Importantly for KO stockholders, that Reuters reporting includes a clear message from a portfolio manager quoted in the story: the expectation is “evolution, not revolution,” which tends to reduce “key person risk” pricing in a large-cap consumer staples name. [9]
Coca-Cola dividend paid today: $0.51 per share, record date Dec. 1
December 15 is also a notable day for Coca-Cola’s income investors: it is a dividend pay date.
In an official Coca-Cola investor relations press release (dated Oct. 16, 2025), the company stated it declared a regular quarterly dividend of 51 cents per common share, payable Dec. 15 to shareowners of record as of the close of business Dec. 1. [10]
Coca-Cola also notes (in its investor FAQ) that it normally pays dividends four times a year, typically around April 1, July 1, October 1, and December 15. [11]
Dividend streak remains central to the KO narrative
Financial media continues to describe Coca-Cola as a “Dividend King” (a term generally used for companies with very long dividend growth streaks). For example, a recent Motley Fool analysis notes Coca-Cola has raised its payout for 63 straight years. [12]
For SEO and readership, this matters because “Coca-Cola stock dividend” searches spike around record dates and pay dates—and because dividends remain a primary reason many long-term holders own KO.
Company outlook and guidance: Coca-Cola targets 5%–6% organic revenue growth in 2025
Beyond headlines, Coca-Cola’s own guidance is one of the most important “forecast” anchors for KO stock right now.
In its third-quarter 2025 results release, Coca-Cola reported:
- Net revenues up 5% to $12.5 billion and organic revenues up 6% (non-GAAP)
- Global unit case volume up 1%
- Price/mix up 6% (key in an inflation-aware consumer backdrop) [13]
The company also disclosed category-level signals investors track closely, including that Coca-Cola Zero Sugar grew 14% during the quarter. [14]
Full-year 2025 guidance (as reiterated in Q3)
In the same release, Coca-Cola provided full-year guidance and key considerations, including:
- Organic revenue (non-GAAP) growth of 5% to 6%
- Comparable EPS (non-GAAP) growth of ~3% vs. $2.88 in 2024
- Comparable currency neutral EPS growth of ~8%
- Expectation of currency impacts (including an approximate 5% currency headwind embedded in comparable EPS growth)
- Free cash flow excluding the fairlife contingent consideration payment of at least $9.8 billion [15]
Coca-Cola also states it will provide full-year 2026 guidance when it reports fourth-quarter earnings. [16]
For KO stockholders, the key takeaway is that management continues to emphasize a model built on price/mix, global distribution, and brand strength—while acknowledging currency and macro cross-currents.
Analyst forecasts for KO stock: consensus remains bullish, with price targets clustered near $78–$79
Wall Street’s aggregated view on Coca-Cola stock remains constructive as of mid-December, though most published targets imply moderate (not explosive) upside.
Here is how major analyst-aggregation platforms summarize KO’s outlook:
- MarketBeat: consensus rating Buy; average 12-month price target $79.08 (with targets cited between $75 and $83) [17]
- TipRanks: average price target $79.38 (high $85, low $71), with a consensus described as Strong Buy [18]
- StockAnalysis: average price target $78.15, with targets cited between $70 and $83 (and targets last updated on the site as of Nov. 7, 2025) [19]
What “bullish but not euphoric” looks like in practice
The clustering of price targets around the high $70s suggests analysts broadly expect Coca-Cola to deliver:
- steady earnings growth,
- cash returns via dividends, and
- resilience versus more cyclical consumer names,
rather than an aggressive re-rating.
StockAnalysis also lists examples of recent price-target maintenance/raises by major firms (as tracked by the site), such as BofA Securities maintaining a strong buy while raising a target (example shown as $78 → $80 on Nov. 7, 2025) and Barclays and TD Cowen maintaining buy/strong buy ratings with higher targets in October. [20]
Institutional “news” on Dec. 15: what today’s filings actually tell you (and what they don’t)
Another theme appearing in KO headlines today is institutional positioning—though investors should recognize what these updates really represent.
A MarketBeat filing roundup published today states that Texas Permanent School Fund Corp reduced its Coca-Cola position by 33.4% during the second quarter, based on its most recent 13F filing. [21]
This kind of item can move into “current news” feeds, but it usually reflects historical quarter-end positioning, not necessarily a trade executed today. Still, it can contribute to narratives about whether big holders are trimming or adding exposure.
What to watch next for Coca-Cola stock: catalysts and risks into 2026
With KO trading in a relatively tight band, forward performance may come down to a handful of identifiable catalysts and risks.
1) Costa Coffee decision-making
The market will watch whether Coca-Cola:
- completes a sale to TDR Capital,
- adjusts terms (minority stake retention is already part of the reported structure), or
- keeps Costa and pivots strategy. [22]
2) CEO transition execution risk (and opportunity)
While leadership change is framed as continuity, investors will track:
- how Braun signals priorities (marketing investment, pricing architecture, pack/price strategy),
- whether portfolio reshaping continues (M&A or divestitures), and
- how Coca-Cola navigates health trends and cost inflation. [23]
3) Currency and pricing pressure
Coca-Cola’s own 2025 outlook explicitly flags currency effects and embeds meaningful FX headwinds into comparable EPS expectations. [24]
4) Regulatory and ingredient scrutiny
Reuters notes Coca-Cola is operating in a tougher U.S. regulatory environment for packaged foods and mentions efforts such as rolling out a cane sugar version of its trademark soda in glass bottles. [25]
Bottom line: KO stock on Dec. 15, 2025 is a “steady compounder” story—plus two big headlines
On a day when KO stock is trading only modestly higher, Coca-Cola’s narrative is anything but quiet:
- Deal headlines (Costa Coffee) are active and potentially consequential. [26]
- Leadership transition is set, and markets appear to be pricing it as continuity rather than upheaval. [27]
- Dividends remain a core part of the shareholder value proposition, with the $0.51 quarterly payout landing today. [28]
- Forecasts still lean positive: company guidance calls for mid-single-digit organic growth, and aggregated analyst targets cluster around $78–$79. [29]
For Google News and Discover readers, the most important near-term question is simple: does Coca-Cola resolve Costa cleanly, and can the incoming CEO maintain momentum in zero-sugar and premium categories without leaning too hard on price increases? Reuters’ reporting suggests that balance—growth, health trends, and cost control—will be central to the next chapter for KO stock. [30]
References
1. stockanalysis.com, 2. www.marketwatch.com, 3. www.reuters.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. www.reuters.com, 6. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. www.reuters.com, 10. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 11. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 12. www.fool.com, 13. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 14. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 15. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 16. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 17. www.marketbeat.com, 18. www.tipranks.com, 19. stockanalysis.com, 20. stockanalysis.com, 21. www.marketbeat.com, 22. www.reuters.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 25. www.reuters.com, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. www.reuters.com, 28. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 29. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 30. www.reuters.com
