New York time check: It’s 12:48 a.m. ET on Saturday, December 27, 2025 in New York—so U.S. stock markets are closed right now.
That timing matters, because Coca‑Cola (KO) is entering the final, holiday-thinned stretch of the year with the broader market hovering near record highs—and with a short list of very “Coke-like” catalysts in play: leadership succession, portfolio reshuffling (including Costa Coffee), and the usual investor obsession with dividends and stability.
Coca‑Cola stock price right now
The latest available quote shows Coca‑Cola (KO) at about $69.87, down roughly $0.23 (-0.33%) from the prior close.
KO is trading into a market backdrop that’s been remarkably buoyant into year‑end. On Friday, December 26, Reuters reported the S&P 500 finished near 6,929.94 (down slightly), with the Dow near 48,710.97 and the Nasdaq near 23,593.10, as markets “caught their breath” after a strong run. [1]
The market mood: year‑end rally energy, but thin liquidity (and it can get weird)
Two dynamics are colliding:
1) The “Santa Claus rally” window is open.
Reuters notes the seasonal “Santa Claus rally” period spans the last five trading days of the year and the first two of the new year—this time running through January 5, 2026 (because Jan. 1 is a market holiday). [2]
2) Thin trading can exaggerate moves.
In its week‑ahead preview, Reuters highlighted that year‑end portfolio adjustments and light holiday volumes can amplify price swings. In that same piece, Murphy & Sylvest’s Paul Nolte summed up the tape with: “Momentum is certainly on the side of the bulls.” [3]
For a defensive stock like Coca‑Cola, that backdrop often translates into a tug‑of‑war:
- If investors keep leaning risk‑on into year‑end, KO may lag hotter sectors.
- If volatility spikes (or headlines hit), KO can regain its role as a “steady hands” parking spot.
The biggest Coca‑Cola headline: Henrique Braun is set to become CEO
A major late‑2025 catalyst is leadership succession.
Reuters reported that Henrique Braun will become Coca‑Cola’s CEO in March (following current CEO James Quincey). The story frames Braun’s mandate as pushing further into low‑sugar and functional beverages, while managing costs and protecting margins in a world where consumers are value-conscious and input costs can still bite. [4]
Reuters also included a telling “calm-down, not shake‑up” quote from Brian Mulberry, portfolio manager at Zacks Investment Management (which holds KO): “This is evolution not revolution.” [5]
Another pressure point Reuters flagged: competitive pricing. Retail analyst Bruce Winder warned that if Pepsi faces activist-driven pressure to cut prices, it could compress the whole category’s margins if Coca‑Cola has to respond. [6]
Costa Coffee sale talks: a potential portfolio shake‑up (or a messy non-event)
Coca‑Cola’s coffee strategy is also back in the headlines.
Reuters reported that the company’s proposed sale of Costa Coffee was at risk of collapsing, with “last‑ditch talks” involving TDR Capital amid price disagreements—while Coca‑Cola would retain a minority stake under the discussed structure. [7]
What investors should take from this (without dramatizing it): if Costa remains inside the portfolio, Coca‑Cola keeps optionality but also keeps operational complexity. If Costa sells, KO can redeploy capital and simplify—but valuation and deal terms matter, and “almost a deal” is not a deal.
Africa bottling stake sale: a $1 billion impairment charge is expected in Q4
Not all headlines are shiny.
Reuters reported that Coca‑Cola expects an impairment charge of about $1 billion in Q4 2025 tied to the sale of part of its interest in African bottling operations. [8]
This is the kind of item investors often separate into two buckets:
- Accounting/one‑time (non‑cash charges that don’t necessarily alter the long-term cash machine)
- Signal (portfolio moves that reveal where Coca‑Cola wants to be structurally—more brand/operator-light, less asset-heavy bottling exposure)
Either way, it’s a reminder that KO isn’t just “a soda company.” It’s a global franchise system constantly tuning what it owns versus what partners run.
A big, very concrete move: Coca‑Cola exited its stake in Coca‑Cola Consolidated (COKE)
In November, Coca‑Cola announced that Coca‑Cola Consolidated repurchased 18.8 million shares previously owned by Coca‑Cola, at $127 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of about $2.4 billion. [9]
Two details stood out:
- Henrique Braun (then EVP & COO) called it “a natural evolution” of the relationship and emphasized alignment in serving consumers across the U.S. system. [10]
- Coca‑Cola also relinquished its board seat at Coca‑Cola Consolidated in connection with the transaction. [11]
This reads like Coca‑Cola continuing the long-term playbook: brand + marketing + concentrate economics, with bottlers doing the heavy lifting on distribution and execution.
Fundamentals check: what Coca‑Cola last reported (Q3 2025) and what it guided
Coca‑Cola’s most recent official results were its third quarter 2025 report (released October 21, 2025).
Key reported highlights included:
- Net revenues: up 5% to $12.5 billion
- Organic revenues (non‑GAAP): up 6%
- Operating income: up 59% (reported)
- EPS:$0.86 (up 30%), with comparable (non‑GAAP) EPS $0.82
- CEO James Quincey emphasized adaptability and “investing for growth” despite a challenging environment. [12]
Full‑year 2025 guidance (as of that Q3 report)
Coca‑Cola reaffirmed (or updated) several key items, including:
- Organic revenue growth:5% to 6% (no update)
- Comparable currency-neutral EPS growth:~8% (no update)
- Comparable EPS growth:~3% vs. $2.88 in 2024 (no update)
- Free cash flow (non‑GAAP, excluding fairlife contingent consideration): at least $9.8 billion (updated from $9.5B)
- Comparable net revenues currency headwind:1% to 2% (no update) [13]
That free-cash-flow line is especially relevant for KO investors because it’s the fuel for dividends, buybacks, and bolt-on acquisitions.
Dividend reality: KO’s yield appeal is still a core part of the story
Coca‑Cola remains a dividend staple—literally and culturally.
Recent dividend data points show:
- Annual dividend: about $2.04 per share
- Dividend yield: roughly ~2.9% (varies with price)
- Most recent ex-dividend date:December 1, 2025
- Most recent pay date:December 15, 2025 [14]
Multiple dividend data services also describe KO as having more than six decades of dividend growth, reinforcing its “Dividend King” reputation—though specific counts can vary by methodology. [15]
Analyst forecasts: where Wall Street targets cluster (and what that implies)
Across major forecast aggregators, the 12‑month price target consensus is clustered in a fairly tight band around the high‑70s to low‑80s.
Examples:
- MarketBeat: average target about $79.08, with highs/lows roughly $83 / $75 [16]
- TipRanks: average target about $79.33, with highs/lows roughly $85 / $71 [17]
- TradingView: average target about $80.10, with highs/lows roughly $87 / $72 [18]
With KO around $69.87, those targets imply a mid‑teens upside if fundamentals and sentiment cooperate—though investors should treat price targets as opinions, not physics.
Valuation snapshot
Yahoo Finance’s key statistics list KO at roughly:
- Trailing P/E: ~23.22
- Forward P/E: ~21.64 [19]
That’s not bargain-basement, but it’s also not “priced like a biotech fever dream.” It’s classic Coca‑Cola: you’re paying for durability, distribution power, and cash generation.
If you’re reading this now: the NYSE is closed—here’s what matters before the next session
Because it’s early Saturday in New York, you’re in “between sessions” territory. The next practical investor question becomes: what might move KO when the bell returns?
1) Know the next opening time (and the next holiday)
The NYSE core session is 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. [20]
The NYSE holiday calendar confirms markets are closed on New Year’s Day (Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026). [21]
Investopedia’s holiday schedule coverage also flags that Dec. 24 had an early close and reiterates the Jan. 1 closure. [22]
2) Watch the Fed minutes next week—rate expectations drive “defensive vs growth” flows
Reuters’ week‑ahead note points to minutes from the Fed’s December meeting as a key upcoming catalyst, with investors focused on how quickly the Fed might cut further after bringing its benchmark rate to 3.50%–3.75% in 2025. [23]
The Fed’s own December 2025 statement describes an economy expanding at a “moderate pace” while inflation remains “somewhat elevated.” [24]
For KO specifically: lower rate expectations can support higher valuation multiples for steady cash-flow businesses—but the bigger effect is usually sector rotation and risk appetite.
3) Follow the Costa Coffee story for “portfolio strategy” signals
Costa isn’t likely to change Coca‑Cola’s identity overnight, but it’s a clear window into how the company thinks about capital allocation and brand focus. Any weekend/early-week update to those Reuters-reported talks can move sentiment quickly in thin year-end trading. [25]
4) Keep the CEO transition narrative in context: stable handoff, but execution matters
Reuters’ reporting suggests markets are broadly expecting continuity under Henrique Braun—“evolution not revolution”—but also flags real operational challenges: pricing pressure, margin protection, cost control, and the shift to low-sugar and functional beverages. [26]
5) Know your “KO calendar” catalyst: next earnings window
Market calendars currently peg Coca‑Cola’s next earnings around February 10, 2026 (not always confirmed this far out). [27]
The takeaway: KO is acting like KO—while the market acts like… late December
Coca‑Cola stock is entering the final trading days of 2025 in a market that’s flirting with a major milestone (S&P 500 near 7,000), with year‑end flows and Fed expectations doing most of the heavy lifting day-to-day. [28]
On the company side, the story is more grounded and operational: a CEO handoff in motion, portfolio tuning (Costa, bottling exposure), and a fundamentals base that still points to mid‑single‑digit organic revenue growth and strong free cash flow—exactly the kind of profile long-term KO holders usually sign up for. [29]
References
1. www.reuters.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.reuters.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. www.reuters.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 10. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 11. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 12. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 13. investors.coca-colacompany.com, 14. stockanalysis.com, 15. www.dividend.com, 16. www.marketbeat.com, 17. www.tipranks.com, 18. www.tradingview.com, 19. finance.yahoo.com, 20. www.nyse.com, 21. www.nyse.com, 22. www.investopedia.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. www.federalreserve.gov, 25. www.reuters.com, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. www.nasdaq.com, 28. www.reuters.com, 29. investors.coca-colacompany.com
