Coca-Cola stock price slips despite Wells Fargo target hike as KO earnings loom
9 February 2026
2 mins read

Coca-Cola stock price slips despite Wells Fargo target hike as KO earnings loom

NEW YORK, Feb 9, 2026, 15:33 EST — Regular session

  • Coca-Cola shares slipped roughly 1%, with consumer staples trailing the tech-driven bounce in the market.
  • Wells Fargo bumped its price target on Coca-Cola up to $87, sticking with its “overweight” rating.
  • Tuesday’s results are on traders’ minds as they hunt for clues about 2026. U.S. jobs and inflation numbers are also coming up later this week.

Coca-Cola (KO) slipped 1.2% to $78.08 in the afternoon session Monday, trading around 14.6 million shares. The whole consumer staples sector leaned lower—Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) dropped 0.6%. PepsiCo (PEP) sank 2.5%.

Staples lagged behind as tech led a rebound, sending the S&P 500 higher—leaving the group as the session’s biggest drag. “You’ve a sharply oversold market where a little bit of good news can go a long way,” said Keith Lerner, chief investment officer at Truist Advisory Services, summing up the mood behind the rally. 1

Timing is key for Coca-Cola. The soft drink giant reports quarterly results Tuesday, with investors zeroed in on demand trends and any fresh details on its 2026 strategy.

Wells Fargo bumped up its price target on Coca-Cola, now pegging the stock at $87 versus the previous $79, and stuck with its “overweight” call on Monday. That label signals the analyst thinks owning more Coca-Cola than the average benchmark makes sense, expecting it to outperform rivals. 2

Nik Modi over at RBC Capital Markets sees Coca-Cola sticking to earnings estimates and rolling out what he described as “standard” guidance. He flagged the stock’s “safe haven” status after the latest market volatility. Options activity is signaling about a 3% swing either way on the results, according to TipRanks data. 3

Investors dialing into the call are keen to hear how much further Coca-Cola can raise prices before volume starts slipping. They’ll also be weighing any remarks on product mix — that’s the split between premium items and the company’s regular lineup — and parsing for clues about demand in North America compared with overseas markets.

Costs lurk in the backdrop. Packaging, sweeteners, freight—any of those can shift quickly. Currency volatility, too: sometimes it helps, other times it hurts, for a company shipping products globally.

But there’s risk on both sides here. Coca-Cola tends to act like a safety play when markets get rough, yet if executives flag any weakness in volumes or signal more promotions are creeping in, shares could slip further—even if top-line results look good.

The Coca-Cola Company has scheduled its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call for February 10 at 8:30 a.m. ET, according to its investor relations calendar. 4

The company is set to take the stage at the CAGNY 2026 Conference on Feb. 17, with its presentation slated for 10:00 a.m. ET. It’s another marker for the firm’s longer-term communications. 5

On top of the company headlines, traders have their eyes on upcoming U.S. data: January payrolls hit Wednesday, with consumer price inflation due Friday. Any signs of a turn in rate expectations could ripple through demand for defensive stocks. 6

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