Coca-Cola (KO): analysis in plain words
Is Coca-Cola cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
Coca-Cola (KO) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in consumer staples. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against Coca-Cola according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
Coca-Cola (KO) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $95.80 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 28.6x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +7.4% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 28.7% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 1.5x | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 2.24% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $412.1 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The Coca-Cola figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any KO figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How Coca-Cola makes money
Coca-Cola makes most of its money selling concentrates and syrups to bottlers that produce and distribute the drinks, and it bottles directly in some markets. Brands include Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Powerade, Minute Maid, smartwater and Costa Coffee. It reports by region, with North America the largest, plus Global Ventures and Bottling Investments.
Over the last 12 months, Coca-Cola brought in revenue of $51.1 billion. For every 100 it sells, Coca-Cola keeps 62.3 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 33.4 after all operating costs (operating margin). With 65,900 full-time employees, that is about $775,000 of revenue per employee.
Coca-Cola against its sector
To know whether a Coca-Cola figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares Coca-Cola with the median of the 17 consumer staples companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | Coca-Cola | consumer staples median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 28.6x | 21.3x (17) |
| Revenue growth | +7.4% | +3.6% (19) |
| Net margin | 28.7% | 12.8% (19) |
| Dividend yield | 2.24% | 3.19% (19) |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 1.5x | 1.7x (19) |
In short, against the typical consumer staples company, Coca-Cola trades on a higher P/E, grows faster and earns a wider margin. By size, Coca-Cola ranks number 1 of 13 consumer staples companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for Coca-Cola
What works in favour of Coca-Cola, according to its figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Coca-Cola keeps 28.7 of every 100 it sells as net profit, against 12.8 for the median consumer staples company: a margin like that leaves money to invest, buy back shares or pay dividends.
- Coca-Cola earns 40.6% a year on its shareholders' money (return on equity).
- It is the largest by market value of the 13 consumer staples companies quoted in USD that Fintols covers, and scale gives it bargaining power with customers and suppliers.
The main risk for Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola figures as of November 4, 2026 show no clear red flag (no heavy debt, no losses, no falling sales). Its main risk is the one built into its business: customers switching to cheaper store brands and rising prices for the raw materials it buys.
Frequently asked questions about Coca-Cola
Is it a good time to buy Coca-Cola stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell Coca-Cola, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, Coca-Cola stock trades at $95.80, 1% below its 52-week high ($96.56) and 42% above its low ($67.27). Its P/E is 28.6x against a consumer staples median of 21.3x, and 27.2x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With Coca-Cola, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does Coca-Cola pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, Coca-Cola pays $2.12 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 2.24%. It uses 62% of its profit to pay it. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 2.83%. The consumer staples median on Fintols is 3.19%.
Is Coca-Cola stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, Coca-Cola trades at 28.6x its last 12 months of earnings: more expensive than the consumer staples median (21.3x). Including its debt, Coca-Cola is valued at 25.0x its EBITDA (EV/EBITDA). A high P/E alone does not make Coca-Cola expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are Coca-Cola's competitors?
On Fintols we compare Coca-Cola with PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and Philip Morris, which are also in consumer staples. As of November 4, 2026, PepsiCo is worth $194.1 billion and trades on a P/E of 17.9; Procter & Gamble is worth $387.8 billion and trades on a P/E of 25.2; Philip Morris is worth $329.3 billion and trades on a P/E of 30.8. Each has a side-by-side comparison with Coca-Cola below.
Coca-Cola competitors
- PepsiCo (PEP) analysis · Coca-Cola vs PepsiCo comparison
- Procter & Gamble (PG) analysis · Coca-Cola vs Procter & Gamble comparison
- Philip Morris (PM) analysis · Coca-Cola vs Philip Morris comparison
To understand Coca-Cola better
- Dividend Growth Investing: FCF Payout Ratio and Compounding
- P/E Ratio and EPS Explained: How to Read Them Without Traps
More companies like Coca-Cola: consumer staples stocks, S&P 500 companies and S&P 100 companies. Open the full KO analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about Coca-Cola, not investment advice.