New York, Feb 13, 2026, 15:00 EST — Regular session
- Coca-Cola shares were down about 0.4% at $78.71, after trading between $78.14 and $79.40
- Barclays kept an Overweight rating and raised its price target to $83
- Focus turns to management’s Feb. 17 CAGNY presentation for clues on volumes and pricing
The Coca-Cola Company’s shares dipped on Friday afternoon, down about 0.4% at $78.71, after a session that briefly pushed as high as $79.40.
The move comes as investors try to pin down what “steady” looks like for a consumer-staples bellwether at a moment when markets are jumpy on growth and rate expectations. Wall Street has swung this week as cooler U.S. inflation offered some relief, but tech-linked volatility still hung over sentiment. (Reuters)
On the stock-specific side, analysts continue to tweak targets following Coca-Cola’s quarterly update earlier this week. Barclays analyst Lauren Lieberman maintained an Overweight rating and lifted her price target to $83 from $77 in a note dated Feb. 12. (GuruFocus)
That matters because KO has become a crowded “hold up in a storm” name for many portfolios. When targets rise into a soft tape, traders tend to ask a blunter question: is there fresh upside, or just less downside?
Coca-Cola forecast 2026 organic revenue growth of 4% to 5% and said it expects comparable EPS growth of 7% to 8% versus $3.00 in 2025. The company also guided to free cash flow of about $12.2 billion and flagged that its outlook assumes the pending sale of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa closes in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. (The Coca-Cola Company)
Organic revenue is the company’s measure that strips out currency swings and deals, while “comparable” earnings exclude items it treats as one-offs. Investors use those cleaner lines to judge whether volume gains are doing any of the work, or if pricing is still carrying most of the load.
Incoming CEO Henrique Braun struck a sharper tone on innovation after the results, telling investors: “We need to get closer to the consumer and improve our speed to market.” Jefferies analyst Kaumil Gajrawala called the 2026 forecast “conservative,” but added: “Street likely wanted more.” (Reuters)
The risk is familiar and still live: price increases can cushion margins, but they can also push shoppers to trade down, especially in weaker pockets abroad. Coca-Cola has also faced pressure from regulation, including restrictions on soda purchases tied to food assistance in some U.S. states and sugar taxes in markets such as Mexico, AP reported. (AP News)
For traders, the next tell is volume — not just revenue growth — and whether smaller packs and zero-sugar skew can keep demand steady without leaning as hard on price.
The next near-term catalyst is Feb. 17, when Braun and CFO John Murphy are due to present at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference in Orlando, Florida. (Coca Colacompany)
