Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. research snapshot

COKE AI Stock Analysis

COKE AI stock analysis as of the August 3, 2026 data cutoff reads Coca-Cola Consolidated as the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States: a durable, route-dense consumer staples operator with strong recent volume and pricing momentum, but a balance sheet reshaped by the November 2025 buyout of The Coca-Cola Company stake and fresh margin pressure from aluminum costs and tariffs. The stock closed at $187.90 on July 31, 2026, implied market capitalization was about $12.51 billion on 66.56 million common and Class B shares, and the stock was trading above its 50-day average near $182 and its 200-day average near $173 after a pullback from the March 2026 high. Trailing valuation sits near 25.6x earnings on the S&P Global statistics basis, or about 21.6x on the current share count, with negative GAAP book equity, so the central question is whether momentum from Q1 2026 volume growth can offset tariff-driven cost inflation and leverage enough to justify the multiple. This page is informational research and not investment advice.

Current price

$187.90

Market cap

$12.51 billion

AI score

70 / 100

Rating

Quality US bottler with tariff cost pressure and buyout leverage

Trend status

Above the 50-day and 200-day averages, consolidating near the 100-day average

Data cutoff (updated monthly)

August 4, 2026

Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.

Research quality check

information Richness
A-level information richness. COKE has a long public reporting history, detailed SEC filings, company IR releases, a liquid NASDAQ quote, and multi-year financial series on StockAnalysis and Macrotrends, though sell-side coverage is thinner than mega-cap KO and the Q2 2026 report lands after this page cutoff on August 5, 2026.
bias Check
The main AI bias risk is extrapolating one strong volume quarter, reported up 13.4% but only 6.4% adjusted for extra days and Easter timing, into a durable trend while treating the Coca-Cola brand as a pass-through on cost inflation. The reverse check asks whether gross margin pressure of roughly 70 basis points in Q1 2026 from aluminum costs and tariffs, rising interest expense, negative GAAP book equity, dual-class control, and a 25x earnings multiple already price in perfection. The mirror-image bias is dismissing the buyout leverage entirely because volume and pricing are strong, when free cash flow still funded a $150 million term loan repayment in Q1 2026.
ai Confidence
High for company-reported financials, the Q1 2026 release, balance sheet figures, market math that cross-validated to 0.03% deviation, and technical levels that agreed across StockAnalysis and Barchart during the August 3, 2026 refresh. Note that S&P Global statistics reports TTM EPS of $7.35 and a 25.56x P/E, while the Fiscal.ai financials page reports TTM EPS of $8.69 on the current share count, implying about 21.6x; both are internally consistent on their own share-count bases. Medium for forward scenarios because tariffs, aluminum costs, interest expense, consumer mix, and the market multiple can shift quickly.
investment Certainty
Medium. The bottling business is understandable and cash generative, but investment certainty is lower because COKE depends on Coca-Cola system economics, U.S. consumer demand, tariff and aluminum cost inflation, debt service after the $2.4 billion stake repurchase, and the price paid near 25x trailing earnings.

Quick verdict table

DimensionConclusionConfidence
Business qualityCOKE makes, sells, and distributes Coca-Cola system and partner beverages across 14 U.S. states and the District of Columbia to roughly 60 million consumers, with TTM revenue of $7.495 billion and Q1 2026 volume up 13.4% reported and 6.4% adjusted.High
MoatExclusive territory rights, route density, cold-drink execution, retailer relationships, and the Coca-Cola brand system create a wide local moat, but the brand is licensed rather than fully owned.High
ManagementChairman and CEO J. Frank Harrison III leads a dual-class structure with family voting control; capital allocation recently centered on buying out KO equity, cutting the buyback program to $400 million with about $136.3 million remaining, and repaying $150 million of term loan principal in Q1 2026.Medium-high
Financial trendFY2025 revenue was $7.228 billion, up 4.8%, with net income of $570.6 million, down 9.9%; Q1 2026 net sales rose 16.9% reported and 8.5% adjusted, but adjusted gross margin fell about 70 basis points on aluminum costs and tariffs and adjusted net income declined 12.3%.High
ValuationAt $187.90, the S&P Global statistics basis shows about 25.56x TTM earnings on EPS of $7.35, while the current share count implies TTM EPS near $8.69 and about 21.6x; P/FCF is about 18.9x and dividend yield is 0.53%, with negative GAAP book value after the KO buyout.Medium
Technical trendCOKE closed at $187.90 on July 31, 2026, above the 50-day average near $182.10 and the 200-day average near $172.87, with RSI near 53.8 and a weak ADX near 12.5, a consolidation inside an uptrend rather than a fresh breakout.Medium
Risk levelKey risks are tariff and aluminum cost inflation, post-buyout leverage and negative book equity, rising interest expense, franchise dependence on The Coca-Cola Company, dual-class control, U.S. volume and mix, and multiple compression after a 63.89% 52-week run.Medium-high
AI confidenceDescriptive analysis has high data confidence for company-reported financials and verified market math; return forecasts remain scenario estimates, not predictions.High data confidence
Investment certaintyBusiness durability is clearer than entry-price certainty. Quality bottling economics can coexist with modest forward returns if tariff costs, leverage, and an earnings multiple near 22x to 26x leave little room for error.Medium

COKE AI stock forecast

COKE AI Stock Forecast Scenarios

The COKE AI stock forecast should be read as scenario math, not a fixed target. Using the July 31, 2026 close near $187.90 and a three-year framework from financial_rigor.py, the tested range spans a bearish area near $115 to $140, a base area near $180 to $215, and a bullish area near $255 to $310 before dividends, depending on the EPS basis used. Outcomes depend mainly on tariff and aluminum cost inflation, volume and pricing execution, interest costs after the KO buyout, debt paydown, and the market multiple assigned to a leveraged U.S. bottler.

Bullish case

$255 to $310

More likely if adjusted volume and pricing momentum persist, zero-sugar and energy brands keep winning, aluminum and tariff costs ease, free cash flow funds debt reduction, and investors keep paying a high-20s earnings multiple.

Base case

$180 to $215

More likely if EPS compounds near 4%, revenue grows at high single digits, interest costs stay manageable, tariff pressure is partly offset by pricing, and the stock holds near a low-20s to mid-20s earnings multiple.

Bearish case

$115 to $140

More likely if tariff-driven cost inflation persists, gross margin erodes further, consumers trade down, leverage limits capital returns, franchise economics tighten, or the market rerates COKE toward a mid-teens earnings multiple.

COKE AI technical analysis

COKE AI Technical Analysis

COKE AI technical analysis starts from the $187.90 close used for this August 3, 2026 static page. StockAnalysis and Barchart both showed the stock above the 50-day moving average near $182.10 and above the 200-day near $172.87, with RSI near 53.8, ADX near 12.5, and price sitting right at the 100-day average near $187.89. That is consolidation inside an uptrend after a pullback from the March 13, 2026 all-time closing high near $216.32, not a clean breakout. Because this page does not fetch live market data, traders should confirm the latest price, volume, and levels on a live chart before acting.

LevelValueWhy it matters
Current price$187.90Close on July 31, 2026, cross-validated across StockAnalysis, Macrotrends, and Barchart as of the August 3, 2026 data cutoff.
Near support$182 to $183Zone around the 50-day moving average near $182.10. A hold here keeps the short-term uptrend intact.
Deeper support$172 to $175Zone around the 200-day moving average near $172.87. A sustained break below this area would weaken the longer-term structure.
Major support$160 to $165Intermediate support below the 200-day average. A move to this area would mark a deeper correction after the 52-week run.
Near resistance$190 to $192Area around the 5-day average near $190.28 and the prior close near $189.83. A reclaim would signal short-term strength.
Major resistance$216 to $220All-time closing high was $216.32 on March 13, 2026, with the 52-week high at $219.65. Reclaiming that zone needs stronger momentum and volume.
50-day SMAAbout $182.10StockAnalysis and Barchart both reported COKE above the 50-day average, a short-term constructive reading.
200-day SMAAbout $172.87StockAnalysis and Barchart both reported COKE above the 200-day average, so the longer trend remained bullish at the cutoff.
MomentumRSI 53.84, ADX 12.53RSI near 53.8 is neutral and ADX near 12.5 signals a weak trend, so momentum is consolidating rather than overbought.
Volatility and range52-week range about $110.40 to $219.65The average 14-day ATR was about $6.87, so even a staples bottler can move several dollars per week around earnings and cost news.
InvalidationClose below $172, then $165A close below the 200-day area near $172.87 would reduce confidence in the longer trend. A break toward $165 would challenge the bullish multi-month structure.

COKE AI trading strategy

COKE AI Trading Strategy Framework

The COKE AI trading strategy is a rules-based framework, not personalized advice. It combines franchise-backed business evidence, technical confirmation, cost and leverage checks, valuation discipline, and clear invalidation levels.

Trend-following setup

Look for COKE to hold above the $182 to $183 50-day zone with the $172 to $175 200-day area as the trend anchor. A reclaim of the $190 to $192 near-resistance zone with improving volume would support a move toward the $216 to $220 prior-high area, with confirmation rather than anticipation.

Avoid chasing strength without a stop. A close back below the 50-day area or a sustained break of the 200-day zone near $172 should lower confidence in the long setup.

Mean-reversion setup

If COKE tests the $172 to $175 200-day area without a thesis break, compare the entry with TTM EPS, free cash flow, interest coverage, debt paydown progress, and Q2 2026 volume and margin commentary scheduled for August 5, 2026.

Do not average down only because the Coca-Cola brand feels safe. Check tariff cost guidance, gross margin trajectory, leverage, franchise dependence, and earnings multiple before adding exposure.

Fundamental monitor

Track Q2 2026 results on August 5, 2026, including adjusted volume and net sales, adjusted gross margin, aluminum cost commentary, term loan refinancing and repayment, buyback usage under the $136.3 million remaining authorization, dividend policy, and any Coca-Cola system commercial updates.

Lower the rating if tariff-driven margin pressure persists while the stock holds a mid-20s earnings multiple, or if volume and mix weaken while debt service absorbs free cash flow.

Investment research summary

Four-master Research Compression

Business essence

Customers pay Coca-Cola Consolidated to manufacture, sell, and distribute ready-to-drink beverages in exclusive U.S. territories where cold availability, service frequency, and retailer execution decide shelf presence. The company is a bottler and distributor, not the global concentrate owner KO.

Moat

The moat comes from exclusive territory rights, route density, warehouse and production scale, retailer relationships, cold-drink equipment, and the Coca-Cola brand system across more than 300 brands and flavors. The franchise is powerful but not independent of The Coca-Cola Company.

Munger risk inversion

The thesis can fail if tariff-driven aluminum cost inflation keeps eroding gross margin, post-buyout interest expense absorbs free cash flow, U.S. consumers trade down, franchise terms shift against bottlers, family control misaligns minority holders, or investors stop paying a defensive multiple after a 63.89% 52-week run.

Management

J. Frank Harrison III has led as chairman and CEO for decades under a dual-class structure with family voting control. The November 2025 repurchase of about 18.8 million shares from The Coca-Cola Company at $127 per share for roughly $2.4 billion simplified the shareholder base and raised leverage; the board then cut the buyback program to $400 million, and the company repaid $150 million of term loan principal in Q1 2026 while returning about $2.7 billion to stockholders in FY2025.

Industry trend

U.S. non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages are a large repeat-purchase category with slow unit growth and more room in price, mix, zero-sugar products, energy drinks, and away-from-home channels. COKE sits in the bottling and distribution layer of the Coca-Cola system, with 2026 catalysts from America250 and the FIFA World Cup partnerships.

Valuation and margin of safety

At about 25.56x trailing EPS on the S&P Global statistics basis and about 18.9x free cash flow, COKE is priced for continued execution rather than distress. Negative GAAP book equity after the KO stake buyout makes price-to-book unusable as a safety check, so free cash flow, debt reduction, gross margin recovery, and earnings power matter more than accounting equity.

Source-backed data

COKE Data Table

Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.

MetricValueSourceLast verified
COKE price$187.90 close on July 31, 2026, cross-validated across sourcesStockAnalysis, Macrotrends, and BarchartAugust 3, 2026
Market capitalization$12.51 billion verified as $187.90 x 66.56 million shares with 0.03% deviationStockAnalysis statistics and financial_rigor.pyAugust 3, 2026
Shares outstanding66.56 million shares outstanding including common and Class B; Q1 2026 weighted average common shares about 56.52 million basic and 66.62 million dilutedStockAnalysis statistics and Q1 2026 releaseAugust 3, 2026
FY2025 revenue$7.228 billion, up 4.8% from $6.900 billion in FY2024Q4/FY2025 results release and StockAnalysisAugust 3, 2026
FY2025 net income$570.6 million, down 9.9% from $633.1 million in FY2024; adjusted net income was $668.5 million, down 1.5%Q4/FY2025 results release and StockAnalysisAugust 3, 2026
TTM revenue and net incomeTTM revenue $7.495 billion and TTM net income $578.53 million through the period ending April 3, 2026StockAnalysis financialsAugust 3, 2026
TTM EPS and PES&P Global statistics basis: TTM EPS $7.35 and PE 25.56x at $187.90; current share count basis implies TTM EPS near $8.69 and about 21.6xStockAnalysis statistics and financial_rigor.pyAugust 3, 2026
Free cash flowTTM free cash flow about $661.45 million; FY2025 free cash flow about $620 million on operating cash flow of $931.9 million less about $312 million in capexStockAnalysis statistics and Q4/FY2025 releaseAugust 3, 2026
Q1 2026 operating snapshotVolume up 13.4% reported and 6.4% adjusted; net sales $1,846.7 million up 16.9% reported and 8.5% adjusted; gross margin 39.4%; income from operations $237.5 million up 25.1%; net income $111.6 million; EPS $1.67 diluted; operating cash flow $205.3 millionQ1 2026 results releaseAugust 3, 2026
Q1 2026 margin pressureAdjusted gross margin fell about 70 basis points to 39.1%, driven by aluminum costs from geopolitical conflicts, supply constraints, and import tariffs, with about $35 million in additional input costs versus Q1 2025Q1 2026 results releaseAugust 3, 2026
Cash and debt (Q1 2026)Cash about $232.9 million; total debt about $2.64 billion including long-term debt near $2.537 billion and current debt $100 million; total assets about $4.393 billion with stockholders deficit of about $643.5 million after the KO buyoutQ1 2026 results release and StockAnalysis statisticsAugust 3, 2026
DividendQuarterly dividend $0.25 per share, about $1.00 annualized, yield about 0.53% at $187.90; Q3 2026 dividend declared July 10, 2026 with ex-dividend date July 24, 2026StockAnalysis and company dividend announcementsAugust 3, 2026
KO stake repurchaseNovember 7, 2025 purchase of about 18.8 million shares from The Coca-Cola Company at $127 per share for roughly $2.4 billion, funded with cash and a $1.2 billion 364-day term loan facility; KO relinquished its board seat and the buyback program was reduced to $400 millionCoca-Cola Consolidated and The Coca-Cola Company announcementsAugust 3, 2026
Technical indicatorsRSI 53.84, 50-day SMA about $182.10, 200-day SMA about $172.87, ADX 12.53, 100-day SMA about $187.89, average 14-day ATR about $6.87StockAnalysis statistics and Barchart technical analysisAugust 3, 2026
Three-scenario valuation mathUsing EPS of $7.35 and $8.69 with growth and PE pairs of 8% at 28x, 4% at 22x, and 0% at 16x over 3 years produced bullish targets near $259 to $307, base targets near $182 to $215, and bearish targets near $118 to $139financial_rigor.py three-scenarioAugust 3, 2026
Upcoming earningsQ2 2026 and first half 2026 results scheduled after market close on August 5, 2026, after this page data cutoffCoca-Cola Consolidated news releaseAugust 3, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

This COKE AI stock analysis is an informational tool for research and education only. It is not investment advice, a recommendation, or a guarantee of future performance. Forecast ranges are scenarios based on available data as of August 3, 2026 and can be wrong. Coca-Cola Consolidated (COKE) is not The Coca-Cola Company (KO).