Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. (COKE) vs The Coca-Cola Company (KO) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | COKE | 4.8% revenue growth vs KO's 1.9% |
| Value | COKE | PEG 0.99 vs 2.26 |
| Quality / Margins | KO | 27.3% net margin vs COKE's 8.7% |
| Stability / Safety | KO | Beta 0.04 vs COKE's 0.33 |
| Dividends | KO | 2.5% yield, 35-year raise streak, vs COKE's 0.5% |
| Momentum (1Y) | COKE | +43.5% vs KO's +17.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | KO | 12.5% ROA vs COKE's 10.8%, ROIC 15.8% vs 35.0% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Coca-Cola Consolidated is the largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in the United States, manufacturing and distributing Coca-Cola products across 14 states. It generates revenue primarily through beverage sales—sparkling drinks like Coke and Sprite (~60% of sales) and still beverages including water, tea, and energy drinks (~40%)—with distribution to retailers, restaurants, and vending outlets. Its key advantage is exclusive territorial rights to produce and distribute Coca-Cola products in its operating regions, creating a protected geographic moat.
Coca-Cola is a global beverage company that manufactures and sells non-alcoholic drinks worldwide. It generates revenue primarily through concentrate sales to bottling partners (~40% of revenue) and finished product sales (~60%), with sparkling soft drinks like Coca-Cola, Sprite, and Fanta representing the majority of sales. Its key competitive advantage is an unparalleled global distribution network and one of the world's most valuable brand portfolios, creating massive economies of scale and pricing power.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
KO leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Risk & Volatility). COKE leads in 3 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
KO is the larger business by revenue, generating $47.9B annually — 6.8x COKE's $7.1B. KO is the more profitable business, keeping 27.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to COKE's 8.7%. On growth, COKE holds the edge at +6.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $7.1B | $47.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.1B | $16.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $612M | $13.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $598M | $5.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +39.8% | +61.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +13.1% | +28.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +8.7% | +27.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.5% | +11.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.9% | +2.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +24.2% | +3.9% |
Valuation Metrics
At 26.8x trailing earnings, KO trades at a 10% valuation discount to COKE's 29.7x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), COKE offers better value at 0.99x vs KO's 2.40x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $11.4B | $350.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $14.1B | $386.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 29.72x | 26.83x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 25.26x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.99x | 2.40x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 14.80x | 26.06x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.58x | 7.32x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 10.26x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.48x | 66.25x |
Profitability & Efficiency
KO delivers a 38.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $38 in annual profit, vs $37 for COKE. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), KO scores 7/9 vs COKE's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +37.4% | +38.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +10.8% | +12.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +35.0% | +15.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +26.5% | +17.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 1.33x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.6B | $35.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $282M | $10.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.9B | $45.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 35.91x | 10.67x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in COKE five years ago would be worth $80,313 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $18,200 for KO. Over the past 12 months, COKE leads with a +43.5% total return vs KO's +17.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors COKE at 54.6% vs KO's 13.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +35.2% | +18.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +43.5% | +17.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +269.5% | +46.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +703.1% | +82.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1088.9% | +128.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +54.6% | +13.7% |
Risk & Volatility
KO is the less volatile stock with a 0.04 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than COKE's 0.33 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.33x | 0.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $205.00 | $81.69 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $105.21 | $65.35 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.7% | +99.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 83.9 | 71.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 369K | 14.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates COKE as "Hold" and KO as "Buy". For income investors, KO offers the higher dividend yield at 2.50% vs COKE's 0.51%.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $84.75 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 1 | 47 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.5% | +2.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 35 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.03 | $2.04 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.2% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) | 100 | 725.9 | +625.9% |
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | 100 | 134.37 | +34.4% |
Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) returned +703% over 5 years vs The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO)'s +82%. A $10,000 investment in COKE 5 years ago would be worth $80,313 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) | $3.2B | $7.2B | +129.0% |
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | $41.9B | $47.9B | +14.5% |
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.'s revenue grew from $3.2B (2016) to $7.2B (2025) — a 9.6% CAGR. The Coca-Cola Company's revenue grew from $41.9B (2016) to $47.9B (2025) — a 1.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) | 1.6% | 7.9% | +396.9% |
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | 15.6% | 27.3% | +75.4% |
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to 8% (2025). The Coca-Cola Company's net margin went from 16% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) | 20.9 | 22.5 | +7.7% |
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | 158.2 | 23 | -85.5% |
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. has traded in a 11x–142x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~30x. The Coca-Cola Company has traded in a 23x–158x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~27x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) | 0.54 | 6.81 | +1170.5% |
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | 1.49 | 3.04 | +104.0% |
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.54 (2016) to $6.81 (2025) — a 33% CAGR. The Coca-Cola Company's EPS grew from $1.49 (2016) to $3.04 (2025) — a 8% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. generated $620M FCF in 2025 (+69% vs 2021). The Coca-Cola Company generated $5B FCF in 2025 (-53% vs 2021).
COKE vs KO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is COKE or KO a better buy right now?
The Coca-Cola Company (KO) offers the better valuation at 26.8x trailing P/E (25.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Coca-Cola Company (KO) a "Buy" — based on 47 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — COKE or KO?
On trailing P/E, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the cheapest at 26.8x versus Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. at 29.7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — COKE or KO?
Over the past 5 years, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. (COKE) delivered a total return of +703.1%, compared to +82.0% for The Coca-Cola Company (KO). A $10,000 investment in COKE five years ago would be worth approximately $80K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COKE returned +1089% versus KO's +128.4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — COKE or KO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.04β versus Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.'s 0.33β — meaning COKE is approximately 646% more volatile than KO relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — COKE or KO?
The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the more profitable company, earning 27.3% net margin versus 7.9% for Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. — meaning it keeps 27.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: KO leads at 28.7% versus 13.2% for COKE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — KO leads at 61.6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Which pays a better dividend — COKE or KO?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. The Coca-Cola Company (KO) offers the highest yield at 2.5%, versus 0.5% for Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. (COKE).
07Is COKE or KO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. (COKE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.33), 0.5% yield, +1089% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (COKE: +1089%, KO: +128.4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
08What are the main differences between COKE and KO?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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