BALL vs KO

For growth investors, Ball Corporation (BALL) is the stronger pick with 11.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 9% for The Coca-Cola Company (KO). Ball Corporation (BALL) offers the better valuation at 17. 9x trailing P/E (14. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ball Corporation (BALL) a "Buy" — based on 23 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.

On trailing P/E, Ball Corporation (BALL) is the cheapest at 17.

9x versus The Coca-Cola Company at 26. 0x. On forward P/E, Ball Corporation is actually cheaper at 14. 9x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Ball Corporation wins at 1. 10x versus The Coca-Cola Company's 2. 18x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) delivered a total return of +62.

3%, compared to -30. 5% for Ball Corporation (BALL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: KO returned +112. 5% versus BALL's +82. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

09β versus Ball Corporation's 0. 40β — meaning BALL is approximately -558% more volatile than KO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ball Corporation (BALL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 129% versus 133% for The Coca-Cola Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ball Corporation (BALL) is pulling ahead at 11.

6% versus 1. 9% for The Coca-Cola Company (KO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Coca-Cola Company grew EPS 23. 6% year-over-year, compared to -74. 6% for Ball Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, KO leads at 3. 7% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the more profitable company, earning 27.

3% net margin versus 6. 9% for Ball Corporation — 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 10. 6% for BALL. 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Ball Corporation (BALL) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 10x versus The Coca-Cola Company's 2. 18x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Ball Corporation (BALL) trades at 14. 9x forward P/E versus 24. 3x for The Coca-Cola Company — 9. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BALL: 19. 1% to $70. 25.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Coca-Cola Company (KO) offers the highest yield at 2. 6%, versus 1. 4% for Ball Corporation (BALL).

For long-horizon retirement investors, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.

09), 2. 6% yield, +112. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (KO: +112. 5%, BALL: +82. 6%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (BALL (Consumer Cyclical) and KO (Consumer Defensive)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: BALL is a mid-cap deep-value stock; KO is a large-cap quality compounder stock. 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.