Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. (COKE) vs Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST) 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 | MNST | 10.7% revenue growth vs COKE's 4.8% |
| Value | COKE | Lower P/E (29.7x vs 37.5x), PEG 0.99 vs 4.69 |
| Quality / Margins | MNST | 23.0% net margin vs COKE's 8.7% |
| Stability / Safety | MNST | Beta 0.30 vs COKE's 0.33 |
| Dividends | COKE | 0.5% yield; MNST pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MNST | +56.1% vs COKE's +43.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MNST | 19.1% ROA vs COKE's 10.8%, ROIC 33.1% 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.
Monster Beverage is a leading energy drink company that develops, markets, and sells a wide range of energy beverages globally. It generates revenue primarily through its Monster Energy Drinks segment — which accounts for the vast majority of sales — along with its Strategic Brands portfolio and other beverage offerings. The company's moat lies in its powerful Monster Energy brand, extensive distribution network, and strong relationships with bottlers and retailers that create significant barriers to entry.
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
MNST leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). COKE leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
MNST and COKE operate at a comparable scale, with $8.3B and $7.1B in trailing revenue. MNST is the more profitable business, keeping 23.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to COKE's 8.7%. On growth, MNST holds the edge at +17.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | MNSTMonster Beverage … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $7.1B | $8.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.1B | $2.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $612M | $1.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $598M | $0 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +39.8% | +55.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +13.1% | +29.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +8.7% | +23.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.5% | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.9% | +17.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +24.2% | +64.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 29.7x trailing earnings, COKE trades at a 32% valuation discount to MNST's 44.0x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), COKE offers better value at 0.99x vs MNST's 5.49x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | MNSTMonster Beverage … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $11.4B | $83.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $14.1B | $81.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 29.72x | 43.97x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 37.51x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.99x | 5.49x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 14.80x | 33.62x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.58x | 10.06x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 10.11x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.48x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
COKE delivers a 37.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $37 in annual profit, vs $23 for MNST.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | MNSTMonster Beverage … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +37.4% | +23.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +10.8% | +19.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +35.0% | +33.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +26.5% | +31.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.6B | -$2.1B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $282M | $2.1B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.9B | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 35.91x | 299.84x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in COKE five years ago would be worth $80,313 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $19,484 for MNST. Over the past 12 months, MNST leads with a +56.1% total return vs COKE's +43.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors COKE at 54.6% vs MNST's 18.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | MNSTMonster Beverage … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +35.2% | +12.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +43.5% | +56.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +269.5% | +67.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +703.1% | +94.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1088.9% | +307.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +54.6% | +18.8% |
Risk & Volatility
MNST is the less volatile stock with a 0.30 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… | MNSTMonster Beverage … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.33x | 0.30x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $205.00 | $87.36 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $105.21 | $53.90 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.7% | +97.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 83.9 | 72.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 369K | 4.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates COKE as "Hold" and MNST as "Buy". COKE is the only dividend payer here at 0.51% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | COKECoca-Cola Consoli… | MNSTMonster Beverage … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $83.92 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 1 | 43 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.5% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.03 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
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% |
| Monster Beverage Co… (MNST) | 100 | 254.31 | +154.3% |
Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) returned +703% over 5 years vs Monster Beverage Co… (MNST)'s +95%. 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% |
| Monster Beverage Co… (MNST) | $3.0B | $8.3B | +172.0% |
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.'s revenue grew from $3.2B (2016) to $7.2B (2025) — a 9.6% CAGR. Monster Beverage Corporation's revenue grew from $3.0B (2016) to $8.3B (2025) — a 11.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) | 1.6% | 7.9% | +396.9% |
| Monster Beverage Co… (MNST) | 23.4% | 23.0% | -1.7% |
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to 8% (2025). Monster Beverage Corporation's net margin went from 23% (2016) to 23% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) | 20.9 | 22.5 | +7.7% |
| Monster Beverage Co… (MNST) | 44.6 | 39.5 | -11.4% |
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. has traded in a 11x–142x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~30x. Monster Beverage Corporation has traded in a 28x–45x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~44x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola Consolida… (COKE) | 0.54 | 6.81 | +1170.5% |
| Monster Beverage Co… (MNST) | 0.6 | 1.94 | +223.3% |
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.54 (2016) to $6.81 (2025) — a 33% CAGR. Monster Beverage Corporation's EPS grew from $0.60 (2016) to $1.94 (2025) — a 14% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. generated $620M FCF in 2025 (+69% vs 2021). Monster Beverage Corporation generated $0M FCF in 2025 (-100% vs 2021).
COKE vs MNST: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is COKE or MNST a better buy right now?
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. (COKE) offers the better valuation at 29.7x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST) a "Buy" — based on 43 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 MNST?
On trailing P/E, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. (COKE) is the cheapest at 29.7x versus Monster Beverage Corporation at 44.0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — COKE or MNST?
Over the past 5 years, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. (COKE) delivered a total return of +703.1%, compared to +94.8% for Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST). 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 MNST's +307.7%. 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 MNST?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST) is the lower-risk stock at 0.30β versus Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.'s 0.33β — meaning COKE is approximately 11% more volatile than MNST relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — COKE or MNST?
Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST) is the more profitable company, earning 23.0% net margin versus 7.9% for Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. — meaning it keeps 23.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MNST leads at 29.2% versus 13.2% for COKE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MNST leads at 55.8%, 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 MNST?
In this comparison, COKE (0.5% yield) pays a dividend. MNST does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is COKE or MNST 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%, MNST: +307.7%), 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 MNST?
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. COKE pays a dividend while MNST does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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