Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Zevia PBC (ZVIA) 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 | ZVIA | 4.0% revenue growth vs KO's 1.9% |
| Quality / Margins | KO | 27.3% net margin vs ZVIA's -6.2% |
| Stability / Safety | KO | Beta 0.04 vs ZVIA's 1.03 |
| Dividends | KO | 2.5% yield; 35-year raise streak; ZVIA pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | KO | +17.4% vs ZVIA's -45.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | KO | 12.5% ROA vs ZVIA's -15.6%, ROIC 15.8% vs -72.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Zevia is a beverage company that produces zero-calorie, naturally sweetened soft drinks—including sodas, energy drinks, and sparkling waters—without artificial ingredients. It generates revenue primarily through retail sales in grocery stores, warehouse clubs, and natural product retailers, with a growing e-commerce channel. The company's key advantage is its early-mover position in the zero-calorie, naturally sweetened beverage niche—using stevia instead of artificial sweeteners—which appeals to health-conscious consumers seeking sugar-free alternatives.
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
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
KO leads in 5 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). ZVIA leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
KO is the larger business by revenue, generating $47.9B annually — 297.3x ZVIA's $161M. KO is the more profitable business, keeping 27.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ZVIA's -6.2%. On growth, KO holds the edge at +2.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ZVIAZevia PBC | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $161M | $47.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$11M | $16.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$10M | $13.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$5M | $5.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +48.0% | +61.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -7.3% | +28.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -6.2% | +27.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -3.1% | +11.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -4.0% | +2.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +78.3% | +3.9% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ZVIAZevia PBC | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $10M | $350.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | -$14M | $386.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -8.93x | 26.83x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 25.26x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 2.40x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 26.06x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.06x | 7.32x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.48x | 10.26x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 66.25x |
Profitability & Efficiency
KO delivers a 38.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $38 in annual profit, vs $-28 for ZVIA. ZVIA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to KO's 1.33x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), KO scores 7/9 vs ZVIA's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ZVIAZevia PBC | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -27.9% | +38.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -15.6% | +12.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -72.1% | +15.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -29.7% | +17.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.02x | 1.33x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$25M | $35.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $25M | $10.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $668,000 | $45.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 10.67x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in KO five years ago would be worth $18,200 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $982 for ZVIA. Over the past 12 months, KO leads with a +17.4% total return vs ZVIA's -45.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors KO at 13.7% vs ZVIA's -27.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ZVIAZevia PBC | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -33.3% | +18.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -45.1% | +17.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -61.6% | +46.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -90.2% | +82.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -90.2% | +128.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -27.3% | +13.7% |
Risk & Volatility
KO is the less volatile stock with a 0.04 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ZVIA's 1.03 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. KO currently trades 99.8% from its 52-week high vs ZVIA's 36.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ZVIAZevia PBC | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.03x | 0.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $3.66 | $81.69 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.16 | $65.35 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +36.6% | +99.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 28.3 | 71.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 873K | 14.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ZVIA as "Buy" and KO as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 198.5% upside for ZVIA (target: $4) vs 3.9% for KO (target: $85). KO is the only dividend payer here at 2.50% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ZVIAZevia PBC | KOThe Coca-Cola Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $4.00 | $84.75 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 47 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +2.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 35 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $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 | Jul 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zevia PBC (ZVIA) | 100 | 13.26 | -86.7% |
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | 100 | 132.44 | +32.4% |
The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) returned +82% over 5 years vs Zevia PBC (ZVIA)'s -90%. A $10,000 investment in KO 5 years ago would be worth $18,200 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zevia PBC (ZVIA) | $86M | $161M | +88.5% |
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | $41.9B | $47.9B | +14.5% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zevia PBC (ZVIA) | -6.3% | -6.2% | +2.7% |
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | 15.6% | 27.3% | +75.4% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | 158.2 | 23 | -85.5% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zevia PBC (ZVIA) | -0.08 | -0.15 | -82.0% |
| The Coca-Cola Compa… (KO) | 1.49 | 3.04 | +104.0% |
The Coca-Cola Company's EPS grew from $1.49 (2016) to $3.04 (2025) — a 8% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Zevia PBC generated $-5M FCF in 2025 (+76% vs 2021). The Coca-Cola Company generated $5B FCF in 2025 (-53% vs 2021).
ZVIA vs KO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ZVIA 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 Zevia PBC (ZVIA) a "Buy" — based on 8 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 is the better long-term investment — ZVIA or KO?
Over the past 5 years, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) delivered a total return of +82.0%, compared to -90.2% for Zevia PBC (ZVIA). A $10,000 investment in KO five years ago would be worth approximately $18K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: KO returned +128.4% versus ZVIA's -90.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — ZVIA or KO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.04β versus Zevia PBC's 1.03β — meaning ZVIA is approximately 2194% more volatile than KO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Zevia PBC (ZVIA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 133% for The Coca-Cola Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — ZVIA or KO?
The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the more profitable company, earning 27.3% net margin versus -6.2% for Zevia PBC — 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 -7.3% for ZVIA. 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.
05Is ZVIA or KO more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ZVIA: 198.5% to $4.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — ZVIA or KO?
In this comparison, KO (2.5% yield) pays a dividend. ZVIA does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is ZVIA or KO better for a retirement portfolio?
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 0.04), 2.5% yield, +128.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (KO: +128.4%, ZVIA: -90.2%), 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 ZVIA 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. KO pays a dividend while ZVIA 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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