Coca-Cola's sales results fell short of expectations for the first time since 2020. What about the stock?

Coca-Cola reported mixed quarterly results, although demand for its beverages in North and Latin America is starting to show signs of recovery, CNBC noted. The company also provided a cautious outlook for 2026, expecting moderate organic growth amid consumer demand pressures and a continued shift in consumer interest toward healthier beverages.

- Coca-Cola's adjusted earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2025 were $0.58 versus expectations of $0.56, CNBC writes.

- Adjusted revenue came in at $11.82 billion versus a forecast of $12.03 billion, the channel reports. MarketWatch, citing FactSet data, points out that this is the first such deviation from analysts' expectations since the beginning of the third quarter of 2020.

- Net income in the fourth quarter was $2.27 billion, up from $2.2 billion a year earlier.

- Net revenue increased 2% to $11.82 billion. Organic revenue, which excludes the impact of acquisitions, asset sales and currency fluctuations, increased 5% for the quarter.

- For 2026, the company expects organic revenue growth of 4-5% and comparable earnings per share growth of 7-8%.

Coca-Cola shares were down 4% at the pre-market on February 10. However, after the start of trading slightly corrected and at the time of publication are trading below the previous closing level by 2%. Over the past year, Coca-Cola securities have grown by 15%, increasing the company's market capitalization to about $335 billion, CNBC notes.

Like rival PepsiCo, Coca-Cola has seen a decline in demand for its beverages in recent months as cost-conscious consumers cut back on grocery spending and eat out less often, CNBC notes. Coca-Cola's cumulative sales volumes through 2025 were flat year-over-year. Sales of its flagship Coke rose 1% for the quarter, while sales of Coke Zero Sugar (a sugar-free beverage) showed a 13% increase. Sugar-free drinks in general have become one of the few growth drivers for soda makers amid declining demand for classic sweet versions, Bloomberg notes.

In addition, Coca-Cola's Smartwater (premium water) and Fairlife (protein-rich milk drinks) brands showed that consumers are still willing to pay more for beverages that are considered "healthier," CNBC notes. Globally, the company's sports drinks, coffee, water and tea division outperformed the rest of the portfolio, the channel points out, noting that here sales volumes for the quarter were up 3%.

In addition, improvements were seen in two of the company's key markets, with Coca-Cola's sales in North America up 1 percent and Latin America up 2 percent, CNBC points out.

Last December, it became known that the current CEO of Coca-Cola James Quincy will leave his post at the end of March; he will be replaced by Henrik Braun, who previously held the position of Chief Operating Officer of the company. The decision to replace the CEO Coca-Cola took against the background of new programs at the state level, which limit the ability to buy carbonated drinks at the expense of food aid from the state, as well as the harsh rhetoric of officials from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who said that soda is harmful to health.

16 of the 18 analysts covering the company's stock are advising to buy it, while the other two are advising to hold. The analysts' average target price suggests the stock has upside potential of nearly 6% relative to its closing price on Feb. 9, MarketWatch data show.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor