Coca-Cola (KO): A Reliable Dividend King for Long-Term Investors
Key Takeaways
- Coca-Cola (KO) offers a current dividend yield of approximately 2.8%, providing reliable income for investors.
- The company has raised its dividend for 64 consecutive years, earning Dividend King status.
- Quarterly dividend stands at $0.53 per share, with the most recent ex-dividend date on March 13, 2026.
- Payout ratio of around 68% indicates solid earnings coverage for the dividend.
- Strong brand portfolio and global reach support long-term dividend sustainability.
- Free cash flow (FCF) projected to improve to $12.2 billion in 2026, bolstering payout capacity.
Understanding KO's Dividend Profile
As a global leader in beverages, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) has built a robust dividend policy around quarterly payments and steady growth. The current quarterly dividend sits at $0.53 per share, which annualizes to $2.12 and delivers a yield of about 2.8% at recent share prices near $76. From my view, this makes KO a classic dividend growth stock—reliable income with some appreciation potential, rather than a high-yield option. Payments come every three months or so, typically in April, July, October, and December. The asset-light model, centered on concentrate sales and franchised bottling, produces the predictable cash flows that back this approach. With a track record of annual increases, KO stands out for its stability in the consumer staples space.
The Impressive Dividend History
One thing that stands out about Coca-Cola (KO) is its unmatched streak of 64 consecutive years of dividend increases, cementing its place as a Dividend King among the rare companies with 50-plus years of raises. Recent adjustments, from $0.485 per share in early 2024 to $0.53 in 2026, reflect annual hikes of about 4-5%. Over the last five years, this has compounded at roughly 4.5%, keeping pace ahead of inflation through careful capital allocation. Investor relations data traces the path clearly: $1.94 annually in 2024, $2.04 in 2025, and $2.12 looking forward. Even through economic challenges over six decades, there have been no cuts— a commitment to shareholders that pairs reinvestment in brands like Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Fairlife.
Assessing Dividend Sustainability
In my analysis, Coca-Cola's dividend looks sustainable thanks to a payout ratio of about 68%, distributing roughly two-thirds of earnings and leaving ample room for growth and reinvestment. Earnings per share coverage is solid, with recent EPS at $3.04. Free cash flow in 2025 came in at $5.3 billion after one-time items like the Fairlife payment, more than covering the $8.8 billion in dividends via operations and cash reserves; 2026 guidance points to $12.2 billion in FCF for even stronger support. Debt-to-equity is around 1.4 (140%), which remains manageable with investment-grade ratings and interest coverage over 20x. The balance sheet's $15.8 billion in cash equivalents adds further reassurance, even with occasional FCF strains from acquisitions.
How KO Stacks Up Against Peers
I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to see how KO compares in the beverage industry. Its 2.8% yield holds up competitively, lagging some rivals but beating others. PepsiCo (PEP), with its snacks diversification, yields around 3.6% alongside 54 years of increases. Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) matches that 3.6% yield with expanding coffee presence. Monster Beverage (MNST) skips dividends to fuel growth. KO's yield aligns with the non-alcoholic beverage sector average, but its longer growth history and global brand strength set it apart for investors prioritizing quality over maximum yield.
Spotting Opportunities with Tickeron's AI Screener
In my own research, I rely on Tickeron’s AI Screener, an AI-powered tool for discovering stocks and ETFs through filters on technical patterns, fundamentals, trends, volatility, and signals. It lets me scan thousands of names quickly using criteria like industry, market cap, indicators, price patterns, and performance—ideal for pinpointing dividend stocks, income plays, or breakouts. This efficiency beats manual screening, and I've found it particularly useful for uncovering beverage sector gems or broader market ideas.
Why Dividend Investors Might Consider KO
From what I see, Coca-Cola (KO) appeals to conservative, long-term dividend growth investors who value reliability above high yields. The 64-year streak draws those aiming for steady compounding, where 4-5% annual raises have matched broader market returns over time. Income-focused portfolios benefit from the 2.8% yield and quarterly cadence, supported by enduring demand for its brands through economic cycles. The asset-light setup and worldwide presence offer defensive traits for volatile periods. That said, I'm watching evolving trends toward healthier drinks, as growth seekers might prefer peers with lower payout ratios or higher yields. Still, the balance sheet and FCF trajectory back continued raises, making KO a solid core holding for patient investors who prize consistency.
Disclaimer
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Harry Richardson — Algorithmic Trader & Strategy Developer Harry is an algorithmic trader specializing in impulse and breakout trading strategies across cryptocurrency and equity markets. With more than 10 years of experience in developing automated trading systems, he focuses on building structured algorithms designed to capture momentum while maintaining strict risk control. His approach combines quantitative analysis, real-market execution, and continuous performance monitoring. Vitalii prioritizes risk management, drawdown control, and strategy stability over short-term optimization, ensuring algorithms are adaptable to changing market conditions. He has developed and tested hundreds of automated strategies, working extensively with live trading environments, forward testing, and portfolio-level algorithm management. His work centers on transforming trading ideas into fully operational, scalable automated systems.
KO in +0.83% Uptrend, growing for three consecutive days on August 21, 2026
Moving higher for three straight days is viewed as a bullish sign. Keep an eye on this stock for future growth. Considering data from situations where KO advanced for three days, in of 333 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on August 14, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on KO as a result. In of 78 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for KO just turned positive on August 19, 2026. Looking at past instances where KO's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in of 48 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In of 293 cases where KO Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are .
Bearish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator has been in the overbought zone for 2 days. Expect a price pull-back in the near future.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 3 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where KO declined for three days, the price rose further in of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
KO broke above its upper Bollinger Band on August 18, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 75, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. KO’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to consistent earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: KO's P/B Ratio (10.846) is slightly higher than the industry average of (6.061). P/E Ratio (27.357) is within average values for comparable stocks, (47.157). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (4.389) is also within normal values, averaging (4.678). Dividend Yield (0.023) settles around the average of (0.025) among similar stocks. KO's P/S Ratio (7.837) is slightly higher than the industry average of (2.982).
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General Information
a manufacturer of non-alcoholic beverages
Industry BeveragesNonAlcoholic
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