The company's incredible success is highlighted by its status as a Dividend King. At this point, the dividend has been increased for an impressive 63 consecutive years. A company simply can't build a record like that by accident. It requires a strong business plan that gets executed well in both good times and bad.

Coca-Cola's iconic brand power hasn't translated into strong investment returns. Click here to read what makes KO stock a Sell.

Here's how much a $1,000 investment in Coca-Cola would be worth today, assuming dividends were reinvested, based on the stock's closing price of $70.07 on July 21, 2025. By comparison, the total return on an S&P 500 index fund, including reinvested dividends, would have been 109% over five years, 254% over 10 years and 652% over 20 years.

Analysts currently favor an Neutral trajectory for PepsiCo, with an average 1-year price target of $150.88, suggesting a potential 116.01% upside. Analysts currently favor an Outperform trajectory for Monster Beverage, with an average 1-year price target of $63.17, suggesting a potential 9.56% downside.

The most-chosen retail brand has worked its way through one stock dividend and 10 forward splits, and turned a $40 initial investment into more than $639,000!

The problem is that investors are already well aware of the diverging performance numbers here. Coca-Cola's stock is up notably over the past 12 months, while PepsiCo's shares are down notably.

Coca-Cola stock (NYSE:KO) has risen 15% this year, surpassing the S&P 500, which has increased by 2%. ... with a more stable performance evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.

Coca-Cola is an outstanding company. One reason why is because of its strong brand. It has offered consumers across the globe consistency with its product quality while also leaning on its marketing prowess to connect on a deeper level. The brand makes up Coca-Cola's economic moat.

The problem is that investors are already well aware of the diverging performance numbers here. Coca-Cola's stock is up notably over the past 12 months, while PepsiCo's shares are down notably.

Bearish Case: A confirmed breakdown below $69 opens the door to a drop toward $66, a prior area of consolidation from early 2025. Fundamentally, Coca-Cola will need either: A shift in sentiment where investors reward margin protection over volume growth.