Coca-Cola NYSE:KO, a global beverage company producing soft drinks and other nonalcoholic products, rose approximately 1.8% in premarket trading after raising its 2026 revenue and earnings forecasts. Second-quarter comparable revenue increased approximately 6% to $13.37 billion, exceeding the $13.16 billion expected by analysts surveyed by LSEG. Demand for Coca-Cola beverages, zero-sugar sodas and Powerade during the World Cup supported the result.
Hydration breaks during World Cup matches created additional advertising opportunities and supported Powerade consumption, Chief Financial Officer John Murphy told Reuters. Volume growth helped offset higher input costs, although aluminum and PET expenses increased more than Coca-Cola had anticipated. The company has used pricing, smaller package sizes and investments in ready-to-drink teas and fairlife milk products to support revenue.
Coca-Cola now expects approximately 5% organic revenue growth for 2026, compared with its previous 4%-to-5% range. Comparable earnings per share are expected to increase between 9% and 10%, above the previous 8%-to-9% forecast. Financially, quarterly revenue exceeded the analyst estimate by approximately $210 million, providing measurable support for the higher annual targets despite continuing packaging-cost pressure. Management expects to provide more information in October about its 2027 cost expectations, giving investors another point for assessing whether commodity inflation may pressure margins.