Morgan Stanley Names Coca-Cola Its Top Beverages Pick, Sees Growth Surpassing Peers: Retail Not Convinced

Morgan Stanley has added Coca-Cola (KO) to its beverage top picks list and reiterated an 'Overweight' rating on the shares with an $81 price target.

According to the investor note shared on The Fly, Morgan Stanley expects organic growth in the business to be far above its peers, driven by volume growth, sustained share gains, and a benign competitive environment.

The top picks list highlights the stocks on which the investment firm is most bullish.

It said investors may acquire Coca-Cola at similar valuations to its peers but with the benefit of more reliable long-term organic growth.

Recently, Coca-Cola appears to be performing better than its rivals.

It beat expectations for first-quarter results and maintained its full-year forecast. In contrast, PepsiCo cut its full-year profit outlook, citing the impact of the U.S. trade policy.

Coca-Cola stock has also largely weathered the tariffs-related market slump, with the shares rising about 8% from their recent low on Apr. 7, just after President Donald Trump announced the new tariffs.

The beverage giant is also one of Warren Buffett's top holdings, according to the latest disclosure by his firm, Berkshire Hathaway.

On Stocktwits, Coca-Cola's retail sentiment was in the 'bearish' territory, unchanged from several months.

Currently, 22 out of 26 analysts covering the stock have a 'buy' rating, while four rate it a 'hold,' according to Koyfin data. The average price target is $77.79, indicating a 9% upside from current levels.

KO shares are up 14.1% year-to-date.

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