
NYSE:KO
We feel that the consumer staples space is trading at attractive valuations, and for the time being, much of the reason for the decline (ozempic fears), is likely overblown. KO pays a dividend of 3.3% which is slightly above its 20-year average of 3%. Relative to its 20-year historical average valuations, its forward P/E is in line with historical averages, while its EV/EBITDA and forward price to sales are both slightly above historical averages. For an investor with a long-term time horizon, we would be quite comfortable with KO today.
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KO is now trading at 19.4x times' Forward P/E. KO is a mature consumer staples company and KO used to be a “bond proxy” for income investors due to the stability of its business, the capital-light nature of beverages and its high dividend yield. KO’s share price was quite resilient last year. However, due to the new expectation that rates may stay higher for longer, most consumer staples names have experienced pressure in recently, as bonds become a safer alternative for yield. KO is largely mature, revenue growth going forward is expected to be around 5%. Having said that, valuation is at a more attractive level now, currently trading at 19.4x Forward P/E, while historical averages in the last few years range from 19.3x to 26.1x. It is not a huge buy yet, but we would be OK to slowly start buying, for those with a decent time frame.
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