Insider Trading March 3, 2026

Coca-Cola Executive Beatriz Perez Sells Shares, Exercises Options in February Transactions

Perez sold 21,326 shares and exercised options the same day; transactions and company updates outlined

By Jordan Park KO
Coca-Cola Executive Beatriz Perez Sells Shares, Exercises Options in February Transactions
KO

Coca-Cola Executive Vice President Beatriz R. Perez executed a series of transactions on February 27, 2026, selling 21,326 shares of company stock for roughly $1.73 million and exercising options to acquire an identical number of shares. Additional share dispositions were reported to cover tax liabilities tied to performance share units. The filings leave Perez with a substantial direct and indirect stake, while broader company updates include recent quarterly results, dividend increases and leadership changes.

Key Points

  • Executive Vice President Beatriz R. Perez sold 21,326 Coca-Cola shares at $81.00 on February 27, 2026, and exercised options to acquire 21,326 shares at $44.475 the same day.
  • Perez sold an additional 13,300 shares at $80.50 to satisfy tax liabilities tied to performance share units; after these moves she directly owns 173,728 shares and holds additional indirect 401(k) and supplemental 401(k) positions.
  • Coca-Cola reported slightly stronger-than-expected organic sales growth in Q4, issued fiscal 2026 guidance in line with market expectations, announced a 4% dividend increase to $0.53 per quarter, and disclosed a CEO succession effective March 31, 2026.

Insider transactions

Beatriz R. Perez, Executive Vice President at The Coca-Cola Co (NASDAQ: KO), reported multiple equity transactions that took place on February 27, 2026. According to a Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Perez sold 21,326 shares of Coca-Cola common stock at $81.00 per share, producing gross proceeds of approximately $1.73 million. The sale occurred when the shares were trading near their 52-week high of $82, with the market price at the time of reporting shown as $79.06.

On the same day, Perez exercised stock options to acquire 21,326 shares at an exercise price of $44.475 per share, generating a notional value of $948,473 tied to those option exercises. Also disclosed in the filing was a disposition of 13,300 shares at $80.50 per share, representing roughly $1.07 million in proceeds; the filing states these shares were sold to satisfy tax liabilities associated with performance share units.

After these transactions were recorded, Perez is reported to directly own 173,728 shares of Coca-Cola stock. In addition to direct holdings, Perez indirectly holds 24,200 shares through a 401(k) plan and 12,462 hypothetical shares through a supplemental 401(k) plan, as noted in the disclosure.


Company fundamentals and valuation notes

The beverage company is cited in filings and accompanying analysis as having a market capitalization of $340.4 billion and a reported price-to-earnings ratio of 26.02. An InvestingPro analysis included with the disclosure characterizes the stock as appearing overvalued at current levels. The company’s financial profile highlighted in the analysis includes a gross profit margin of 61.63% and a long history of dividend increases; the disclosure contains two observations regarding dividend history, noting both 55 consecutive years of dividend raises in one instance and, separately, a 64th consecutive year of dividend increases in connection with a recent payout announcement. The current dividend yield is listed at 2.64% in the analysis.


Recent operational and corporate developments

In other corporate announcements summarized in filings and reports, Coca-Cola reported fourth-quarter results that showed organic sales growth slightly ahead of expectations. The company provided fiscal 2026 guidance for revenue and earnings that the reports indicate is aligned with market expectations.

Following these results, several brokerages updated their assessments. UBS raised its price target for Coca-Cola from $82 to $87 while maintaining a Buy rating. TD Cowen increased its target from $80 to $85 and also retained a Buy rating. Both firms pointed to the company’s constructive growth outlook and the achievability of its guidance as rationale for their adjustments. Piper Sandler reiterated an Overweight rating, citing leadership’s plans to preserve momentum while responding to evolving consumer preferences.

Separately, Coca-Cola announced a 4% increase in its quarterly dividend, with the new dividend set at $0.53 per share, up from $0.51. Shareholders of record as of March 13 will be eligible for the payout scheduled for April 1. Leadership transition details in the disclosures note that Henrique Braun is slated to become CEO on March 31, 2026, while James Quincey will move into the role of Executive Chairman of the Board.


Context and takeaways

The SEC Form 4 filing provides a clear record of Perez’s February 27 transactions: a sale of 21,326 shares at $81.00, option exercises on an equal number of shares at $44.475, and the disposition of 13,300 shares at $80.50 to cover tax obligations related to performance share units. The filings also enumerate Perez’s remaining direct and indirect holdings. The company-level disclosures included alongside the filing summarize recent operating performance, dividend action and leadership changes, and note analyst reactions from multiple brokerages.

Risks

  • Insider selling and option exercises may be interpreted differently by market participants, potentially affecting investor sentiment in the consumer staples and equity markets.
  • Valuation concerns noted in the InvestingPro analysis, including the stock appearing overvalued at current levels, present uncertainty for investors assessing entry points in the consumer staples sector.
  • Dependence on guidance and analyst expectations: while guidance aligns with market expectations, any deviation in future quarters could influence the stock and affect related sectors such as beverages and consumer packaged goods.

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