The stock of Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO, 30-year Financials) gives every indication of being modestly overvalued, according to GuruFocus Value calculation. GuruFocus Value is GuruFocus' estimate of the fair value at which the stock should be traded. It is calculated based on the historical multiples that the stock has traded at, the past business growth and analyst estimates of future business performance. If the price of a stock is significantly above the GF Value Line, it is overvalued and its future return is likely to be poor. On the other hand, if it is significantly below the GF Value Line, its future return will likely be higher. At its current price of $54.26 per share and the market cap of $234 billion, Coca-Cola Co stock is believed to be modestly overvalued. GF Value for Coca-Cola Co is shown in the chart below.
Because Coca-Cola Co is relatively overvalued, the long-term return of its stock is likely to be lower than its business growth, which is estimated to grow 3.75% annually over the next three to five years.
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It is always important to check the financial strength of a company before buying its stock. Investing in companies with poor financial strength have a higher risk of permanent loss. Looking at the cash-to-debt ratio and interest coverage is a great way to understand the financial strength of a company. Coca-Cola Co has a cash-to-debt ratio of 0.28, which is worse than 73% of the companies in the industry of Beverages - Non-Alcoholic. The overall financial strength of Coca-Cola Co is 5 out of 10, which indicates that the financial strength of Coca-Cola Co is fair. This is the debt and cash of Coca-Cola Co over the past years:
Companies that have been consistently profitable over the long term offer less risk for investors who may want to purchase shares. Higher profit margins usually dictate a better investment compared to a company with lower profit margins. Coca-Cola Co has been profitable 10 over the past 10 years. Over the past twelve months, the company had a revenue of $33.4 billion and earnings of $1.67 a share. Its operating margin is 30.41%, which ranks better than 96% of the companies in the industry of Beverages - Non-Alcoholic. Overall, the profitability of Coca-Cola Co is ranked 7 out of 10, which indicates fair profitability. This is the revenue and net income of Coca-Cola Co over the past years:
Growth is probably the most important factor in the valuation of a company. GuruFocus research has found that growth is closely correlated with the long term performance of a company's stock. The faster a company is growing, the more likely it is to be creating value for shareholders, especially if the growth is profitable. The 3-year average annual revenue growth rate of Coca-Cola Co is -3%, which ranks worse than 69% of the companies in the industry of Beverages - Non-Alcoholic. The 3-year average EBITDA growth rate is 12.2%, which ranks better than 68% of the companies in the industry of Beverages - Non-Alcoholic.
Another method of determining the profitability of a company is to compare its return on invested capital to the weighted average cost of capital. Return on invested capital (ROIC) measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the rate that a company is expected to pay on average to all its security holders to finance its assets. When the ROIC is higher than the WACC, it implies the company is creating value for shareholders. For the past 12 months, Coca-Cola Co's return on invested capital is 9.93, and its cost of capital is 4.99. The historical ROIC vs WACC comparison of Coca-Cola Co is shown below:
In short, the stock of Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO, 30-year Financials) shows every sign of being modestly overvalued. The company's financial condition is fair and its profitability is fair. Its growth ranks better than 68% of the companies in the industry of Beverages - Non-Alcoholic. To learn more about Coca-Cola Co stock, you can check out its 30-year Financials here.
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