Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) investors haven't had a lot to celebrate lately. Their stock has completely sat out the 2023 market rally and is in negative territory through late August. The picture doesn't brighten much if you zoom out, either. Coke's returns have trailed the S&P 500 over the past decade, even after accounting for dividend reinvestments.
The beverage giant's business trends are another story. Coke is enjoying strong growth, market-leading profitability, and excellent cash flow. These factors should support robust returns for shareholders -- assuming they don't overpay for this high-performing company.
With that bigger picture in mind, let's look at Coke's potential as a long-term holding in your portfolio.
Source Fool.com