Coca-Cola (CCEP) | News Based Sentiment Analysis

• Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) remained active in its share buyback program throughout September 2025, purchasing a total of 131,284 ordinary shares across US and London trading venues on September 5th, 8th, and 17th. These shares, acquired from Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or its affiliates, will be cancelled, continuing the larger €1 billion program announced on February 14, 2025, demonstrating a commitment to returning capital to shareholders.
• On September 17, 2025, CCEP purchased 35,859 shares on US venues at a volume-weighted average price of $90.34 (ranging from $89.57 to $90.71) and 17,205 shares on London venues (ranging from £64.90 to £66.40), showing continued execution of the buyback initiative. This followed purchases of 36,335 shares (US) and 21,293 shares (London) on September 8th, and 36,689 shares (US) and 22,938 shares (London) on September 5th.
• Institutional investor confidence in CCEP continued to grow in September, building on earlier increases. Federation des caisses Desjardins du Quebec increased its stake by 93.6% (acquiring 10,116 shares valued at $1.82 million) as of September 9, 2025, while DnB Asset Management AS increased theirs by 26.5% to $119.5 million.
• Vanguard Group Inc. held the largest increase in CCEP holdings, up 462.7% to $862,167,000 as of September 6, 2025, alongside Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (up 24.3% to $540,050,000) and AGF Management Ltd. (up 13,956.3% to $51,795,000). This influx of institutional investment signals growing confidence in the company’s future prospects.
• Analysts maintained a generally positive outlook on CCEP, with an average price target of $95 as of September 8, 2025, forecasting a 6.98% increase in the stock price. While four analysts have a “Buy” rating, price targets range from $82 to $105, last updated on August 8, 2025.
• Despite positive buyback and institutional activity, a stock forecast on September 18, 2025, predicted a rise to $89.95 in September, with a projected trading range of $86.72 to $93.36, suggesting a potential return of 5.19% for investors. This forecast came after a -2.14% decline in the past month.
• CCEP reaffirmed its full-year profit and cash guidance on August 6, 2025, projecting revenue growth of approximately 3-4% and operating profit growth of around 7% on an adjusted comparable & FX-neutral basis. The company also anticipates free cash flow of at least ~€1.7 billion, demonstrating confidence in its performance.

The Investment Story: September continued a trend of strong shareholder returns and institutional confidence for CCEP, driven by ongoing share buybacks and reaffirmed positive guidance. While some short-term stock volatility exists, the company’s financial stability and commitment to growth remain key themes.

What It Means for Investors: The continued buybacks and institutional investment are positive signals for potential stock price appreciation. The reaffirmed guidance provides a degree of certainty, but investors should monitor the stock’s performance and analyst ratings for any significant shifts.

Looking Ahead: Investors should continue to track the share buyback program, monitor analyst ratings, and assess the impact of CCEP’s investments on future earnings growth. The range of analyst price targets suggests potential upside, but also highlights some uncertainty.

The Bottom Line: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners remains a financially stable company with a commitment to shareholder returns and long-term growth. The ongoing buybacks and positive institutional activity make it a potentially attractive investment, despite some short-term volatility.