Coca-Cola: a surge in sales and profits during the World Cup summer
Forecasts revised upwards: comparable earnings per share growth of between 9% and 10% – Wall Street surges
The World Cup summer appears to have boosted sales. In the first half of 2026, drinks giant Coca-Cola recorded a 17 per cent rise in profit to $8.35 billion. Net operating revenue rose in the first half of the year to $25.8 billion, up 9% on the previous twelve months. These results were driven by the company’s campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which contributed in part to both the 5 per cent growth in volume for the Coca-Cola brand and the 8 per cent growth in volume for Powerade during the second quarter.
World figures
Overall, the US giant recorded a 5 per cent increase in sales volume for the quarter, driven by India, China, the United States and Brazil, with carbonated drinks up by 4 per cent. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar saw a 16 per cent increase in volumes, whilst Diet Coke – or Coca-Cola Light, as it is known in some markets – recorded a 7 per cent rise in volumes. Water, sports drinks, coffee and tea recorded the highest growth at 6 per cent. Of these four categories, all except coffee recorded an increase in volumes during the quarter. Coca-Cola’s fruit juices, value-added dairy products and plant-based drinks division recorded a 2 per cent increase in volumes.
Forecasts revised upwards
The company has therefore revised its full-year forecasts upwards. Coca-Cola now expects comparable earnings per share to grow by between 9% and 10%, compared with the previous forecast of 8%–9%. It also expects organic revenue growth of around 5 per cent, at the upper end of its previous estimate of 4–5 per cent. “We delivered another solid quarter by keeping pace with the changing needs of our consumers and customers,” said Henrique Braun, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company – “Whilst we continue to see an ever-changing consumer landscape, we have leveraged our strong brands and our system to gain value share, driving growth in revenue, profits and earnings, whilst investing for the long term.” Shares in the world’s largest soft drinks manufacturer are celebrating the results on Wall Street, where they rose by 5.7 per cent to $88.75 at the start of trading
