John Murphy on EPS guidance update
From Coca-Cola Q1 FY26 Earnings Call | $KO | 🔴 WATCH LIVE · · Benzinga
“All in, we now expect comparable earnings per share growth of 8% to 9% versus $3 in 2025, which This increase from our prior estimate of 7 to 8% due to the lower effective tax rate.”
On , John Murphy, President & CFO at Coca-Cola Co, spoke about EPS guidance update during Coca-Cola Q1 FY26 Earnings Call | $KO | 🔴 WATCH LIVE on Benzinga.
About John Murphy
John Murphy, president and chief financial officer of The Coca-Cola Company, participated in the company's fourth quarter 2025 earnings call on January 28, 2026. Murphy stated that the company's 2026 guidance builds on recent results, with expectations for organic revenue growth of 4 to 5 percent and comparable earnings per share growth of 7 to 8 percent versus $3 in 2025. He noted that the company has grown its dividend for 63 consecutive years and that dividends paid as a percentage of adjusted free cash flow in 2025 was 73 percent, in line with the long-term payout ratio of 75 percent. Murphy also discussed the company's financial strategy, saying it will remain "flexible and opportunistic" on acquisitions and that just over half of its portfolio of 32 billion-dollar brands was created inorganically. He described the company's balance sheet as strong, with net debt leverage of 1.6 times, below the targeted range of two to two and a half times, and noted that the company is awaiting a court decision related to an ongoing dispute with the IRS. Regarding currency management, Murphy said the company's hedging program helps manage non-market-driven fluctuations at the local level and provides clarity to grow US dollar earnings.