Two Dividend Stocks Investors Are Watching Closely in 2026

TLDR

• Coca-Cola hit a new 52-week high of $82.62 after Citigroup raised its price target to $91
• 15 analysts currently rate the stock a Buy with an average price target of $86.53
• Q1 2026 earnings beat expectations at $0.86 EPS vs $0.81 consensus, revenue up 11.4% year-over-year
• A $0.53 quarterly dividend is payable July 1, yielding 2.6% annually
• Realty Income pays a monthly dividend with a 5.3% yield and 98.9% portfolio occupancy

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Coca-Cola stock reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday, trading as high as $82.62. The move came after Citigroup raised its price target on the stock from $90 to $91, while keeping a buy rating in place.

The stock closed the prior session at $81.20 before the upgrade pushed it to its new high. Volume on the day came in at just under 2.95 million shares.

Wall Street Turns More Bullish

Citigroup was not the only firm to boost its outlook recently. Jefferies raised its target from $87 to $90. Barclays and JPMorgan both moved their targets to $85. Morgan Stanley holds a target of $88.

The Coca-Cola Company, KO

Weiss Ratings also upgraded the stock from a buy (B) to a buy (B+) rating in early May. In total, 15 analysts now rate Coca-Cola a Buy, with a consensus price target of $86.53, according to MarketBeat data.

The company reported Q1 2026 earnings of $0.86 per share, beating the $0.81 consensus estimate. Revenue came in at $12.47 billion, ahead of the $12.24 billion forecast and up 11.4% from the same quarter last year.

Full-year 2025 net income rose 23% to $13.1 billion. Revenue for 2025 came in just under $48.4 billion, up from $38.7 billion in 2020.

Dividend and Portfolio Strength

Coca-Cola announced a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, payable July 1 to shareholders of record as of June 15. The annualized dividend of $2.12 represents a yield of 2.6%, well above the S&P 500 average of 1.1%.

The company is one of a small group of Dividend Kings — stocks that have raised their dividend every year for at least 50 consecutive years.

Analysts have pointed to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a potential demand driver for the summer. The launch of Fresca Hard has also expanded the company’s ready-to-drink alcohol lineup.

Institutional investors own 70.26% of the stock. Insiders sold roughly 755,000 shares last quarter, though analysts say this has not shifted the broader bullish view.

The stock has a 50-day moving average of $77.09 and a 200-day moving average of $74.33. Market cap currently sits at $354.53 billion.

Realty Income Also Worth Watching

Realty Income is another stock analysts flag for income investors. The REIT pays a monthly dividend, currently just over $0.27 per share, with a yield of 5.3%.

Realty Income Corporation, O

The trust owns stakes in over 15,500 properties with an occupancy rate of 98.9%. Full-year 2025 revenue grew 9%, and funds from operations rose 11% to nearly $3.9 billion.

Its tenant base leans toward recession-resistant businesses like supermarkets and convenience stores.

Coca-Cola has set full-year 2026 EPS guidance of $3.24 to $3.27. Analysts expect $3.26 for the current fiscal year.

The post Two Dividend Stocks Investors Are Watching Closely in 2026 appeared first on CoinCentral.