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Gibbs Wealth Management increased its position in shares of Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST – Free Report) by 125.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 69,513 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 38,717 shares during the quarter. Gibbs Wealth Management’s holdings in Monster Beverage were worth $2,893,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. CI Investments Inc. raised its holdings in Monster Beverage by 3.5% in the 1st quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 3,497 shares of the company’s stock valued at $253,000 after buying an additional 119 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Monster Beverage by 2.8% during the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 4,981 shares of the company’s stock worth $361,000 after buying an additional 137 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Alliance LLC grew its stake in shares of Monster Beverage by 2.2% during the first quarter. Wealth Alliance LLC now owns 6,752 shares of the company’s stock worth $489,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares in the last quarter. CX Institutional lifted its stake in Monster Beverage by 2.4% during the second quarter. CX Institutional now owns 6,384 shares of the company’s stock worth $614,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares during the last quarter. Finally, V Square Quantitative Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Monster Beverage by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 17,596 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,275,000 after buying an additional 175 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.36% of the company’s stock.

Monster Beverage Trading Down 2.3% NASDAQ:MNST opened at $46.19 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $90.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.49. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $44.77 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $44.47. Monster Beverage Corporation has a twelve month low of $32.94 and a twelve month high of $50.17.

Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.58 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $2.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.43 billion. Monster Beverage had a net margin of 23.08% and a return on equity of 26.02%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 20.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.26 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Monster Beverage Corporation will post 1.16 earnings per share for the current year. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have commented on MNST. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on Monster Beverage from $106.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Weiss Ratings cut Monster Beverage from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Monday, October 19th. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Monster Beverage from $52.00 to $52.50 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of Monster Beverage from $45.00 to $47.50 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $50.50 price target on shares of Monster Beverage in a research report on Monday, October 19th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $74.05.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Monster Beverage

Monster Beverage Profile (Free Report)

Monster Beverage Corporation is a global beverage company focused primarily on the development, marketing, sale and distribution of energy drinks. Its portfolio includes the flagship Monster Energy brand, along with products marketed under brands such as NOS, Full Throttle, Reign, Burn and Mother. The company offers a range of energy drinks in different flavors and formulations, including products positioned for performance, fitness and everyday consumption.

The company traces its origins to Hansen Natural Corporation, which was founded in 1935 and changed its name to Monster Beverage Corporation in 2012 as the Monster Energy brand became increasingly central to its business.

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The energy drink industry is booming, and Monster (MNST +0.51%) is capitalizing on that expansion.

*Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of Oct. 18, 2026. The video was published on Oct. 20, 2026.

Parkev Tatevosian, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Monster Beverage. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Parkev Tatevosian is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through his link, he will earn some extra money that supports his channel. His opinions remain his own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.

SteelPeak Wealth LLC lifted its stake in shares of Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST – Free Report) by 101.6% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 57,569 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 29,014 shares during the period. SteelPeak Wealth LLC’s holdings in Monster Beverage were worth $2,396,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MNST. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC boosted its stake in Monster Beverage by 113.4% during the 3rd quarter. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC now owns 604 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 321 shares during the last quarter. Davis Capital Management boosted its position in Monster Beverage by 98.8% during the third quarter. Davis Capital Management now owns 636 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 316 shares during the last quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Monster Beverage during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp purchased a new stake in Monster Beverage during the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Monster Beverage in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. 72.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Monster Beverage Price Performance Shares of MNST opened at $45.73 on Monday. Monster Beverage Corporation has a 1-year low of $32.94 and a 1-year high of $50.17. The stock has a market cap of $89.59 billion, a PE ratio of 42.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.49. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $44.70 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $44.16.

Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $2.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.43 billion. Monster Beverage had a net margin of 23.08% and a return on equity of 26.02%. The business’s revenue was up 20.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.26 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Monster Beverage Corporation will post 1.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Monster Beverage from $53.00 to $48.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Monster Beverage from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 12th. Piper Sandler increased their price target on shares of Monster Beverage from $47.00 to $50.50 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Monster Beverage from $83.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Monster Beverage in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Monster Beverage currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $74.07.

View Our Latest Stock Report on MNST

Monster Beverage Profile (Free Report)

Monster Beverage Corporation is a global beverage company focused primarily on the development, marketing, sale and distribution of energy drinks. Its portfolio includes the flagship Monster Energy brand, along with products marketed under brands such as NOS, Full Throttle, Reign, Burn and Mother. The company offers a range of energy drinks in different flavors and formulations, including products positioned for performance, fitness and everyday consumption.

The company traces its origins to Hansen Natural Corporation, which was founded in 1935 and changed its name to Monster Beverage Corporation in 2012 as the Monster Energy brand became increasingly central to its business.

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AlphaStar Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST – Free Report) by 125.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 29,316 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 16,307 shares during the quarter. AlphaStar Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Monster Beverage were worth $1,220,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in Monster Beverage during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $5,770,004,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new position in Monster Beverage in the 2nd quarter valued at $1,195,360,000. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in Monster Beverage by 27.8% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 7,465,974 shares of the company’s stock valued at $717,629,000 after purchasing an additional 1,624,416 shares during the last quarter. Jupiter Topco LLC bought a new position in Monster Beverage in the 2nd quarter valued at $593,075,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in Monster Beverage by 23.7% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 7,637,514 shares of the company’s stock worth $553,414,000 after purchasing an additional 1,461,167 shares in the last quarter. 72.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on Monster Beverage from $108.00 to $54.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “hold” rating and issued a $100.00 target price (up from $98.00) on shares of Monster Beverage in a research note on Monday, August 10th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Monster Beverage from $53.00 to $48.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Monster Beverage from $83.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Monster Beverage in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $74.07.

Get Our Latest Analysis on Monster Beverage Monster Beverage Stock Performance NASDAQ:MNST opened at $45.73 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $44.70 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $44.10. Monster Beverage Corporation has a 52-week low of $32.94 and a 52-week high of $50.17. The company has a market cap of $89.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.49.

Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.60 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $2.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.43 billion. Monster Beverage had a return on equity of 26.02% and a net margin of 23.08%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 20.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.26 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Monster Beverage Corporation will post 1.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

(Free Report)

Monster Beverage Corporation is a global beverage company focused primarily on the development, marketing, sale and distribution of energy drinks. Its portfolio includes the flagship Monster Energy brand, along with products marketed under brands such as NOS, Full Throttle, Reign, Burn and Mother. The company offers a range of energy drinks in different flavors and formulations, including products positioned for performance, fitness and everyday consumption.

The company traces its origins to Hansen Natural Corporation, which was founded in 1935 and changed its name to Monster Beverage Corporation in 2012 as the Monster Energy brand became increasingly central to its business.

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Investors choosing between Monster Beverage (MNST +2.10%) and PepsiCo (PEP +1.55%) are weighing high-octane growth against steady income. Both companies dominate the supermarket aisle, but their financial profiles and long-term expansion strategies differ significantly.

Monster Beverage focuses exclusively on the high-margin energy drink market, utilizing a lean business model. PepsiCo operates as a global powerhouse in both beverages and convenient foods. This comparison examines their latest financials and risk factors to help you determine which stock is the better buy today.

The case for Monster BeverageMonster Beverage develops and sells energy drinks and concentrates, and it has recently expanded into craft beers and flavored malt beverages. As a leader in the global beverage stocks market, the company relies on an extensive distribution partnership with The Coca-Cola Company. This network includes Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, which accounted for nearly 15% of net sales in 2025, and Coca-Cola Consolidated, which contributed roughly 10%. Key retail customers include Amazon, Costco, and Walmart. Customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business.

In FY 2025, revenue reached approximately $8.3 billion, representing a 10.7% increase compared to the previous year. This growth was supported by international expansion, with sales outside the United States making up about 41% of total net sales. Net income for the period was nearly $1.9 billion, resulting in a healthy net margin of approximately 23%.

As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the company carries a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.0x, meaning it carries essentially no total debt relative to its equity. The current ratio is roughly 3.7x, indicating that its short-term assets are nearly four times its current liabilities. Free cash flow for FY 2025 was close to $2.0 billion, the cash remaining after the company covers its operating costs and capital investments.

The case for PepsiCoPepsiCo is a global leader in both beverages and convenient foods, serving consumers in more than 200 countries. The company produces iconic brands like Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Gatorade, as well as its Frito-Lay and Quaker snack divisions. Walmart and its affiliates represented approximately 14% of consolidated net revenue in 2025, making them a vital partner for the business. Customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business, though PepsiCo also utilizes direct-store-delivery and joint ventures with Unilever and Starbucks to reach consumers.

In FY 2025, PepsiCo reported revenue of nearly $93.9 billion, reflecting a growth rate of approximately 2.3% over the prior year. While its growth is slower than its smaller rival, the company remains highly profitable, generating net income of roughly $8.2 billion. This resulted in a net margin of about 8.8%, which is lower than Monster Beverage's due to the capital-intensive nature of food manufacturing and a broader distribution network.

As of its December 2025 balance sheet, PepsiCo has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.4x, meaning its total debt is 2.4 times its shareholders' equity. The current ratio stands at approximately 0.9x, indicating that its assets that can be converted to cash within a year are slightly less than its bills due within that same period. Free cash flow for the year was approximately $7.7 billion, providing ample cash to support dividend payments and reinvestment in its supply chain.

Risk profile comparisonMonster Beverage faces significant revenue concentration and reliance on the Coca-Cola bottler network for distribution. If these partnerships falter, the company could face immediate disruptions in its efforts to reach global markets. The energy drink category is also fiercely competitive, with pressure from Red Bull, PepsiCo, and Keurig Dr Pepper. Additionally, the company must navigate global regulatory scrutiny regarding caffeine limits and potential excise taxes on sweetened beverages. Operational vulnerabilities exist because Monster Beverage depends on third-party co-packers and faces volatility in raw material costs, particularly aluminum cans.

PepsiCo is highly sensitive to the evolving retail landscape and its heavy reliance on large customers like Walmart. Increasing legislative efforts to impose taxes or marketing restrictions on products with high sugar, sodium, or fat content could reduce future consumption. The company is also subject to price fluctuations in essential materials such as plastic resins and aluminum, as well as potential supply chain disruptions due to geopolitical tensions. Finally, PepsiCo faces ongoing risks from class action lawsuits regarding advertising claims and the constant challenge of protecting its massive global trademark portfolio.

Valuation comparisonPepsiCo currently trades at a significantly lower valuation multiple than Monster Beverage, reflecting its slower growth profile and more mature business model.

MetricMonster BeveragePepsiCoForward P/E38.0x15.3xP/S ratio9.4x1.8xValuation metrics include those sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from those of other data providers.

In this case, the stock to choose probably depends on one's risk tolerances and investment goals.

If investing for growth, Monster Beverage likely has the edge. Despite the aforementioned 10.7% revenue growth rate, the energy drink segment has grown rapidly in recent years. Moreover, since Monster outsources its distribution, it is comparatively asset-light. That allowed its 23% net margin to far surpass PepsiCo's 8.8%.

Given that performance, it is little wonder that Monster Beverage stock has outperformed PepsiCo over the last five years, more than doubling in value as PepsiCo stock declined.

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However, more conservative investors probably would prefer PepsiCo. The lower valuation may be the most obvious reason. However, revenue growth has begun to accelerate in 2026 as the company shifts its product mix more toward the healthier beverages and foods that today's customers demand.

Moreover, investors should not ignore the dividend. Its $5.92-per-share annual dividend has increased for 54 consecutive years, making it a Dividend King. Additionally, new shareholders can earn a dividend yield of 4.5%, well above the S&P 500 average of 1.1%. That more rapid revenue growth and low valuation could help turn the stock around.

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Ultimately, growth investors might prefer Monster. Nonetheless, PepsiCo’s dividend yield suggests that risk-averse investors might want to buy it now while they can still collect a generous payout.

MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB boosted its stake in shares of Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST – Free Report) by 95.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 36,740 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 17,926 shares during the quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB’s holdings in Monster Beverage were worth $1,529,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of MNST. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in Monster Beverage in the second quarter valued at approximately $5,770,004,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in shares of Monster Beverage during the second quarter valued at approximately $1,195,360,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in shares of Monster Beverage by 27.8% in the second quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 7,465,974 shares of the company’s stock worth $717,629,000 after purchasing an additional 1,624,416 shares during the last quarter. Jupiter Topco LLC bought a new position in shares of Monster Beverage in the second quarter worth approximately $593,075,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its holdings in shares of Monster Beverage by 23.7% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 7,637,514 shares of the company’s stock worth $553,414,000 after purchasing an additional 1,461,167 shares during the last quarter. 72.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms recently commented on MNST. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Monster Beverage from $45.00 to $47.50 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $48.50 price target (down from $97.00) on shares of Monster Beverage in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Monster Beverage from $52.00 to $52.50 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Sanford C. Bernstein initiated coverage on shares of Monster Beverage in a research report on Friday, June 12th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $47.50 price objective on the stock. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and set a $47.50 price objective (up from $36.50) on shares of Monster Beverage in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $50.10.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on MNST Monster Beverage Stock Performance MNST opened at $42.88 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $84.00 billion, a PE ratio of 39.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.49. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $45.12 and its 200-day moving average price is $43.77. Monster Beverage Corporation has a 52-week low of $32.94 and a 52-week high of $50.17.

Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.60 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $2.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.43 billion. Monster Beverage had a return on equity of 26.02% and a net margin of 23.08%.The firm’s revenue was up 20.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.26 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Monster Beverage Corporation will post 1.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

(Free Report)

Monster Beverage Corporation is a beverage company that develops, markets, and distributes energy drinks and related alternative beverages. Its flagship Monster Energy brand offers a range of energy drinks in multiple flavors and formulations, including products designed for performance, focus, and lifestyle-oriented consumption.

The company’s portfolio also includes brands such as Reign, NOS, Full Throttle, Burn, and Mother, along with other energy and beverage products sold under regional or strategic brand arrangements.

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Monster Beverage (MNST +1.90%) sells energy drinks. That sounds like a simple business. The ingredients aren't particularly difficult to find. Competitors can make similar products, and consumers have never had more choices, from Red Bull and Celsius to C4.

Yet Monster Beverage generated $8 billion of revenue in 2025. If the drink is so easy to copy, why is the business so difficult to compete with? The answer is that Monster Beverage's moat isn't what's inside the can. It's everything around it.

Image source: Getty Images.

It all starts with the brand Monster Beverage has spent decades building a distinctive brand. Its logo is instantly recognizable. Its packaging stands out, and its marketing is deeply associated with motorsports, gaming, action sports, and music.

That matters. Most people don't walk into a convenience store and conduct a detailed analysis of every energy drink's ingredients before making a purchase. They reach for brands they know.

That creates something valuable for Monster Beverage: habitual purchase. Once people repeatedly choose Monster Beverage, the company doesn't have to win them over from scratch every time they buy an energy drink.

A challenger has to do the opposite. It has to convince people to switch.

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Then comes the shelf space A strong brand is only useful if customers can find it. This is where Monster Beverage's supply chain reach becomes an advantage. Retailers have limited shelf and refrigerator space. They want products that sell.

A brand that consistently generates sales earns more visibility, which can lead to more sales. That creates a simple but powerful loop: brand → sales → shelf space → visibility → more sales. A new energy drink company has to fight its way into that loop.

Coca-Cola makes the moat deeper There's an important part of Monster Beverage's story that investors shouldn't overlook: Coca-Cola. Monster Beverage has a long-standing strategic relationship with The Coca-Cola Company and its bottling network. That's enormously valuable when Monster Beverage wants to expand worldwide.

Imagine trying to build a global beverage distribution system from scratch. You would need bottlers, warehouses, trucks, retail relationships, and local distribution networks -- all that across dozens of countries.

Fortunately, Monster Beverage doesn't have to build all of that itself. It can use Coca-Cola's vast distribution network to distribute its products, so it can concentrate on what it does best: creating brands and generating consumer demand. That combination is difficult for a challenger to replicate.

Blending scale and innovation Monster Beverage's moat doesn't stop at distribution.

Its size gives it plenty of opportunities to experiment. Monster Beverage can launch a new flavor, brand, or product and put it through an existing distribution system. Some launches will work. Some won't. But Monster Beverage doesn't need every product to become a blockbuster. Its existing scale gives new products a chance to reach its customers.

That's why the company's portfolio has expanded beyond the original Monster Beverage Energy drink to include brands such as Monster Ultra, Juice Monster, Reign, and Reign Storm. Each successful product can create another reason for consumers to stay within the Monster Beverage ecosystem.

That's the real Monster Beverage flywheel By putting everything together, we can get a more holistic picture of Monster Beverage's competitive advantages.

A strong brand generates more demand. More demand supports more shelf space. More shelf space increases visibility and sales. More sales generate more cash. More cash funds marketing, innovation, and international expansion. Coca-Cola's distribution network helps Monster Beverage take that system into new markets.

That's a much more powerful moat than a secret formula. It's also why Monster Beverage can continue growing despite its enormous size. In the second quarter of 2026, revenue jumped 20.2% to $2.5 billion, while net income increased 19.6% to $584.5 million.

What does it mean for investors? None of this means Monster Beverage is untouchable. Celsius and other challengers have shown that consumers are willing to experiment with new brands. Consumer preferences can change, and a product that is fashionable today can become yesterday's news surprisingly quickly.

Monster Beverage, therefore, has to keep investing in its brands and launching products that remain relevant without diluting what made the brand distinctive in the first place.

That's the real test. A moat isn't valuable because it existed yesterday. It's valuable if management can keep widening it tomorrow. If Monster Beverage can further reinforce its competitive advantages, it stands a good chance of sustaining its growth momentum in the foreseeable future.

Key Takeaways Coca-Cola raised its 2026 outlook after Q2 organic revenues rose 6% and comparable EPS increased 11%.Monster Beverage's Q2 net sales jumped 20.2% to $2.54 billion, while international sales surged 34.6%.KO trades at 25.15X forward earnings versus MNST's 34.22X, while its stock rose 32% in a year. The global non-alcoholic beverage market is increasingly being shaped by two distinct growth engines: the enduring scale of established refreshment brands and the rapid expansion of functional beverages. The Coca-Cola Company (KO - Free Report) and Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST - Free Report) sit on different sides of that equation. Coca-Cola operates a broad total-beverage platform spanning sparkling soft drinks, hydration, sports drinks, dairy, juice, tea and other categories, while Monster Beverage is far more concentrated on energy drinks, where functionality, lifestyle positioning and expanding consumption occasions continue to attract new users.

Coca-Cola’s competitive advantage rests on unmatched breadth and distribution. Its system reaches more than 200 countries and territories, and management highlighted $32 billion-dollar brands, giving KO exposure to consumers across price points, socioeconomic groups and drinking occasions. During the second quarter of 2026, Coca-Cola gained value share globally and captured both value and volume share in North America, Latin America and EMEA. Monster Beverage, by contrast, is building its position within the faster-growing energy category, gaining share across many markets and leveraging Coca-Cola’s bottling network to broaden availability.

That contrast makes the KO-MNST face-off particularly interesting. Coca-Cola offers category diversification, global scale and an asset-light system designed to generate balanced growth, while Monster Beverage brings a highly focused portfolio positioned around energy, zero sugar and lifestyle-driven consumption.

Which company is better positioned to capture incremental growth and defend its market position in a shifting landscape?

The Case for KOCoca-Cola’s market strength was evident in the second quarter of 2026, as the company gained value share globally and captured both value and volume share in North America, Latin America and EMEA. Its broad portfolio also delivered solid momentum, with Trademark Coca-Cola, fairlife, Powerade, FRESCA, Gold Peak, smartwater and Simply contributing to growth in North America. Trademark Coca-Cola volume rose 5% globally, marking its strongest growth in 17 years excluding the COVID recovery period, while Powerade volume advanced 8%.

Coca-Cola continues to balance scale with local relevance through its revenue growth management strategy, focusing on both affordability and premiumization. In India, the company owns seven of the top 10 brands and is investing in affordability, cold-drink equipment and consumer engagement. In North America, mini cans and other smaller formats help address different price points and consumption occasions, supporting efforts to broaden the consumer base while maintaining brand relevance.

Digital innovation is becoming an important part of Coca-Cola’s brand-building strategy. During the FIFA World Cup, the company used connected packaging and distributed more than 1 billion Panini player stickers across over 40 markets. The campaign generated more than 9 billion digital and social views and added more than 25 million first-party data points. Coca-Cola is also increasing the use of AI and digital tools to improve marketing effectiveness and consumer engagement.

Financially, Coca-Cola delivered a solid second quarter, with organic revenues rising 6% and unit case volume increasing 5%. Comparable gross margin expanded about 120 basis points, while comparable operating margin improved roughly 90 basis points. Comparable EPS rose 11% to $0.97, and free cash flow reached about $6.9 billion. The company’s increasingly asset-light structure and disciplined investment approach continue to support margin expansion and reinvestment in its brands.

Following a strong first half, Coca-Cola raised its 2026 outlook and now expects organic revenue growth of approximately 5% and comparable EPS growth of 9-10%. Management remains focused on balanced top-line growth across markets, brands and categories. Its broad portfolio, disciplined revenue growth management, digital capabilities and improving margins continue to support Coca-Cola’s efforts to strengthen consumer relevance and drive sustainable growth.

The Case for MNSTMonster Beverage continues to strengthen its position in the global energy drink market, supported by robust category growth and rising household penetration. In the second quarter of 2026, net sales increased 20.2% to $2.54 billion, crossing the $2.5-billion mark for the first time in a quarter. The Monster Energy Drinks segment grew 21.6% to $2.36 billion, while international sales jumped 34.6% and accounted for about 46% of total revenues. The company also gained share in several markets, including the United States, where the Monster brand family added 70 basis points of value share.

Monster Beverage’s growth strategy remains centered on innovation, consumer recruitment and portfolio expansion. The company is benefiting from strong demand for zero-sugar offerings, with the Ultra family growing 19% in the United States and Juice Monster rising 26%. In Europe, Monster Beverage leads the zero-sugar energy segment with a 44.5% value share, while its portfolio accounted for 46% of the region’s energy-category value-sales growth. The company is also widening its demographic reach, with Gen Z over-indexing among new category users and women contributing incremental growth.

   Globally, MNST is expanding distribution and product availability through its relationship with Coca-Cola bottlers. EMEA sales rose 27.2%, Asia-Pacific sales increased 35.7%, and Latin America sales advanced 56.1% in the quarter. Growth was particularly strong in China, India and Brazil. Monster Beverage is also pushing deeper into foodservice and on-premise channels, including opportunities tied to the Marriott partnership, while expanding cooler placements and retail shelf presence across international markets.

Monster Beverage’s marketing strategy is also becoming broader and more digitally focused. The company increased spending across social media, digital platforms, sponsorships and endorsements to attract new energy-drink consumers and expand household penetration. Its “Unleash The Beast” campaign used connected TV, programmatic advertising, social media and retail media to reach younger consumers, while partnerships spanning UFC, motorsports, music and college sports continue to reinforce Monster Beverage’s lifestyle-oriented brand positioning.

Financially, Monster Beverage maintained solid profitability despite higher freight, fuel and aluminum costs. Gross margin improved to 55.9% from 55.7% a year earlier, while operating income increased 17.2% to $740.4 million. EPS rose 19% year over year to $0.59. The company also continues to review selective pricing actions to offset inflationary pressures and protect profitability as international sales become a larger part of the business.

Monster Beverage’s long-term growth story remains tied to category expansion, market-share gains, product innovation and international penetration. Management believes household penetration in energy drinks is still rising as functionality, affordability and lifestyle positioning broaden usage occasions across the day. With a strong innovation pipeline, expanding digital capabilities and deeper integration with Coca-Cola’s global bottling network, MNST remains focused on strengthening its position across both developed and emerging energy-drink markets.

How Does the Zacks Consensus Estimate Compare for KO & MNST?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Coca-Cola’s 2026 sales and EPS imply year-over-year growth of 4% and 9.7%, respectively. The EPS estimates remained stable in the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Monster Beverage’s 2026 sales and EPS suggest year-over-year growth of 16.9% and 7.8%, respectively. EPS estimates have been unchanged in the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Stock Price Performance & Valuation of KO & MNSTCoca-Cola currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 25.15X, which is above the Zacks Beverages - Soft drinks industry average of 18.95X. However, KO trades at a lower multiple than that of MNST’s 34.22X, making it the more value-oriented pick among the two.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Despite KO being the more value-oriented option based on valuation alone, investors pay up for MNST because it consistently delivers stronger returns. In the past year, KO’s stock has rallied 32%, outperforming MNST’s growth of 25% and the broader industry’s rise of 3.8%. KO appears to offer the more balanced risk-reward profile, combining a lower valuation than MNST with stronger one-year share-price performance.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ConclusionBoth Coca-Cola and Monster Beverage bring compelling strengths to the beverage space. MNST stands out for its rapid expansion in the energy-drink category, international growth, market-share gains and innovation-led strategy. However, KO combines a broader portfolio, unmatched global distribution, improving margins and strong digital engagement with a more diversified business model. Its stronger one-year stock performance further highlights solid investor confidence despite a challenging consumer environment.

Coca-Cola also trades at a lower forward earnings multiple than Monster Beverage, offering comparatively better value alongside stronger recent share-price gains. Moreover, KO’s Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) compares favorably with MNST’s Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). While Monster Beverage retains an attractive growth profile, Coca-Cola’s combination of valuation, market performance, scale and earnings momentum gives KO the edge in this face-off.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Monster Beverage (MNST -3.00%) has reached the point where its size becomes part of the investment question.

The company generated more than $8 billion in revenue in 2025. So naturally, investors ask: How much bigger can Monster Beverage really get? It's a fair question. After all, Monster Beverage has already built one of the world's best-known energy drink brands.

Yet Monster Beverage's growth hasn't slowed to the degree you might expect from a company of its massive size. In the second quarter of 2026, revenue increased 20.2% year over year, while net income climbed 19.6%.

So where does the next $5 billion or $10 billion in revenue come from? The answer lies in three potential large growth levers.

Image source: Getty Images.

Recruiting new consumers around the world The simplest opportunity is geographical expansion.

Monster Beverage generated $3.44 billion in revenue outside the U.S. in 2025, an increase of 16.1%. This represented about 41% of total sales. Comparatively, groupwide revenue grew by "just" 10.7%.

The rapid growth of its international business is important because the U.S. is already a highly developed energy drink market. Fortunately, Monster Beverage doesn't need American consumers to suddenly drink twice as many cans. It can find new consumers in markets where energy drinks have more room to grow.

To this end, Monster Beverage has access to Coca-Cola's extensive bottling and distribution network, allowing it to expand internationally without building a new distribution system from scratch.

In other words, Monster Beverage can export its brand-building playbook to new markets. So far, this approach is working, as sales have been growing at high double digits in markets like China and India. If it can sustain this trend, geography alone could extend the company's growth runway for years.

Giving customers more reasons to choose Monster Beverage In addition to finding new consumers, Monster Beverage can sell more products to existing consumers.

One way is to steadily expand beyond its original energy drink formula. For example, Monster Ultra targets consumers looking for zero sugar, Juice Monster offers a different taste profile, and Reign focuses on fitness and performance. Reign Storm takes the portfolio further into the wellness-oriented market.

The strategy is simple: Don't ask consumers to drink more of the same thing. Give them more reasons to choose Monster Beverage.

And this is where having a product portfolio becomes a powerful growth engine. The company can launch new flavors, formats, and brands, test them across its existing distribution network, and scale the ones that resonate with consumers.

Of course, not every product will succeed. But a few successful launches can become meaningful businesses, while the rest provide valuable information about where consumer tastes are heading.

More importantly, Monster Beverage already has the infrastructure to test these products. It has the brand recognition, retailer relationships, marketing capabilities, and distribution network that a start-up would spend years building.

That turns innovation into a repeatable process rather than a one-off bet.

The math gets interesting Put the pieces together, and Monster Beverage has several ways to keep growing:

More countries. More consumers. More occasions. More products. The company doesn't need to sustain 20% growth forever. In fact, it would be unrealistic to expect it to do so as the business gets larger.

But if international expansion continues, new products create additional consumption occasions, and Monster Beverage keeps winning a share of those opportunities, the company could still grow at healthy rates for many years.

Moreover, the beverage company has an enviable financial position, positioning it well to fund these growth opportunities. For perspective, it generated $2.4 billion in operating profit in 2025 and ended the year with more than $2 billion in cash and cash equivalents.

In other words, Monster Beverage has a fully functional growth machine that can continue to deliver in the foreseeable future.

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What does it mean for investors? Let's be honest, Monster Beverage's size makes maintaining high growth increasingly difficult. So investors shouldn't assume Monster Beverage can simply repeat its past performance indefinitely.

Still, it has a proven playbook for growth. And judging by its track record, it is well-positioned to keep growing for a while. After all, it has a powerful brand, a global distribution network, and a growing product portfolio to serve its consumers.

So yes, Monster should remain a growth stock for years to come.

Shares of Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST – Get Free Report) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-two brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $50.33.

Several research firms have recently commented on MNST. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Monster Beverage in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Monster Beverage from $45.00 to $52.50 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Morgan Stanley set a $51.50 price objective on Monster Beverage and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on Monster Beverage from $47.00 to $50.50 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Monster Beverage from $52.00 to $52.50 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on MNST

Trending Headlines about Monster Beverage Here are the key news stories impacting Monster Beverage this week: Positive Sentiment: Monster Beverage continues to benefit from sales growth and its dominant global position in the energy-drink market. Its strong margins and long-term track record remain supportive factors for investors. Monster Beverage stock falls 2.82 percent despite sales growth Neutral Sentiment: Reported short interest was listed at zero shares, implying no measurable days-to-cover. However, the figure may reflect a data-reporting issue rather than a meaningful change in investor positioning. Neutral Sentiment: Monster Beverage has substantially outperformed Coca-Cola over the past decade, but Coca-Cola has recently delivered stronger gains as its sales growth has improved. This raises questions about whether Monster can repeat its historical outperformance. Monster Beverage versus Coca-Cola investment comparison Negative Sentiment: Investors purchased 5,877 put options, roughly 105% above average daily put volume. The unusual activity points to increased downside protection or bearish speculation around MNST. Negative Sentiment: Recent commentary cautions investors against buying Monster at any price, reflecting concern that its valuation—around 40 times earnings—may already price in substantial future growth. Monster Beverage stock valuation analysis Negative Sentiment: Reports that the stock fell ahead of and during the latest session indicate that selling pressure is outweighing the company’s positive sales-growth narrative. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Monster Beverage Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Johnson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Monster Beverage during the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp bought a new stake in shares of Monster Beverage during the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new position in shares of Monster Beverage in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. NBH Bank acquired a new position in shares of Monster Beverage in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Clearstead Trust LLC bought a new position in shares of Monster Beverage in the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. 72.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Monster Beverage Trading Up 1.0% Shares of MNST stock opened at $43.11 on Friday. Monster Beverage has a 1 year low of $32.21 and a 1 year high of $50.17. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $45.95 and its 200-day moving average is $43.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $84.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.92, a PEG ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.52.

Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.60 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.02. Monster Beverage had a net margin of 23.08% and a return on equity of 26.02%. The business had revenue of $2.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.43 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.26 earnings per share. Monster Beverage’s revenue for the quarter was up 20.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Monster Beverage will post 1.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

(Get Free Report)

Monster Beverage Corporation is a beverage company headquartered in Corona, California. It develops, markets and distributes energy drinks and other alternative beverages through a portfolio of brands that includes Monster Energy, Reign, NOS, Full Throttle, Burn and Bang Energy.

The company offers energy drinks in a variety of flavors and formulations, including products positioned for performance, fitness and everyday use. Monster also participates in the alcoholic beverage category through products marketed under the Monster Brewing Company name, including flavored malt beverages and beers.

Monster Beverage traces its roots to Hansen’s, a juice and natural beverage business founded in the 1930s.

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Monster Beverage (MNST -2.89%) has been a monster stock performer in the past, averaging annual gains of nearly 18% over the past 15 years. Over the past 25 years, it has averaged annual gains of 25%, enough to turn a $10,000 investment into $2.8 million.

So should you jump in now, hoping for some outsize gains of your own? I don't think so.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

My main concern is its valuation, as the stock seems somewhat overvalued. For example, its recent forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 34 is above its five-year average of 31. Its price-to-sales ratio of 9.5 is also above its five-year average of 8.4.

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Another concern is the fact that it faces increasing competition from the likes of PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper, which are also offering their own energy beverages. Then there's inflation, which is causing plenty of people to pull back on their discretionary spending a bit.

On top of that, Wall Street analysts have shrunk their estimates of Monster's revenue growth for 2027 to 10%.

Why you might invest in Monster Beverage There are reasons to invest in Monster Beverage -- at least, if it pulls back to a lower price. For one thing, the fact that it has grown into an $88 billion enterprise suggests that the company knows how to make and execute smart strategies.

Its business model is appealing, too, because it's capital-light. Monster has a multiyear distribution deal with Coca-Cola, and generally prefers to make concentrates and sell them to bottling and distribution partners rather than owning and operating a costly bottling and distribution system of its own.

Take a closer look at Monster to see what you think. You might want to buy a few shares if you plan to hang on to them for a long time, or you could play it safer, keep it on your watch list, and hope for a lower entry price down the road.

Selena Maranjian has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Monster Beverage. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Monster Beverage (MNST +0.61%) has been one of the great consumer stocks of the past two decades, making long-term investors extremely wealthy.

Monster Beverage is already a multibillion-dollar beverage company. Yet instead of slowing as it gets bigger, the business is showing signs of accelerating again.

So what's going on? To understand why investors are suddenly talking about Monster Beverage again, it helps to first understand the business.

Image source: Getty Images.

What does Monster Beverage actually do? At its core, Monster Beverage is a brand company. It develops, markets, and sells energy drinks under brands including Monster Energy, Monster Ultra, Juice Monster, Reign, Reign Storm, NOS, and others.

Monster Beverage primarily sells its drinks and concentrates to bottlers and distributors, who then place the products on shelves in convenience stores, supermarkets, club stores, and other retail channels.

And Coca-Cola is a particularly important partner. The two companies created a long-term strategic partnership that made Coca-Cola Monster Beverage's preferred global distribution partner. The arrangement combined Monster Beverage's expertise in energy drinks with Coca-Cola's enormous bottling and distribution system.

In other words, Monster Beverage can focus on what it does best: building brands, developing new products, and creating consumer demand. And Coca-Cola helps get those products around the world.

That brings us to the two reasons investors are paying attention now.

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1. Monster Beverage is still growing at an unusual rate The first reason is simple: Monster Beverage's growth hasn't behaved like the growth of a mature beverage company.

In the second quarter of 2026, revenue increased more than 20% to $2.5 billion. The core Monster Beverage Energy Drinks segment grew even faster, at 21.6%.

And the growth wasn't confined to one product or region. In the U.S. and Canada, sales increased 11.5%, helped by market-share gains from the Monster Beverage brand. Monster Beverage's Ultra brand family grew 19% in the U.S., while Juice Monster Beverage increased 26%.

Operating profit also came in strong,up by 17.2% to $740.4 million. That's impressive, especially given the size of the business.

But the second reason is potentially more important.

2. Monster Beverage's international business is gaining momentum. For years, investors could look at Monster Beverage and see a successful American energy-drink company with some international growth. But that description is becoming outdated.

In the second quarter of 2026, international sales jumped 34.6% to $1.16 billion. They now account for roughly 46% of Monster Beverage's total revenue, up from about 41% a year earlier.

Within that, several markets are growing extraordinarily quickly. Sales in China increased 62.5%, while Brazil jumped 82% and India increased 84%. These aren't tiny markets buried somewhere in Monster Beverage's financial statements. International revenue is becoming a significant part of the company.

To this end, Coca-Cola's distribution network becomes particularly valuable. Monster Beverage doesn't need to build an entirely new distribution infrastructure in every country. It can leverage an established global system while continuing to invest in its brands and products.

If Monster Beverage can turn that international momentum into a sustained growth engine, its growth runway could be considerably longer than investors once assumed.

What does it mean for investors? Monster Beverage is getting attention now for good reasons.

It's not simply that people like energy drinks. It's that Monster Beverage is already enormous, yet it is still growing at double-digit rates -- and its international business is accelerating.

Of course, the opportunity comes with risks. The energy drink arena is highly competitive, consumer preferences can change quickly, and Monster Beverage must continue producing successful new products.

On top of that, the stock trades at a premium valuation, with a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 41 times (as of this writing). This suggests that investors have recognized the potential for the business to grow in the foreseeable future.

Investors looking for a proven growth stock should keep it on their watch list.

Monster Beverage's (MNST +0.45%) and Coca-Cola's (KO +0.22%) stocks outperformed the S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.17%) over the last five years, through Sept. 17. Monster Beverage saw its shares gain 88.1%, while Coca-Cola's stock produced a total return, including dividends, of 87.3%. During this time, the S&P 500 returned 85.1%.

For shareholders of both companies, that's good news. But everyone wants to forecast the future.

These beverage companies are in different stages, with Coca-Cola being the more mature company and Monster in growth mode. Examining both companies, do they offer market-beating potential over the next five years?

Image source: Getty Images.

Can Monster Beverage keep the momentum? Monster Beverage primarily sells energy beverages, including those under the Monster Energy brand. It also sells alcoholic beverages (e.g., craft year-over-year growthbeers, flavored malt beverages, and hard seltzers).

Its products have resonated with consumers. You can see this by examining its results, which show continued strong sales growth.

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Monster Beverage's second-quarter sales grew 17.9% year over year to $2.5 billion, adjusted to remove foreign currency translations. Still, the company has been facing cost pressure. Its adjusted diluted earnings per share increased at a lower rate, 15.2%, to $0.60. The company also faces competition in the space.

Its major business, Monster Energy drinks, drove the strong sales growth. The division saw 19.3% growth year over year to $2.3 billion.

Coca-Cola's total return potential Coca-Cola started selling soda in 1886 and now sells an array of beverages that also include water, juice, and plant-based beverages in more than 200 countries. It's a mature company, but it's still taking market share from competitors and growing sales.

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Coca-Cola has been increasing sales at a steady, moderate pace. Its second-quarter top line, removing foreign currency translations and the impact of acquisitions/divestitures, increased 6% compared to a year ago. Notably, higher volume contributed 4 percentage points, with price/mix accounting for the balance. The company's earnings per share increased 9%.

While Coca-Cola isn't a high-growth company, it does provide growing dividends that add to its total return. The board of directors has raised the payout for 64 straight years, including a 4% increase this year to $0.53 per share quarterly. That makes the company a Dividend King, a designation for companies that have raised dividends for at least 50 straight years.

Coca-Cola's shares have a 2.4% dividend yield. That's more than double the S&P 500's 1.1% yield.

A peek into the future Coca-Cola, with its well-established brands, steady sales growth, and consistently higher dividends, looks like it has the potential to beat the S&P 500 over the next five years. However, Monster Beverage faces stiff competition, and the potential for consumer tastes shifting away from energy drinks could hurt sales.

It's not always the flashiest, most exciting company that sustains long-term success. With its strong competitive position and growing dividends, I'd go with the tried-and-true Coca-Cola over Monster Beverage.

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17.09.2026 9:35

Akcie společnosti Monster se po odrazu od důležitých cenových úrovní vydaly znovu vzhůru, přičemž obrat trendu naznačují rovněž technické indikátory. Kurz akcie se přitom výrazně nevzdálil od svého předchozího maxima a silná rozvaha spolu s historicky nižší volatilitou než trh mohou představovat oporu i v nejistějším prostředí.

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A stock market correction of up to 20% may arrive sooner than most investors expect, but five Berkshire Hathaway holdings are already positioned to weather the storm while paying investors to wait.

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Warren Buffett stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway on December 31, 2025, after six decades leading the conglomerate he transformed from a struggling textile mill into a $1 trillion empire. The “Oracle of Omaha” left his successor, Greg Abel, with a very concentrated portfolio: more than 71% of Berkshire’s $365.5 billion portfolio is invested in just seven stocks. Abel, who has served as vice chair overseeing non-insurance operations, officially took over as CEO on January 1, 2026. At 96, Buffett isn’t fully retiring. He remains board chair and comes to the Omaha headquarters as much as before. However, he has stated he will be “going quiet” and leaving all decision-making to Abel.

One thing that Abel has been careful about, as he has started some rearrangement of the Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B | BRK-B Price Prediction) portfolio, is to carefully maintain some of the longest-held stocks at Berkshire Hathaway, and with good reason. Some key holdings have not only been outstanding performers this year, but also pay dependable dividends, which are often reinvested or added to the gigantic $365 billion cash pile Buffett has been accumulating over the last five years. Berkshire Hathaway generates a stunning $4.37 billion in dividend income each year, and an additional $12 to $16 billion in risk-free interest income.

While Buffett and Abel patiently wait to put some of the cash to work, they may not have to wait long, as the stock market could be poised for a 10% to 20% correction, and it could be coming right around the corner. With the potential for higher interest rates, a massive $40 trillion national debt, a tired and overbought stock market, and fading artificial intelligence momentum, all the ingredients for a big correction are lining up. Toss in the potential for more geopolitical fallout, especially if the fighting in the Middle East expands, the sellers, and especially the short sellers, could have their fingers on the sell button.

Five of Berkshire Hathaway’s premier holdings are a good place to shift capital now, and all pay reliable dividends that, in some cases, are raised every year. Top Wall Street firms rate all as Buys, and they make sense for worried investors now.

Why Do We Cover Berkshire Hathaway Stocks?

Few investors have the results and reputation Buffett has earned over the past 60 years. Though he has stepped away from the CEO chair, his impact and investment guidelines are likely to remain in place long after he is gone. While investing has evolved since Buffett took control of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, buying good companies with globally recognized products and services that pay dividends will remain a timeless approach.

American Express American Express (NYSE:AXP) is a bank holding company and multinational financial services corporation specializing in payment cards, and it pays a 1.09% dividend. This globally integrated payments company operates card-issuing, merchant-acquiring, and card-network businesses. The company raised its quarterly dividend from $0.82 to $0.95 between January and April 2026.

The company offers products and services to customers worldwide, including consumers, small businesses, midsized companies, and large corporations. Its segments include:

U.S. Consumer Services, which offers travel and lifestyle services, as well as banking and non-card financing products. Commercial Services offers payment, expense management, banking, and non-card financing products. International Card Services provides services to international customers, including travel and lifestyle services, and manages certain international joint ventures and its loyalty coalition business. Global Merchant and Network Services operates a payments network that processes and settles card transactions, acquires merchants, and provides multichannel marketing programs, capabilities, services, and data analytics. Berkshire Hathaway owns 151,610,700 shares, 22.2% of American Express’s float, and 14.1% of the portfolio.

Piper Sandler has an Overweight rating with a $405 target price.

Bank of America Buffett has trimmed his Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) position over the past two years, selling a whopping 50 million shares in the fourth quarter of 2025 and another 30 million shares in Q2 of 2026. This quality financial giant remains an exceptional long-term holding with a solid 1.79% dividend yield. The dividend was raised from $0.26 to $0.28, then to $0.32 per quarter, with two increases over the past 12 months. Bank of America is a bank holding company and financial holding company that reported impressive Q2 results. Berkshire Hathaway still owns 483,394,015 shares, or 7.9% of the portfolio and 6.9% of the float, despite the massive sales.

Its Consumer Banking segment offers a range of credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth & Investment Management segment comprises two businesses:

Merrill Wealth Management offers tailored solutions to meet clients’ needs through a comprehensive suite of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. Private Bank provides comprehensive wealth management solutions. Its Global Banking segment offers a range of lending-related products and services, including integrated working capital management and treasury solutions, as well as underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment offers sales and trading services, as well as research services, to institutional clients across fixed income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity markets.

Jefferies has a Buy rating with a $75 target price.

Chevron Chevron (NYSE:CVX) is an American multinational energy company primarily focused on oil and gas. This integrated giant is a safer option for investors seeking a position in the energy sector. It pays a substantial 3.26% dividend, which was raised by 5% earlier this year, and has a 39-year streak of dividend increases. Chevron operates integrated energy and chemicals businesses worldwide through its subsidiaries. Berkshire Hathaway owns 84,375,856 shares, which equals 4.2% of the float and 4.7% of the portfolio.

The company operates in two segments. The Upstream segment is involved in:

Exploration, development, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas Processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas Transportation of crude oil through pipelines, and transportation and storage Marketing of natural gas, as well as operating a gas-to-liquids plant The Downstream segment engages in:

Refining crude oil into petroleum products Marketing crude oil, refined products, and lubricants Manufacturing and marketing renewable fuels Transporting crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car Manufacturing and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives It also involves cash management, debt financing, insurance operations, real estate, and technology businesses.

Piper Sandler has an Overweight rating with a $243 target price.

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1892. It remains one of Buffett’s longest-held holdings. Berkshire owns 400 million shares, which represent 9.3% of the float and 9.3% of the portfolio. The stock pays a dependable 2.36% dividend. The raised to $0.53 per share in May 2026, marked the 64th straight year of dividend increases.

Coca-Cola is the world’s largest beverage company, offering consumers more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, the company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, including:

Diet Coke Coca-Cola Light Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Caffeine-free Diet Coke Cherry Coke Fanta Orange Fanta Zero Orange Fanta Zero Sugar Fanta Apple Sprite Sprite Zero Sugar Simply Orange Simply Apple Simply Grapefruit Fresca Schweppes Dasani Fuze Tea Glacéau Smartwater Glacéau Vitaminwater Gold Peak Ice Dew Powerade Topo Chico Minute Maid Globally, it is the top provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, juices, and juice drinks. Through the world’s most extensive beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the company’s beverages at a rate of over 1.9 billion servings per day. And the company owns 19.5% of Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST), which continues to deliver strong financial results.

UBS has a Buy rating and set a target price of $104.

Occidental Petroleum After years of building this position, Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway are finally in the money on this company, which pays a 1.63% dividend. Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) is an international energy company with assets primarily in the United States, the Middle East, and North Africa. The company is an oil and gas producer in the United States, including the Permian and D.J. basins and the offshore Gulf of America. Occidental’s most recent dividend increase was on February 19, 2026. The board raised the quarterly dividend by more than 5%, from $0.24 to $0.26 per share. That bumped the annualized rate from $0.96 to $1.04.

Berkshire Hathaway has a large position in the company, owning 264,941,431 shares, representing 26.6% of the float and 4.3% of the portfolio.

Occidental’s oil and gas segment explores for, develops, and produces oil (including condensate), natural gas liquids (NGLs), and natural gas. The midstream and marketing segment purchases, markets, gathers, processes, transports, and stores oil (including condensate), NGLs, natural gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), and power. This segment provides flow assurance, maximizes the value of its oil and gas, and optimizes the company’s transportation and storage capacity. It also invests in companies that do similar activities, including low-carbon ventures.

A notable development was Occidental’s decision to sell its OxyChem subsidiary to Berkshire Hathaway, with the bulk of the proceeds expected to strengthen the company’s balance sheet and further concentrate its business on oil and gas. The move was notable because Buffett had reportedly long coveted OxyChem, and Berkshire now owns the business outright. Berkshire Hathaway completed its purchase of OxyChem from Occidental on January 2, 2026. That gives Buffett full ownership of the chemicals business while providing Occidental with $9.7 billion in cash to reduce debt and sharpen its focus on energy.

Wells Fargo has an Overweight rating on this stock and an $82 price objective.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

True overnight rags-to-riches stories are relatively rare on Wall Street. They do happen, though. Monster Beverage (MNST +0.72%) is one of them.

You may be familiar with the company's namesake energy drink, but that product line is fairly young, only launching in 2002. Before that, it was the perpetually struggling beverage outfit called Hansen Natural, only changing its name to Monster Beverage in 2012 to better align with what ended up becoming its breadwinning profit center.

Image source: Getty Images.

And this begs the question: How has the stock performed since the company began firing on all cylinders a few years after Monster-branded energy drinks debuted? Had you invested just $1,000 in this ticker back in mid-September 2006, that position would be worth $38,890 today.

MNST Total Return Price data by YCharts

That's annualized growth of just over 20%, making MNST one of the market's most rewarding stocks during this stretch.

Granted, few (if any) investors would have been in this trade that whole time. It's also an unusually strong performance. It's still a testament to the power of patience when a new product is introduced at the right time and marketed the right way.

Just remain realistic without letting hope cloud your judgment of a company's chances of delivering explosive returns. Most seemingly comparable growth stories don't pan out nearly as well. Think GoPro, or Groupon, or the meal kit company Blue Apron.

Of course, you really only need one truly great pick like Monster Beverage to make a world of difference for your portfolio.

James Brumley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Monster Beverage. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Monster Beverage (MNST -0.59%) posted revenue growth of 10.7% in 2025. But, in the first half of 2026, sales rose 23.3%, as the company benefits from strong execution in one of the broader beverage sector's best-performing sub-categories. But, should you buy the stock now that it has pulled back from its all-time highs or avoid it?

Monster Beverage is growing strongly right now Monster Beverage's growth has clearly kicked into high gear again, with sales growth so far in 2026 running at more than double the rate achieved in 2025. That said, investors are aware of the company's strong growth, as evidenced by its price-to-sales and price-to-earnings ratios, both of which are above their five-year averages. If you have a value bias, you probably won't find Monster Beverage attractive at its current price.

Image source: Getty Images.

However, there's a caveat for growth investors. That's because the stock is in the middle of a drawdown, with the price more than 12% below its recent all-time high, as of this writing. Even the most reliable growth stocks don't rise in a straight line; they rise in a jagged pattern. In fact, Monster Beverage has experienced many large drawdowns since it started selling its namesake energy drink, with more than a dozen 20% sell offs since the beverage was launched in 2002 (some of the drawdowns were materially larger than 20%).

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With the stock down a bit more than 10% from its all-time high, growth investors might want to add Monster Beverage to their watch list. What's notable here is that the P/S ratio is around 9.4x, which is only a touch higher than the five-year average P/S ratio of 8.4x. And the P/E ratio of 40.5x is only a touch higher than its five-year average of 33.7x. So while Monster looks expensive, it is getting closer to what some might consider a fair price. And for a growth stock, that could represent a good entry point.

Avoid Monster Beverage, but don't ignore it It probably wouldn't be a mistake to buy Monster Beverage at its current valuation. History suggests that the company's strong growth will eventually lead the stock higher again. However, history also suggests that buying after a 20% drawdown would be a better decision. And since the stock isn't quite there yet, keeping this one on the wish list, for now, looks like the best option.

On August 25, 2026, we conducted a DCF analysis for Monster Beverage Corp MNST , a company that has shown impressive price performance recently. Over the past year, the stock has surged by 55.7%, reflecting strong investor interest. However, our valuation models indicate a different story regarding its current price.

DCF Earnings-based intrinsic value of $23.04 vs current price of $48.92 (margin of safety: -112.3%) DCF FCF-based intrinsic value of $20.76 vs current price (second opinion confirms overvaluation) GF Score™ of 96/100 suggests high reliability of inputs, but low predictability rank (2/5 stars) raises concerns about DCF accuracy What Is MNST Worth? DCF Earnings-Based Model Our DCF analysis utilizes a two-stage model to estimate the intrinsic value of MNST based on its earnings. The first stage accounts for a high growth rate in earnings over the next ten years, while the second stage reflects a more modest growth rate thereafter.

Parameter Value Current EPS (TTM, excl. non-recurring) $1.12 10-Year Growth Rate 13.7% 10-Year Treasury Rate 4.67% Discount Rate (ceil(Treasury) + 6%) 11% Terminal Growth Rate 4% In the first stage, we project that EPS will grow at 13.7% annually for the next ten years, discounted at a rate of 11%. The value derived from this growth stage is $12.87 per share. In the second stage, we assume a terminal growth rate of 4% for the following ten years, which results in a terminal stage value of $10.17 per share.

Stage Description Value Growth Stage (Years 1-10) EPS growing at 13.7%, discounted at 11% $12.87 Terminal Stage (Years 11-20) 4% terminal growth, discounted at 11% $10.17 Intrinsic Value Growth + Terminal $23.04 With the current price at $48.92, the stock appears significantly overvalued, presenting a margin of safety of -112.3%. It is important to note that GuruFocus uses EPS excluding non-recurring items, as research indicates that stock prices correlate more closely with earnings than with free cash flow. For a detailed breakdown, you can visit the MNST DCF Calculator.

What Does the Free Cash Flow DCF Say? The DCF model based on free cash flow yields an intrinsic value of $20.76 per share. This value aligns with the earnings-based model, reinforcing the conclusion that MNST is significantly overvalued, with a margin of safety of -135.7%. Both models indicate a consensus on overvaluation, although the FCF model provides an additional perspective.

How Does GF Value™ Compare to the DCF Models? The GF Value™ for MNST stands at $39.86, offering a third valuation perspective. This proprietary measure from GuruFocus is derived from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. All three models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—agree that MNST is currently overvalued. For more insights, check the GF Value™.

What Does MNST's GF Score™ Tell Us? The GF Score™ evaluates a company's financial strength, profitability, growth potential, and valuation metrics. MNST's score of 96/100 indicates a strong overall performance, but its predictability rank of 2/5 stars suggests that the DCF model may not be as reliable for this stock. Below is a summary of MNST's GF Score™ metrics:

Metric Rating GF Score™ 96/100 Financial Strength 10/10 Profitability 10/10 Growth 10/10 Valuation 6/10 Momentum 6/10 Given the low predictability rating, the reliability of the DCF estimates is diminished. For further details, visit the MNST stock page.

Key Assumptions and Limitations It is crucial to recognize that DCF models are highly sensitive to the assumptions regarding growth rates and discount rates. Stocks with low predictability ratings, such as MNST, tend to produce less reliable DCF estimates. The terminal growth rate of 4% used in this analysis is a simplifying assumption that may not reflect future realities.

What This Means for Investors In summary, all three valuation models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—indicate that Monster Beverage Corp is significantly overvalued at its current price of $48.92. The consensus suggests caution for potential investors. Additionally, the guru ownership signal shows that while 11 gurus currently hold the stock, 5 have added to their positions while 6 have trimmed, indicating mixed sentiment among knowledgeable investors. Insider activity also reflects a net selling trend over the past 12 months, which could be a red flag. For a comprehensive view of the valuation, explore the MNST DCF Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions What is MNST's intrinsic value based on DCF?

According to our analysis, the earnings-based intrinsic value is $23.04, while the FCF-based intrinsic value is $20.76.

Is MNST overvalued or undervalued?

Both the DCF and GF Value™ models indicate that MNST is overvalued at its current price.

How reliable is the DCF model for MNST?

The predictability rank of 2/5 suggests that the DCF model may not be very reliable for MNST.

This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

Monster Beverage (MNST +0.34%) announced on July 8 that it would conduct a 2-for-1 stock split on Aug. 11, and the stock price has climbed about 5% since the split.

While stock splits can generate a lot of buzz, Monster has conducted them for several years, making them more common for the energy drink beverage maker. Outside of this 2026 split, Monster most recently conducted a 2-for-1 split in 2023, an 8-for-1 split in 2020, and a 3-for-1 split in 2016.

The recent split may have given the stock price some short-term momentum, but that could quickly fade. Here's what I'd consider before investing in or buying more Monster shares for the long term.

A dollar sign with coin stacks next to it with a sun in the background.

What to do with Monster Beverage stock For more conservative investors, Monster will seem a little rich, with its forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 41.6. In comparison, the energy drink maker Celsius Holdings (CELH -0.03%) has a forward P/E of 22.6. Speaking of Celsius, Monster is also in a competitive area with limited shelf space. And as an investment, the company doesn't pay a dividend, so investors are entirely reliant on Monster's stock price appreciation.

That said, one thing I like about Monster is that it continues to see sales growth from its core product line. For the second quarter of 2026, sales from its core energy drink segment climbed 21.6% to $2.36 billion, accounting for the bulk of the company's $2.54 billion in total revenue. Some may view it as a concentration risk that so much revenue is derived from one segment. I view it more as Monster is still able to increase sales of its best sellers, has pricing power, and has superb brand loyalty.

In addition, Monster also has some promising revenue growth areas. One is through international sales, where, in the second quarter of 2026, the energy drink maker reported that net sales outside the United States increased by 34.6% to $1.1 billion. That accounted for 46% of total sales for the quarter. The alcohol segment, while currently showing sluggish results, may also offer long-term revenue growth opportunities. Sales for its alcohol segment declined 15.2% in the second quarter to $32.2 million, which is a relatively small figure compared to Monster's $2.54 billion in total revenue for the quarter.

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But according to InsightAce Analytic, the global alcoholic energy drink market is expected to more than double in value from $31.8 billion in 2025 to $67.9 billion by 2035. Monster can keep tinkering with its alcohol segment while it gathers more data on what works, eventually expanding that division if demand picks up.

Taking everything into consideration, investors are expecting Monster to deliver significant earnings growth, giving it a lot to live up to. But for more aggressive investors who can handle the risk, Monster, with its dominant branding in the energy drink space, accelerating revenue growth from its core products, and further expansion opportunities internationally and through its alcohol segment, is a stock I would consider adding to a long-term portfolio.

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Investors love dividend stocks because they provide dependable passive income streams and an excellent opportunity for solid total return. Total return includes interest, capital gains, dividends, and distributions realized over time. In other words, the total return on an investment or portfolio consists of income and stock appreciation. At 24/7 Wall St., we have focused on dividend stocks for over 15 years because, despite the stock market’s ups and downs, many people need reliable passive income streams to supplement their income from employment or other sources such as Social Security and pensions.

Investors seeking defensive companies that pay substantial dividends are drawn to the Dividend Aristocrats, and with good reason. The 69 companies that made the cut for the 2026 S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats list have increased their dividends (not just maintained the same level) for 25 consecutive years. But the requirements go even further, with the following attributes also mandatory for membership on the Dividend Aristocrats list:

Companies must be worth at least $3 billion for each quarterly rebalancing. Their average daily volume must be at least $5 million in transactions for every trailing three-month period at every quarterly rebalancing date. They must be a member of the S&P 500. With the stock market enjoying yet another positive year, albeit a very volatile one, we screened the 2026 Dividend Aristocrats to see which stocks outperformed the S&P 500, which is up 12.60% this year. That’s a solid mark, but the legacy index is being swamped by the small-cap Russell 2000, which is up 23.08%. We found five top Dividend Aristocrats that are outperforming the S&P 500 by a wide margin, and all are Buy-rated by top Wall Street firms.

Why Do We Cover the Dividend Aristocrats?

S&P 500 companies that have paid and raised dividends for 25 years or longer are the types of investments growth and income investors want to buy and hold for the long term. These stocks are mostly conservative, and if we see a dramatic market correction, they will likely hold up much better than volatile technology and momentum names.

Caterpillar The giant equipment company has had a banner 2026 and is walloping the S&P 500, up 36.46% year-to-date, while paying a small 0.75% dividend. Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT | CAT Price Prediction) is a manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Its segments include:

Construction Industries Resource Industries Power & Energy The Construction Industries segment supports customers using machinery in infrastructure and building construction applications. The Resource Industries segment develops and manufactures high-productivity equipment for surface and underground mining operations worldwide, and provides select work tools, machinery components, wear and maintenance components, and related parts.

The Power & Energy segment supports customers in oil and gas, power generation, marine, rail and industrial applications, including Caterpillar machines. It also develops and provides mining software solutions for the mining industry.

Caterpillar also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment.

Oppenheimer has an Outperform rating with a $1,118 target.

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1892 and is up 31.58% in 2026. This company remains a long-term top holding of Warren Buffett, whose 400 million shares represent 9.3% of the float and 9.9% of the portfolio. The stock pays a dependable 2.34% dividend.

The company posted strong results, reporting $13.37 billion in revenue and $0.97 in comparable EPS, beating consensus estimates and raising its full-year earnings growth forecast to 8% to 9%.

Coca-Cola is the world’s largest beverage company, offering consumers more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, the company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, including:

Diet Coke Coca-Cola Light Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Caffeine-free Diet Coke Cherry Coke Fanta Orange Fanta Zero Orange Fanta Zero Sugar Fanta Apple Sprite Sprite Zero Sugar Simply Orange Simply Apple Simply Grapefruit Fresca Schweppes Dasani Fuze Tea Glacéau Smartwater Glacéau Vitaminwater Gold Peak Ice Dew Powerade Topo Chico Minute Maid Globally, it is the top provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, juices, and juice drinks. Through the world’s most extensive beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the company’s beverages at a rate of over 1.9 billion servings per day. And remember that the company owns 19.5% of Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST), which continues to deliver strong financial results.

UBS has a Buy rating with a $104 target price on the shares.

Colgate-Palmolive This consumer staples giant has been very conservative, paying a dividend every year since 1895, currently yielding 2.29%, and is up a solid 16% this year. Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) is a growth company focused on oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition. It sells its products under brands such as:

Colgate Palmolive Elmex Hello Meridol Sorriso Tom’s of Maine EltaMD Filorga Irish Spring Lady Speed Stick PCA SKIN Protex Sanex Softsoap Speed Stick Ajax, Axion Fabuloso Murphy Soupline and Suavitel Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet The Home Care product segment, which is managed geographically in five segments, such as:

North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Africa/Eurasia All the segments sell primarily to a variety of traditional and e-commerce retailers, wholesalers, distributors, dentists, and skin health professionals.

The Pet Nutrition products include specialty pet nutrition products manufactured and marketed by Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Customers for Pet Nutrition products include authorized pet supply retailers, veterinarians, and e-commerce retailers.

Deutsche Bank has a Buy rating with a $101 target price.

Exxon Mobil Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) manages an industry-leading portfolio of resources and is one of the world’s largest integrated fuel, lubricant, and chemical companies, and is up 37.06% in 2026. Despite rising oil prices, investors still have an excellent entry point to secure a strong 2.46% dividend yield. Exxon is the world’s largest international integrated oil and gas company, exploring for and producing crude oil and natural gas in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and elsewhere.

Exxon also manufactures and markets commodity petrochemicals, including olefins, aromatics, polyethylene, and polypropylene plastics, as well as specialty products. And the company transports and sells crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products.

Top Wall Street analysts expect the company to remain a key beneficiary in a higher oil price environment, and most remain optimistic about the company’s sharp positive inflection in capital allocation strategy. The upstream portfolio offers leverage to a further demand recovery, and Exxon offers greater Downstream/Chemicals exposure than its peers.

Exxon completed its purchase of oil shale giant Pioneer Natural Resources in 2024 in an all-stock transaction valued at $59.5 billion. The deal created the largest U.S. oilfield producer and guarantees a decade of low-cost production.

Morgan Stanley has an Overweight rating with a $177 target price.

Target The big-box retailing giant has had a remarkable 2026, surging 58% year to date, while paying a 3.01% dividend. Target (NYSE:TGT) is a general merchandise retailer in the United States. It offers apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, infants, and newborns, as well as jewelry, accessories, and shoes. The company also offers beauty and personal care products, baby gear, cleaning supplies, paper products, and pet care products.

Target also provides:

Dry grocery, dairy, frozen food, beverages, candy, snacks, deli, bakery, meat, and food service Electronics, which includes video game hardware and software Toys, entertainment, sporting goods, and luggage Furniture, lighting, storage, kitchenware, small appliances, home décor, bed, and bath Home Improvement School/office supplies Greeting cards, party supplies, and other seasonal merchandise The company also sells merchandise through periodic design and creative partnerships, shop-in-shop experiences, and in-store amenities. It also sells its products through its stores and digital channels, including Target.com.

D.A. Davidson has a Buy rating and a $185 target price.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

On August 18, 2026, we conducted a DCF analysis for Monster Beverage Corp (MNST), a company that has seen a year-to-date price increase of 18.7% and a remarkabl

The iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (IYK -0.12%) offers broader sector exposure and a lower cost profile compared to the more specialized Invesco Food & Beverage ETF (PBJ +0.38%).

Investors seeking stability often turn to consumer defensives to anchor a portfolio. While the Invesco Food & Beverage ETF targets a specific subset of industry producers using a dynamic index, the iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF provides a more traditional, diversified approach to the broader U.S. market.

Snapshot (cost & size)MetricPBJIYKIssuerInvescoiSharesShare price$47.03 (as of 2026-08-10)$74.19 (as of 2026-08-10)Expense ratio0.61%0.38%1-yr return (as of 2026-08-10)-1.0%8.9%Dividend yield1.3%2.6%Beta0.470.40AUM$106.5M$1.4BBeta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from monthly returns over the available fund history (up to five years). The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.

The iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF is more affordable with a 0.38% expense ratio, while Invesco Food & Beverage ETF charges 0.61%. Additionally, the iShares fund provides a higher payout for income-seeking investors.

Performance & risk comparisonMetricPBJIYKMax drawdown (5 yr)-15.8%-15.0%Growth of $1,000 over 5 years (total return)$1,194$1,342What's insideThe iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF provides broad exposure with 53 holdings, primarily in Consumer Defensive (82%), Healthcare (14%), and Basic Materials (2%). Its largest positions include Procter & Gamble (PG -0.84%) at 12.97%, Coca-cola (KO -0.45%) at 12.95%, and Philip Morris International Inc (PM +0.12%) at 11.35%. Launched in 2000, iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF has paid $1.90 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$74.19 share price works out to a 2.6% yield.

In contrast, Invesco Food & Beverage ETF follows a narrower index of 31 companies involved in the production and distribution of food and agricultural products. Its sector tilts include Consumer Defensive (78%), Consumer Cyclical (8%), and Industrials (5%). Top holdings include Coca-Cola Co. at 5.48%, Starbucks Corp (SBUX +1.92%) at 5.27%, and Monster Beverage Corp (MNST -0.41%) at 5.23%. Launched in 2005, Invesco Food & Beverage ETF has paid $0.61 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$47.03 share price works out to a 1.3% yield.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

Which looks like the better buy?There is not much of a comparison here. The iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF wins on just about every count. It has better performance over every time period, including year-to-date, one-year, three-year, five-year, and 10-year. Year-to-date, IYK is up about 10%.

The iShares ETF also pays out a higher dividend yield and has a lower expense ratio. These are two reasons it has managed to outperform over the years. But it is also more diversified, covering a wider swath of the consumer staples sector while the Invesco Food and Beverage ETF focuses just on one part of the consumer staples sector, food and beverage stocks.

The iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF includes most of the stocks in the Invesco ETF, if not all of them, as 55% of the portfolio is in food stocks. But it also pulls stocks from other industries like household and personal products, healthcare equipment and services, retail and distribution, and materials.

A good consumer staples ETF should be a must in any portfolio for the balance it provides and the dividend income that can help boost returns during downturns. IYK is a certainly a solid choice to fill that void.

Have you evaluated the performance of Monster Beverage's (MNST - Free Report) international operations for the quarter ending June 2026? Given the extensive global presence of this energy drink maker, analyzing the patterns in international revenues is crucial for understanding its financial strength and potential for growth.

In today's increasingly interconnected global economy, a company's ability to tap into international markets can be a pivotal factor in shaping its overall financial health and growth trajectory. For investors, understanding a company's reliance on overseas markets has become increasingly crucial, as it offers insights into the company's sustainability of earnings, ability to tap into diverse economic cycles and overall growth potential.

Presence in international markets can act as a hedge against domestic economic downturns and provide access to faster-growing economies. However, this diversification also brings complexities due to currency fluctuations, geopolitical risks and differing market dynamics.

In our recent assessment of MNST's quarterly performance, we discovered notable trends in its overseas revenue sections, which are typically modeled and scrutinized by Wall Street analysts.

The recent quarter saw the company's total revenue reaching $2.54 billion, marking an improvement of 20.2% from the prior-year quarter. Next, we'll examine the breakdown of MNST's revenue from abroad to comprehend the significance of its international presence.

Exploring MNST's International Revenue PatternsOf the total revenue, $632.76 million came from EMEA during the last fiscal quarter, accounting for 24.9%. This represented a surprise of -3.05% as analysts had expected the region to contribute $652.66 million to the total revenue. In comparison, the region contributed $586.22 million, or 24.9%, and $498.22 million, or 23.6%, to total revenue in the previous and year-ago quarters, respectively.

Asia Pacific accounted for 8.6% of the company's total revenue during the quarter, translating to $218.97 million. Revenues from this region represented a surprise of +9.21%, with Wall Street analysts collectively expecting $200.5 million. When compared to the preceding quarter and the same quarter in the previous year, Asia Pacific contributed $201.89 million (8.6%) and $161.69 million (7.7%) to the total revenue, respectively.

Latin America and Caribbean generated $234.11 million in revenues for the company in the last quarter, constituting 9.2% of the total. This represented a surprise of +18.94% compared to the $196.83 million projected by Wall Street analysts. Comparatively, in the previous quarter, Latin America and Caribbean accounted for $218.52 million (9.3%), and in the year-ago quarter, it contributed $150.25 million (7.1%) to the total revenue.

Prospective Revenues in International MarketsWall Street analysts expect Monster Beverage to report a total revenue of $2.43 billion in the current fiscal quarter, which suggests an increase of 10.6% from the prior-year quarter. Revenue shares from EMEA, Asia Pacific and Latin America and Caribbean are predicted to be 26.2%, 8.1%, and 9%, corresponding to amounts of $637.2 million, $197.27 million, and $218.52 million, respectively.

Analysts expect the company to report a total annual revenue of $9.61 billion for the full year, marking an increase of 15.9% compared to last year. The expected revenue contributions from EMEA, Asia Pacific and Latin America and Caribbean are projected to be 25.2% ($2.42 billion), 8.1% ($781.5 million) and 9.2% ($886.02 million) of the total revenue, in that order.

Final ThoughtsMonster Beverage's reliance on international markets for revenues offers both opportunities and risks. Hence, keeping an eye on its international revenue trends could significantly help forecast the company's prospects.

In an era of growing international ties and escalating geopolitical disputes, financial analysts on Wall Street pay keen attention to these developments to fine-tune their earnings estimations for businesses operating across borders. It's important to note, however, that a range of additional variables, like a company's local market status, also play a crucial role in shaping these forecasts.

We at Zacks strongly focus on the dynamic earnings forecast of companies, given that empirical studies have demonstrated its potent impact on the immediate price movement of stocks. Invariably, there's a positive relationship -- upward earnings predictions often result in an increase in stock prices.

Our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, with its externally validated exceptional track record, harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions to serve as a dependable measure for anticipating the short-term price trends of stocks.

At the moment, Monster Beverage has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), signifying that its performance may align with the overall market trend in the upcoming period. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Examining the Latest Trends in Monster Beverage's Stock ValueThe stock has witnessed a decline of 7.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's an increase of 3.4%. In the same interval, the Zacks Consumer Staples sector, to which Monster Beverage belongs, has registered no change. Over the past three months, the company's shares saw an increase of 3.8%, while the S&P 500 increased by 6%. In comparison, the sector experienced an increase of 3.8% during this timeframe.

For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – August 7, 2026 – Today, Zacks Equity The Coca-Cola Co. (KO - Free Report) , Monster Beverage Corp. (MNST - Free Report) , Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FMX - Free Report) , Primo Brands Corp. (PRMB - Free Report) and The Vita Coco Company, Inc. (COCO - Free Report)

Industry: Soft Drinks

Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/2969816/5-soft-drink-stocks-poised-for-growth-amid-health-focused-innovation

The Zacks Beverages – Soft Drinks industry is benefiting from strong consumer demand for healthier beverages and rapid digital transformation, creating favorable long-term growth opportunities. Rising preference for zero-sugar, low-calorie, functional and clean-label drinks is driving product innovation, premiumization and portfolio diversification.

At the same time, investments in artificial intelligence, data analytics, e-commerce and smart manufacturing are enhancing consumer engagement, operational efficiency and market reach. These trends are enabling companies to strengthen brand loyalty and capture new revenue streams.

Industry leaders like The Coca-Cola Co., Monster Beverage Corp., Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V., Primo Brands Corp. and The Vita Coco Company, Inc. are well-poised to benefit from these trends. 

However, the industry continues to face headwinds from rising raw material, packaging and transportation costs, as well as tariff-related uncertainty, which could pressure margins, complicate pricing decisions and weigh on overall profitability.

About the IndustryThe Zacks Beverages - Soft Drinks industry comprises companies that manufacture, source, develop, market and sell non-alcoholic beverages. Soft drinks mainly include sparkling drinks, natural juices, enhanced water, sports and energy drinks, dairy, and ready-to-drink (RTD) tea and coffee beverages. Some industry players like PepsiCo produce and sell handy food with flavored snacks, complementing their beverage portfolio. The companies sell products through a network of wholesalers and retailers, including supermarkets, department stores, mass merchandisers, club stores and other retail outlets. Some also offer products via company-owned or controlled bottling, independent bottling partners and partner brand owners.

What's Shaping the Future of the Beverages - Soft Drinks Industry?Growing Demand for Healthier Beverages: Growing demand for healthier beverages is creating significant opportunities across the U.S. soft drinks industry. Consumers are increasingly choosing zero-sugar, low-calorie, naturally sweetened and clean-label products that support broader wellness goals. This shift is accelerating growth in diet sodas, flavored sparkling water, functional beverages and drinks enriched with electrolytes, vitamins, botanicals and other beneficial ingredients. 

In response, manufacturers are reformulating established brands, launching innovative flavors and expanding into adjacent categories to reach new audiences. These developments are helping companies attract health-conscious consumers, particularly younger buyers, while strengthening brand loyalty and supporting premium pricing. As interest in nutrition, hydration and functional benefits continues to rise, healthier beverage offerings should remain a major source of innovation, differentiation and sustainable industry growth ahead. 

Digital Growth & Innovation:Digital growth and innovation are reshaping the soft drinks industry as brands leverage technology to strengthen consumer engagement and streamline operations. Advanced data analytics and AI-driven insights are helping companies understand evolving preferences, personalize marketing and optimize product development. E-commerce continues to surge, with direct-to-consumer channels, subscription models and rapid-delivery partnerships expanding market reach. 

Digital platforms also enable immersive brand experiences through interactive campaigns, loyalty programs and social commerce. Meanwhile, automation, smart manufacturing and connected supply chains are improving efficiency and reducing costs. As competition intensifies, soft drink companies that embrace digital transformation, spanning R&D, marketing, distribution and customer experience, are better equipped to drive growth, enhance agility and capture revenue opportunities in an increasingly tech-driven marketplace.

Rising Costs & Tariff Uncertainty:Rising costs and tariff uncertainty are affecting the soft drinks industry, creating a challenging operating landscape for global and regional players alike. Higher input prices, spanning sugar, aluminum cans, packaging materials and transportation, are eroding margins, forcing companies to rethink pricing and supply-chain strategies. 

At the same time, ongoing tariff volatility, particularly on key ingredients and imported machinery, is complicating production planning and cost forecasting. Brands must balance selective price hikes with the risks of dampening consumer demand, especially in price-sensitive markets. To stay competitive, soft drink makers are doubling down on procurement optimization, local sourcing and efficiency-focused innovation. These cost burdens may squeeze margins, complicate pricing strategies and impact overall industry competitiveness.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright ProspectsThe Zacks Beverages - Soft Drinks industry is housed within the broader Consumer Staples sector. It currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #90, which places it in the top 37% of more than 250 Zacks industries.

The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates bright near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one.

The industry’s positioning in the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries results from a positive aggregate earnings outlook for the constituent companies. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are gradually gaining confidence in this group’s earnings growth potential.

Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let us look at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and valuation picture.

Industry vs. Broader MarketThe Zacks Beverages – Soft Drinks industry has outperformed the Consumer Staples sector but underperformed the S&P 500 Index in the past year.

The stocks in the industry have collectively gained 16.9% compared with the sector’s growth of 2.6% and the S&P 500’s growth of 25.1% in the past year.

Industry's Current ValuationOn the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, commonly used for valuing soft drink stocks, the industry is currently trading at 19.51X compared with the S&P 500’s 20.93X and the sector’s 17.22X.

Over the last five years, the industry traded as high as 23.76X and as low as 17.2X, with a median of 19.51X.

5 Soft Drink Stocks to WatchOne stock in the Zacks Beverages – Soft Drinks industry currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), whereas two stocks have a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). We have also highlighted two stocks with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) from the same industry. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Vita Coco:This is a pioneer in the functional beverage category. This New York-based company has been benefiting from its focus and investment to expand the consumption occasions of coconut water. This has been contributing to strong volume growth for the category and its flagship Vita Coco Coconut Water brand. 

The company’s focus on growing the coconut water category resulted in its overall sales growth, witnessing a 15% CAGR for the last four years. The company looks well-poised for growth, driven by its ability to drive brand volume increase via strong retail execution and creative marketing programs. Additionally, COCO’s strategies position it to improve profitability and cash generation in the long term.

Vita Coco’s shares have rallied 97.1% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for COCO’s 2026 sales and earnings indicates year-over-year increases of 31.6% and 64.7%, respectively. The consensus mark for earnings has moved up 11.4% in the past 30 days. The company currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1.

Coca-Cola: The soft drink behemoth is poised to gain from strategic transformation and ongoing worldwide recovery. The streamlining of its portfolio and accelerating investments to expand the digital presence position the company for long-term growth. It has been witnessing a splurge in e-commerce, with the growth rate of the channel doubling in many countries. KO is strengthening consumer connections and piloting numerous digital-enabled initiatives through fulfillment methods to capture the online demand for at-home consumption.

KO is diversifying its portfolio to tap into the rapidly growing RTD category. Coca-Cola has been gaining from the elasticity in the marketplace, an improved price/mix, and concentrated sales and underlying share gains in at-home and away-from-home channels. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KO’s 2026 sales and earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 3.6% and 9.7%, respectively. The consensus mark for earnings has moved up 0.6% in the past 30 days. This Zacks Rank #2 company’s shares have risen 23.3% in the past year.

Primo Brands: The company is a leading North American branded beverage company focused on healthy hydration. Primo Brands operates in a category supported by health, wellness and hydration trends, while its broad portfolio gives it exposure to multiple price points and consumption occasions. The company’s growth is driven by healthier hydration demand, premium-water momentum and improving Direct Delivery execution. Management expects retail momentum to be supported by new distribution, additional displays, Amazon Grocery availability and brand activation.

Direct Delivery service metrics are recovering, with better customer trends and on-time performance, creating scope for modest growth and stronger route economics. Premium brands, expanding distribution, improving delivery execution and disciplined cash generation support a balanced long-term investment case for shareholders. Shares of the company have risen 5.6% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PRMB’s 2026 sales suggests year-over-year growth of 1.6%. The consensus estimate for this Zacks Rank #2 company’s 2026 earnings per share has moved up 0.6% in the past 30 days.

Monster Beverage: The Corona, CA-based company markets and distributes energy drinks and alternative beverages. MNST has been experiencing continued strength in its energy drinks category, which is driving its performance. The company offers a wide range of energy drink brands, such as Monster Energy, Java Monster, Cafe Monster, Espresso Monster, Monster Energy Mule, Juice Monster Pipeline Punch, Juice Monster Pacific Punch, Juice Monster Mango Loco, Monster Ultra Paradise and Monster Hydra Sport. Product innovation also plays a significant role in the company's success. Monster Beverage is implementing pricing actions to overcome the ongoing cost pressure.

Despite supply-chain challenges, MNST continues to stand by its strategy to ensure product availability and solidify long-term growth of its brands. Management is optimistic about the strength in the global energy drinks category. It has been poised to gain from growth in the Monster Energy family of brands, and strength in Strategic and Affordable energy brands. Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 company have rallied 55.3% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MNST’s 2026 sales and earnings indicates year-over-year increases of 14.8% and 12.1%, respectively. The consensus mark for earnings has moved up 0.4% in the past seven days.

Fomento Económico Mexicano, alias FEMSA, participates in the beverage industry through Coca-Cola FEMSA, which is the world’s largest franchise bottler for Coca-Cola products. FEMSA presents a compelling investment case, driven by its FEMSA Forward strategy, which is sharpening operational focus, simplifying the portfolio and enhancing shareholder returns. Strong execution at OXXO Mexico, improving margins and disciplined international retail expansion support sustainable growth. Meanwhile, Digital@FEMSA is strengthening customer engagement through the rapidly scaling Spin ecosystem.

Backed by resilient cash flows, cost optimization and an attractive capital-allocation framework, including dividends and share repurchases, FEMSA is well-positioned for long-term value creation and earnings expansion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FMX’s 2026 sales and earnings suggests growth of 17.3% and 127.2%, respectively. The consensus mark for earnings has moved down 1.6% in the past seven days. The company’s shares have surged 40.9% in the past year. It currently has a Zacks Rank #3.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance  for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Buyback Capacity Is Rising Across 3 Soaring and Sinking StocksMonster Beverage NASDAQ: MNST reported record quarterly net sales in the second quarter of 2026, with revenue surpassing $2.5 billion for the first time as the energy-drink maker posted double-digit growth across all geographic regions.

Net sales rose 20.2% year over year to $2.54 billion, while sales excluding the alcohol brands segment increased 20.8%. On a foreign-currency-adjusted basis, total sales increased 17.9%. Net income per diluted share rose 19% to $0.59, and adjusted earnings per diluted share increased 15.2% to $0.60.

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Coca-Cola Stock Dips—Is CELH the Growth Your Portfolio Needs?Chief Executive Officer Hilton Schlosberg said the company gained share in many global markets, including for the Monster brand in the U.S., supported by core products and new offerings. He said global energy-drink demand remained healthy as the category continued to gain household penetration across a broader range of consumers, price points and usage occasions.

Segment Results and Margins Monster Energy drinks segment sales increased 21.6% to $2.36 billion in the quarter, or 19.3% on a currency-neutral basis. Sales in the strategic brands segment rose 10.6% to $143.7 million, while alcohol brands segment sales declined 15.2% to $32.2 million.

Celsius Stock Surges After Blowout Earnings and Pepsi DealGross profit margin was 55.9%, compared with 55.7% a year earlier. The company attributed the improvement primarily to pricing actions and product mix, partly offset by higher aluminum-can costs, geographic mix and freight-in costs.

Operating income increased 17.2% to $740.4 million. Adjusted operating income rose 13.3% to $748.1 million. Distribution expenses climbed to $118.8 million from $82 million, reflecting higher freight and fuel costs, while selling expenses rose to $269.2 million from $196.9 million as Monster increased spending on social media, digital marketing, sponsorships and endorsements.

Schlosberg said the increased marketing investment was intended to recruit new energy-drink consumers and broaden household penetration. The company highlighted partnerships and campaigns involving UFC, Formula One driver Lando Norris, country musician Morgan Wallen and the Big 12 Conference.

International Sales Drive Growth Sales to customers outside the U.S. increased 34.6% to $1.16 billion, representing approximately 46% of total net sales, compared with about 41% a year earlier. Currency-neutral international sales grew 29%.

EMEA: Sales increased 27.2% in dollars and 22.2% on a currency-neutral basis. Monster said its portfolio gained 220 basis points of value share in the region. Gross margin improved to 38.8% from 36.1%. Asia Pacific: Sales rose 35.7% in dollars and 36.7% on a currency-neutral basis. China sales grew 54% in local currency, while India sales increased 100.3% in local currency. Latin America and Caribbean: Sales increased 56.1% in dollars and 40.4% on a currency-neutral basis. Brazil local-currency sales rose 61.6%, while Mexico increased 20.5%. Guy Carling, CEO of EMEA and OSP, said the company’s regional growth was supported by established products as well as innovation, stronger execution with Coca-Cola bottling partners, additional cooler placements and broader retail assortment. He said zero-sugar energy drinks continued to be a major contributor, with the segment growing 23% in Europe versus 5% growth for full-sugar products.

Monster said it holds a 44.5% value share in Europe’s zero-sugar energy-drink segment, according to Nielsen data. The company also cited expansion of the Juice Monster Viking Berry product and affordable Bang Energy offerings in select markets.

U.S. Growth, Innovation and Pricing U.S. and Canada net sales increased 11.5% from the prior-year period. According to Nielsen, the Monster brand family gained 70 basis points of value market share during the quarter.

The company said sugar-free products remained an important growth driver. The Ultra family grew 19%, while Juice Monster sales increased 26%. Monster also pointed to contributions from products introduced in late 2025 and early 2026, along with limited-time offerings tied to America’s 250th anniversary.

Schlosberg said the company accelerated sampling and marketing behind Storm and Float during the quarter. He also highlighted opportunities in food service on premise, or FSOP, including a recently announced partnership between Marriott International and The Coca-Cola Company that Monster believes could expand distribution.

Rob Gehring, CEO of the Americas, said Monster has pursued consistent pricing over recent years and believes its approach continues to support volume growth. Monster has begun discussions with U.S. partners and customers regarding selective price increases that would take effect in the fourth quarter of 2026. Carling said the company has taken aggregate low-single-digit pricing in EMEA and expects to continue taking price opportunistically depending on market and competitive conditions.

Tariffs, Aluminum Costs and Outlook Schlosberg said tariffs and higher aluminum prices had a modest impact during the second quarter, though tariffs have increased the Midwest premium for aluminum and raised can costs. The company expects a continued modest sequential increase in aluminum costs through at least the end of 2026, based on current pricing and the Midwest premium.

Monster said it does not believe current tariffs will have a material impact on operating results, but it plans to continue hedging where possible and reviewing potential pricing actions domestically and internationally.

For July, Monster estimated that sales excluding alcohol brands increased approximately 14.3% from July 2025 on a reported basis, or 13.9% on a currency-adjusted basis. The company cautioned that monthly sales can be affected by promotional activity, timing of production, new product launches, price changes and distributor inventory decisions.

Monster did not repurchase shares during the second quarter. About $900 million remained available under its authorized repurchase program as of Aug. 5. The company also expects shares to begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on Aug. 11 following its previously announced two-for-one stock split.

Looking ahead, Monster plans to present its innovation pipeline at the NACS Show in October and will host an investor meeting in New York on Dec. 1. The company is also continuing a digital-transformation effort, including a planned Jan. 1, 2028, go-live for its SAP S/4HANA platform upgrade.

About Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST)Monster Beverage Corporation NASDAQ: MNST is an American beverage company best known for its Monster Energy brand of energy drinks. The company's product portfolio centers on carbonated energy beverages and a range of complementary ready-to-drink offerings, including energy coffees, hydration beverages and other flavored functional drinks. Monster markets multiple sub-brands and flavor variants to address different consumer segments and consumption occasions.

Originally organized around the Hansen's Natural line of juices and sodas, the company pivoted toward the energy drink category and formally adopted the Monster Beverage name in the early 2010s to reflect its strategic focus.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Should You Invest $1,000 in Monster Beverage Right Now?Before you consider Monster Beverage, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Monster Beverage wasn't on the list.

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