Tigress Reiterates Neutral On Coca-Cola After ‘Bold’ Costa Acquisition

Tigress Financial analyst Ivan Feinseth reiterates a Neutral rating on Coca-Cola (KO) shares following the company’s acquisition of Costa.

The deal positions Coca-Cola “in the center of the very competitive coffee-based beverage business” where it will compete head-on with Starbucks (SBUX) and Nestle (NSRGY), Feinseth tells investors in a research note.

The Costa acquisition is a “bold move” by Coca-Cola as it continues trying to expand outside of its core beverage business and increase its retail presence, the analyst adds. He believes, however, that “intense” competition in the beverage industry, coupled with ongoing changes in consumer tastes, creates “significant Business Performance headwinds” for Coke.