KO vs. MKC

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

KO (The Coca-Cola Company) and MKC (McCormick & Company, Incorporated) are both stocks. Both are in the Consumer Defensive sector — KO in Beverages - Non-Alcoholic, MKC in Packaged Foods. Over the past 10 years, KO returned 8.99%/yr vs 1.49%/yr for MKC. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

KO vs. MKC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Coca-Cola Company (KO) and McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, KO achieves a 14.56% return, which is significantly higher than MKC's -29.48% return. Over the past 10 years, KO has outperformed MKC with an annualized return of 8.99%, while MKC has yielded a comparatively lower 1.49% annualized return.

KO

• 1D: 0.08%
• 1M: 1.43%
• YTD: 14.56%
• 6M: 14.00%
• 1Y: 14.71%
• 3Y*: 12.88%
• 5Y*: 10.72%
• 10Y*: 8.99%

MKC

• 1D: 0.78%
• 1M: -1.47%
• YTD: -29.48%
• 6M: -23.94%
• 1Y: -33.99%
• 3Y*: -17.31%
• 5Y*: -9.65%
• 10Y*: 1.49%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

KO vs. MKC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
KO The Coca-Cola Company	14.56%	15.60%	8.88%	-4.43%	10.61%	11.37%	2.47%	20.60%	6.77%	14.38%
MKC McCormick & Company, Incorporated	-29.48%	-8.33%	13.97%	-15.68%	-12.65%	2.67%	14.70%	23.65%	39.01%	11.34%

Correlation

The correlation between KO and MKC is 0.42, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.42
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.49
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.52
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.49
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 27, 1990	0.34

The correlation between KO and MKC shifts across timeframes, from 0.34 (all time) to 0.52 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap KO : $343.14B MKC : $12.83B
EPS KO : $3.18 MKC : $6.10
PE Ratio KO : 25.04 MKC : 7.80
PEG Ratio KO : 3.02 MKC : 5.67
PS Ratio KO : 6.96 MKC : 1.80
PB Ratio KO : 10.20 MKC : 1.84
Total Revenue (TTM) KO : $49.28B MKC : $7.11B
Gross Profit (TTM) KO : $30.43B MKC : $2.70B
EBITDA (TTM) KO : $18.35B MKC : $1.22B

Return for Risk

KO vs. MKC — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

KO

KO Risk / Return Rank: 69
KO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
KO Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
KO Omega Ratio Rank: 61
KO Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
KO Martin Ratio Rank: 71

MKC

MKC Risk / Return Rank: 4
MKC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2
MKC Sortino Ratio Rank: 4
MKC Omega Ratio Rank: 6
MKC Calmar Ratio Rank: 8
MKC Martin Ratio Rank: 2

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

KO vs. MKC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Coca-Cola Company (KO) and McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	KO	MKC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.90	-1.22	+2.13
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.49	-1.74	+3.22
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	0.80	+0.36
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.87	-0.86	+2.74
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.66	-1.75	+5.41
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

KO vs. MKC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current KO Sharpe Ratio is 0.90, which is higher than the MKC Sharpe Ratio of -1.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of KO and MKC, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	KO	MKC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.90	-1.22	+2.13
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.67	-0.40	+1.07
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.50	0.06	+0.43
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.53	0.43	+0.10

Drawdowns

KO vs. MKC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum KO drawdown since its inception was -68.23%, which is greater than MKC's maximum drawdown of -52.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KO and MKC.

Drawdown Indicators

	KO	MKC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-68.23%	-52.02%	-16.21%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.89%	-39.50%	+31.61%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.26%	-47.65%	+31.39%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.27%	-52.02%	+34.75%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.99%	-52.02%	+15.03%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.91%	-49.90%	+46.99%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-16.09%	-11.01%	-5.08%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.03%	19.43%	-15.40%

Volatility

KO vs. MKC - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is 5.81%, while McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) has a volatility of 6.70%. This indicates that KO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than MKC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	KO	MKC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.81%	6.70%	-0.89%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.37%	23.08%	-10.71%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.37%	27.96%	-11.59%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.10%	24.30%	-8.20%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.21%	24.16%	-5.95%

Dividends

KO vs. MKC - Dividend Comparison

KO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.59%, less than MKC's 3.91% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
KO The Coca-Cola Company	2.59%	2.92%	3.12%	3.12%	2.77%	2.84%	2.99%	2.89%	3.29%	3.23%	3.38%	3.07%
MKC McCormick & Company, Incorporated	3.91%	2.69%	2.24%	2.32%	1.81%	1.44%	1.68%	1.37%	1.53%	1.89%	1.89%	1.91%

Financials

KO vs. MKC - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between The Coca-Cola Company and McCormick & Company, Incorporated over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

KO - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Coca-Cola Company reported a gross profit of 7.85B and revenue of 12.47B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 63.0%.

MKC - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported a gross profit of 708.90M and revenue of 1.87B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 37.8%.

KO - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Coca-Cola Company reported an operating income of 4.36B and revenue of 12.47B, resulting in an operating margin of 35.0%.

MKC - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported an operating income of 227.50M and revenue of 1.87B, resulting in an operating margin of 12.1%.

KO - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Coca-Cola Company reported a net income of 3.92B and revenue of 12.47B, resulting in a net margin of 31.5%.

MKC - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported a net income of 1.02B and revenue of 1.87B, resulting in a net margin of 54.2%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both KO and MKC in my portfolio?

KO and MKC have a correlation of 0.42, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, KO or MKC?

MKC has higher volatility (6.70%) compared to KO (5.81%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KO dropped -68.23% vs MKC's -52.02%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

KO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.90 vs -1.22), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.