KO vs XLP Stock Comparison
XLP currently leads KO in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 62 vs 61. The clearest difference is value, while KO has the stronger quality profile.
What is the main difference between KO and XLP?
XLP leads the current stock comparison as State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF, with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
The Coca-Cola Company vs State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF
XLP leads
XLP leads by 1 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Risk Resilience, having only recently taken the lead back from KO.
Fragile: 2 of 4 evidence groups support XLP, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
The Coca-Cola Company
State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors XLP over KO, 62 versus 61 as of Oct 21, 2026. XLP's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and risk resilience, while KO holds the stronger quality profile. XLP also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 2 of 4 covered evidence groups favor XLP today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. XLP lead: Reversed — KO led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; XLP now leads by 1.
Compare The Coca-Cola Company and State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare KO and XLP against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Quality80 vs 68KO +12
- Value27 vs 39XLP +12
- Risk Resilience57 vs 64XLP +7
- Momentum81 vs 81Even
2 of 4 evidence groups favor XLP. XLP’s edge is concentrated in value and risk resilience; KO keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Risk Resilience +1, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 7 active signals are unchanged.
No factor moved materially.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 8 active signals are unchanged.
XLP's lead was unchanged in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — KO and XLP both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
XLP (State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and risk resilience.
KO (The Coca-Cola Company): the counter-case, on quality, technicals.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
XLPXLP on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
EvenGrowth figures are not covered for both names.
Value
XLPXLP on the peer-relative Value factor, by 12 points.
Momentum
EvenThe two are level on Momentum.
Lower downside
XLPXLP on Risk Resilience, by 7 points.
Analyst upside
EvenAnalyst targets are level or not covered for both names.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | KO | XLP | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +0.7% | — | Level |
| Target dispersion | +22.5% | — | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | — | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 12 | — | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
2 of 4 covered evidence groups favor XLP. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 61 vs 62 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | XLP | Value 27 vs 39 |
| Technicals | KO | Price vs 50-day 4.5% vs 3.5%; vs 200-day 15.1% vs 4.3% |
| Risk Resilience | XLP | Risk Resilience 57 vs 64 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of KO and XLP and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 2 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on XLP.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20XLP lead: Reversed — KO led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; XLP now leads by 1.
- Today
- XLP +1
- 61 vs 62
- 7 sessions ago
- XLP +1
- 61 vs 62
- 30 sessions ago
- KO +1
- 52 vs 51
- 90 sessions ago
- XLP +2
- 54 vs 56
The lead changed hands 16 times in this window, most recently on Oct 12 when XLP moved ahead of KO.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
6 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
No signal that the other name lacks.
6 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only XLP
- ATR Contraction - Coiling — neutral, volatility, short horizon (1.28%)
Both carry 7 more signals that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active, Keltner Channel Breakout, RSI Overbought, EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish, 52-Week High Proximity, Uptrend Structure Active, MACD Bullish Crossover.
XLP leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.87%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.73%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1KO closes the Value gap — currently 12 points behind, the largest single contributor to XLP's edge.
- 2KO's RSI Overbought resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it.
- 3XLP's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 6 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
Split| Metric | KO | XLP |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 7.3% | — |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 13.2% | — |
| Gross margin | 61.9% | — |
| Operating margin | 29.6% | — |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 43% | — |
| Debt to equity | 1.2 | — |
Performance
KO leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | KO | XLP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 3.8% | 4.2% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 5.5% | 6.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 13.7% | 4% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 23.8% | 7.2% |
| Year to date | 31.6% | 13% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 38.3% | 11.4% |
Technicals
KO has the stronger structure| Metric | KO | XLP |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 83.7 | 83.4 |
| ADX (14) | 25.1 | 28.5 |
| Price vs 50-day | 4.5% | 3.5% |
| Price vs 200-day | 15.1% | 4.3% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 16% | 14.8% |
Risk
XLP is the more resilient| Metric | KO | XLP |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | -0.26 | -0.09 |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.53 | 0.46 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.9 | 0.79 |
| Max drawdown | -8.5% | -10.8% |
| Current drawdown | -0.4% | -2.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 19.1% | 14.8% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -1.6% | -1.4% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, KO or XLP?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, XLP is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 62 against KO's 61. The edge comes from value and risk resilience. KO is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is KO or XLP the better buy right now?
XLP carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 2 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor XLP over KO?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. KO leads Quality by 12 points; XLP leads Value by 12 points; XLP leads Risk Resilience by 7 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, KO or XLP?
Analyst price targets imply +0.7% upside for KO and not covered for XLP. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, KO or XLP?
XLP is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. XLP on the peer-relative Value factor, by 12 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, KO or XLP?
Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, KO or XLP?
The two are level on Momentum. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, KO or XLP?
XLP is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. XLP on Risk Resilience, by 7 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is KO more profitable than XLP?
Margin data is not comparable for both names in the current snapshot.
Is XLP's lead over KO getting stronger or weaker?
XLP lead: Reversed — KO led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; XLP now leads by 1. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 16 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-12, when XLP moved ahead of KO.
What would change the KO vs XLP verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: KO closes the Value gap — currently 12 points behind, the largest single contributor to XLP's edge; KO's RSI Overbought resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it; XLP's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 6 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about KO and XLP?
KO: 6 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. XLP: 6 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on KO is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On XLP it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.