Rising Cost-of-Living Pressures? Why Retirees Should Buy This High-Yield Dividend Legend and Never Look Back

Rising cost-of-living pressures are framed as a case for Coca-Cola as a reliable income investment in today’s inflationary environment. The analysis points to Coca-Cola (KO) as a recession-resistant brand with broad pricing power across nearly every country, reinforced by inflation data in the 3.7%–3.5% range. In 2025 the company paid $8.8 billion in dividends against free cash flow of $5.296 billion, while management guides 2026 FCF near $12.2 billion, supporting a payout around 72% of FCF. With an expected 2026 EPS near $3.00 and a dividend run rate of $2.12, profits cover the payout, and Coca-Cola maintains a cash balance of about $10.6 billion.