Coca-Cola's new CEO can boast about something that billionaire Mag 7 members Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg can't

In a surprising turn of events, Coca-Cola's new CEO Henrique Braun is outperforming tech giants Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Braun took over as CEO in March and Coca-Cola's stock is trading at a record high, up 32% year to date. This performance is in stark contrast to Meta's recent 15% decline and Tesla's 22% drop. Despite being considered a "boring" investment due to its focus on soda and juice, Coca-Cola's shares have surpassed every member of the Magnificent 7 tech complex this year according to Yahoo Finance AlphaSpace data.

Braun's leadership has been marked by expense cuts and a focus on safe haven appeal, leading to a 16% jump in earnings per share and a 7% increase in net revenue. Investors have been attracted to Coca-Cola's reliable cash flow and dividend stability, viewing it as a defensive investment during market volatility. Analysts view Coca-Cola as a "must own" name for long-term income-oriented investors seeking to compound returns at around 10% annually.