Coca-Cola (KO) Cancels Costa Coffee Sale Plan After Bids Fall Short of £2B
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 14 2026
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Sale Plan Canceled: Coca-Cola has ended negotiations with TDR Capital and Bain Capital regarding the sale of Costa Coffee due to private equity bids falling short of expectations, with a target price of £2B, significantly lower than the £3.9B paid in 2018.
- Leadership Change: COO Henrique Braun is set to replace James Quincey as CEO in March 2026, following Quincey's remarks last year about Costa's underperformance, indicating a strategic reassessment within the company.
- Medium-Term Plan Adjustments: Although the sale has been scrapped, sources indicate that Coca-Cola may revisit the divestiture of Costa Coffee in the medium term, suggesting ongoing evaluations of its asset portfolio.
- Market Reaction: Coca-Cola's shares snapped a six-session losing streak, but concerns about the company's investment appeal have arisen, particularly given the failure to execute asset disposals, which could impact cash flow and shareholder returns.
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Analyst Views on BCSF
Wall Street analysts forecast BCSF stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for BCSF is 14.83 USD with a low forecast of 14.00 USD and a high forecast of 16.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
3 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 13.110
Low
14.00
Averages
14.83
High
16.00
Current: 13.110
Low
14.00
Averages
14.83
High
16.00
About BCSF
Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc. is an externally managed specialty finance company focused on lending to middle market companies. The Company's investment objective is to generate current income and, to a lesser extent, capital appreciation through direct originations of secured debt, including first lien, first lien/last out, unitranche and second lien debt, investments in strategic joint ventures, equity investments and, to a lesser extent, corporate bonds. Its primary focus is capitalizing on opportunities within Bain Capital Credit's Senior Direct Lending Strategy, which seeks to provide risk-adjusted returns and current income to investors by investing primarily in middle-market direct lending opportunities across North America, Europe and Australia and also in other geographic markets. It may also invest in mezzanine debt and other junior securities, including common and preferred equity and in secondary purchases of assets or portfolios. It is managed by BCSF Advisors, LP.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Sale Plan Canceled: Coca-Cola has ended negotiations with TDR Capital and Bain Capital regarding the sale of Costa Coffee due to private equity bids falling short of expectations, with a target price of £2B, significantly lower than the £3.9B paid in 2018.
- Leadership Change: COO Henrique Braun is set to replace James Quincey as CEO in March 2026, following Quincey's remarks last year about Costa's underperformance, indicating a strategic reassessment within the company.
- Medium-Term Plan Adjustments: Although the sale has been scrapped, sources indicate that Coca-Cola may revisit the divestiture of Costa Coffee in the medium term, suggesting ongoing evaluations of its asset portfolio.
- Market Reaction: Coca-Cola's shares snapped a six-session losing streak, but concerns about the company's investment appeal have arisen, particularly given the failure to execute asset disposals, which could impact cash flow and shareholder returns.
See More
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- Redemption Terms: The notes may be redeemed at par plus a make-whole premium or at par one month prior to maturity, providing flexible return options for investors and enhancing the attractiveness of the bond offering.
- Use of Proceeds: Proceeds from this offering are expected to be used to repay outstanding secured debt and for general corporate purposes, aiming to optimize the capital structure and enhance financial flexibility to support the company's long-term growth strategy.
- Market Reaction: BCSF shares fell 0.18% to $13.685, reflecting a cautious market sentiment regarding the debt issuance, which may influence investor perceptions of the company's future financial health.
See More
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- Bond Offering Size: Bain Capital Specialty Finance announced a $350 million offering of 5.950% senior notes maturing in 2031, reflecting the company's strong capital market capabilities and proactive funding strategy for future needs.
- Flexible Redemption Terms: The notes can be redeemed at par one month prior to maturity, providing flexible funding management options aimed at reducing financing costs and optimizing capital structure, thereby enhancing financial stability.
- Clear Use of Proceeds: The net proceeds from this offering will be used to repay outstanding secured indebtedness and for general corporate purposes, indicating the company's strategic intent to optimize its debt structure and improve operational efficiency.
- Strong Underwriting Team: The involvement of prominent financial institutions such as Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan as joint book-running managers demonstrates market confidence in the notes and their attractiveness to investors.
See More
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- Redemption Terms: The notes may be redeemed at par one month prior to maturity, providing flexible financial management options aimed at reducing future interest expenses and optimizing capital allocation.
- Use of Proceeds: The company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay outstanding secured indebtedness and for general corporate purposes, which is expected to improve financial health and enhance operational flexibility.
- Underwriting Team: Wells Fargo, J.P. Morgan, and several other financial institutions are acting as joint book-running managers for this offering, reflecting market confidence in the notes and their influence in the capital markets.
See More
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- Leadership Transition: Gross was appointed co-managing partner in 2024, while John Connaughton, who has held the position since 2016, will transition to chairman, ensuring a smooth governance structure transition for the firm.
- Regional Investment Platform Development: Gross has previously built Bain Capital's Asia investment platform and participated in the $18 billion acquisition of Kioxia, showcasing his extensive experience in private equity and technology sectors.
- Global Asset Management Scale: Bain Capital manages approximately $215 billion in assets, and the leadership adjustments across the firm will help navigate the challenges posed by higher interest rates and increased regulatory scrutiny in the evolving market landscape.
See More
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- Sale Plan Canceled: Coca-Cola has ended negotiations with TDR Capital and Bain Capital regarding the sale of Costa Coffee due to private equity bids falling short of expectations, with a target price of £2B, significantly lower than the £3.9B paid in 2018.
- Leadership Change: COO Henrique Braun is set to replace James Quincey as CEO in March 2026, following Quincey's remarks last year about Costa's underperformance, indicating a strategic reassessment within the company.
- Medium-Term Plan Adjustments: Although the sale has been scrapped, sources indicate that Coca-Cola may revisit the divestiture of Costa Coffee in the medium term, suggesting ongoing evaluations of its asset portfolio.
- Market Reaction: Coca-Cola's shares snapped a six-session losing streak, but concerns about the company's investment appeal have arisen, particularly given the failure to execute asset disposals, which could impact cash flow and shareholder returns.
See More
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- Special Dividend Announcement: Bain Capital Specialty Finance has declared a special dividend of $0.15 per share, to be paid on January 26, 2026, aimed at managing tax and RIC distribution requirements, reflecting the company's over-earnings throughout the year.
- Capital Management Strategy: CFO Amit Joshi stated that this special dividend demonstrates the company's disciplined capital management, aiming to retain a meaningful amount of spillover income to enhance the stability of regular dividends and steadily build net asset value per share.
- Investment Background: Since commencing investment operations on October 13, 2016, BCSF has invested approximately $9.6885 billion in debt and equity investments, showcasing its strong performance in lending to middle-market companies.
- Business Development Objective: BCSF's investment objective is to generate current income through direct originations of secured debt, including first lien and second lien debt, while also pursuing capital appreciation, further solidifying its position in the industry.
See More
