UBS upgrades Coca-Cola, says its stable earnings growth perfect for these 'defensive times'

Coca Cola

Improvements to Coca-Cola's business strategy have the international soda maker on track for three years of better-than-expected earnings and make the company's stock a good investment opportunity, according to UBS.

The firm upgraded Coca-Cola to a buy rating from neutral.

Between aggressive prices increases, its acquisition of a global coffee brand and a big global refranchising effort, shares of Coca-Cola should rally at least 16% over the next year, wrote analyst Sean King.