Ascentis Independent Advisors Grows Holdings in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Key Points

• Ascentis Independent Advisors increased its PepsiCo stake by 169.7% in the first quarter, buying 7,591 additional shares and bringing its total holdings to 12,064 shares valued at about $1.87 million.
• Institutional interest in PepsiCo remains broad, with hedge funds and other investors owning 73.07% of the stock and several firms recently opening small new positions.
• PepsiCo is facing mixed signals: it recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.48 per share and posted stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings, but some analysts have cut price targets and warned that momentum in the turnaround may be slowing.

Ascentis Independent Advisors grew its stake in shares of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP - Free Report) by 169.7% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 12,064 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 7,591 shares during the quarter. Ascentis Independent Advisors' holdings in PepsiCo were worth $1,874,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in PepsiCo during the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Swiss RE Ltd. bought a new position in shares of PepsiCo during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV purchased a new position in shares of PepsiCo during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of PepsiCo during the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Networth Advisors LLC lifted its position in PepsiCo by 2,857.1% in the 1st quarter. Networth Advisors LLC now owns 207 shares of the company's stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. 73.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

PepsiCo News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo announced a new sustainability initiative, RegenLend, designed to help farmers adopt soil conservation practices and support its supply chain. The company also highlighted a promotional partnership with Captain D’s, which could help brand visibility and consumer engagement. PepsiCo (PEP) Launches RegenLend And Captain D's Seafood Promotion
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart said it is lowering prices on summer barbecue items, including PepsiCo sodas and chips, which could support volume for PepsiCo brands if the promotions drive stronger store traffic and consumer purchases. Trump claims credit as Walmart drops prices on barbecue staples
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo named Suraya Hamdulay to lead Southern Africa corporate affairs, a routine leadership update with limited near-term impact on the stock. PepsiCo names Suraya Hamdulay to lead Southern Africa corporate affairs
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles ahead of earnings note that PepsiCo is in focus this week, but that is mainly a calendar-driven setup rather than a direct catalyst. Wall Street braces for Fed signals as earnings season gets underway
• Negative Sentiment: Barclays reportedly cut its price target on PepsiCo and warned that the company’s turnaround may be losing momentum ahead of second-quarter earnings, pointing to slowing North American demand. That kind of commentary can weigh on shares. PEP Stock Faces Fresh Pressure: Barclays Cuts Price Target, Warns Turnaround Is Losing Steam Ahead Of Q2 Earnings

PepsiCo Stock Performance

PepsiCo stock opened at $143.29 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98. The firm has a market cap of $195.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.49, a P/E/G ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.36. PepsiCo, Inc. has a 1-year low of $132.96 and a 1-year high of $171.48. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $146.59 and a 200-day moving average of $151.71.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 15th. The company reported $1.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.06. PepsiCo had a return on equity of 56.61% and a net margin of 9.15%.The company had revenue of $19.44 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.89 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.48 EPS. PepsiCo's revenue was up 8.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.62 EPS for the current year.

PepsiCo Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, June 5th were issued a dividend of $1.48 per share. This is a boost from PepsiCo's previous quarterly dividend of $1.42. This represents a $5.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.1%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 5th. PepsiCo's dividend payout ratio is currently 92.94%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $142.00 price target on shares of PepsiCo and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $158.00 to $144.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of PepsiCo from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, April 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price objective on PepsiCo from $165.00 to $163.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their target price on PepsiCo from $173.00 to $168.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $165.00.

PepsiCo Profile

PepsiCo, Inc NASDAQ: PEP is a multinational food and beverage company headquartered in Purchase, New York. The company develops, manufactures, markets and sells a broad portfolio of branded food and beverage products, including carbonated and noncarbonated soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, juices, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, salty snacks, cereals, and other convenient foods. Its leading consumer brands include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Tropicana, Quaker, Lay's, Doritos and Cheetos, among others.

Formed through the 1965 merger of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay, PepsiCo has grown into a global business with integrated manufacturing, distribution and marketing operations.

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