Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. Raises Position in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP - Free Report) by 5.2% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 3,033,404 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 149,718 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. owned 0.22% of PepsiCo worth $431,441,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. JCIC Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of PepsiCo during the third quarter valued at about $27,000. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV purchased a new stake in PepsiCo during the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in PepsiCo in the third quarter worth about $31,000. Strategic Advocates LLC purchased a new stake in PepsiCo during the third quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of PepsiCo in the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. 73.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting PepsiCo

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Competitive Q1 showing vs. Coca‑Cola — analysis notes PepsiCo leaned on snacks, international resilience and an “affordability reset” to revive North American volumes, widening a gap with Coca‑Cola and supporting revenue diversification. PepsiCo vs Coca-Cola: A Decade-Long Fight for Dominance
• Positive Sentiment: Productivity and cost savings seen as a hedge against inflation — Zacks highlights management’s multi-pronged productivity program (cost efficiencies, supply-chain optimization, disciplined overhead) that supports margins and EPS guidance. Can Productivity Savings Shield PepsiCo From Inflation Pressures?
• Positive Sentiment: New low‑carbon fertilizer attribute agreement with TalusAg — a sustainability/supply‑chain move that may reduce long‑term input‑cost and ESG risk; it’s PepsiCo’s first executed transaction of this type. PepsiCo and TalusAg Announce Low-carbon Ammonia Attribute Agreement
• Positive Sentiment: Brand and product innovation — Gatorade’s multi‑year “Body of Science” research and new product launches (Tostitos refrigerated dips, Pure Leaf Mental Focus sparkling teas, Quaker protein SKUs) support long‑term growth and portfolio expansion. Gatorade Unveils "Body of Science" PepsiCo Balances Human Rights Scrutiny With Health Focused Product Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Partnerships boosting adjacent categories — coverage on Celsius notes Pepsi partnerships (distribution/marketing) that help expand energy‑category exposure without heavy capex. This supports top‑line optionality. Will Celsius Holdings Stock Extend Its Earnings Beat Streak in Q1?
• Positive Sentiment: Investor income appeal — recent dividend‑focused writeups list PepsiCo among steady dividend names, supporting demand from income investors. 10 Years, Zero Regrets: The Dividend Stocks I Keep Buying
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail/market lists and “best consumer staples” features — inclusion in consumer‑staples roundups can provide marketing lift but usually has limited immediate price impact. Best Consumer Staples Stocks to Buy in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader negative-themed roundup that mentions “unpopular stocks” — unless the piece singles out PepsiCo with fresh downgrades, these lists tend to have limited direct impact. 3 Unpopular Stocks We Keep Off Our Radar
• Negative Sentiment: Shareholder proposal on human‑rights reporting — a governance/ESG proposal seeking more detailed effectiveness reporting is gaining attention ahead of the annual meeting; could raise compliance and disclosure expectations and pressure sentiment if voting outcomes are contentious. PepsiCo Balances Human Rights Scrutiny With Health Focused Product Expansion

PepsiCo Trading Up 0.3%

NASDAQ:PEP opened at $155.04 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $157.76 and a 200-day simple moving average of $152.46. PepsiCo, Inc. has a one year low of $127.60 and a one year high of $171.48. The firm has a market cap of $211.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 0.90.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 16th. The company reported $1.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $19.44 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.89 billion. PepsiCo had a net margin of 9.15% and a return on equity of 56.61%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.48 earnings per share. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.465-8.628 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

PepsiCo announced that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, February 3rd that permits the company to repurchase $10.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to purchase up to 4.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally a sign that the company's board believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on PEP shares. UBS Group reduced their price target on PepsiCo from $190.00 to $186.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Wall Street Zen downgraded PepsiCo from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, April 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $180.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $162.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of PepsiCo in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, PepsiCo presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $170.26.

About PepsiCo

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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