PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP Shares Sold by Panagora Asset Management Inc.

Key Points

• Panagora Asset Management cut its PepsiCo position by 30.4% in the fourth quarter, selling 173,647 shares and ending with 398,249 shares valued at about $57.2 million.
• PepsiCo reported better-than-expected quarterly results, with EPS of $1.61 versus estimates of $1.55 and revenue of $19.44 billion, up 8.5% year over year. Analysts currently expect the company to earn 8.63 EPS for the full year.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $1.48 per share, bringing the annualized payout to $5.92 and a yield of about 4.1%. However, recent analyst moves were mixed, with some price target cuts and a consensus rating of Hold.

Panagora Asset Management Inc. lessened its stake in shares of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP - Free Report) by 30.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 398,249 shares of the company's stock after selling 173,647 shares during the period. Panagora Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in PepsiCo were worth $57,157,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Swiss RE Ltd. acquired a new stake in PepsiCo during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV acquired a new position in shares of PepsiCo in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of PepsiCo in the third quarter worth $31,000. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of PepsiCo in the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 47.8% in the fourth quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 232 shares of the company's stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. 73.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

PepsiCo Price Performance

PEP stock opened at $144.27 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.72. PepsiCo, Inc. has a 52-week low of $127.60 and a 52-week high of $171.48. The company has a 50-day moving average of $151.11 and a two-hundred day moving average of $152.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $197.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.35.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP - Get Free Report) last released 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 net margin of 9.15% and a return on equity of 56.61%. The company had revenue of $19.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $18.89 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.48 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 8.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.63 EPS for the current year.

PepsiCo Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, June 5th will be paid a $1.48 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 5th. This is a boost from PepsiCo's previous quarterly dividend of $1.42. This represents a $5.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.1%. PepsiCo's dividend payout ratio is 92.94%.

Key Stories Impacting PepsiCo

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo continues to expand its autonomous freight network with Gatik, a move that could improve logistics efficiency and help address staffing challenges in hard-to-serve routes. How PepsiCo’s Driverless Freight Rollout With Gatik (PEP) Has Changed Its Investment Story
• Positive Sentiment: The company also highlighted sustainability-focused farmer financing through Compeer Financial, which supports PepsiCo’s supply chain and long-term agricultural sourcing strategy. Compeer Financial Collaborates with PepsiCo to Provide Strip-Till Equipment Financing
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo was included in a Q1 review of beverage, alcohol, and tobacco stocks, but the article was primarily a peer comparison and did not indicate a major new catalyst. Beverages, Alcohol, and Tobacco Stocks Q1 In Review: PepsiCo NASDAQ: PEP Vs Peers
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst estimate changes were modest, with Erste Group trimming FY2027 EPS slightly to $9.14 from $9.15, suggesting limited impact on the outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: TD Cowen cut its price target on PepsiCo to $150 from $165 and kept a hold rating, signaling more cautious near-term sentiment on the stock. TD Cowen adjusts PepsiCo price target to 150 from 165
• Negative Sentiment: Piper Sandler also lowered its price target on PepsiCo to $178 from $181, reinforcing the view that analysts see only limited upside from here. Piper Sandler adjusts price target on PepsiCo to 178 from 181

Analyst Ratings Changes

PEP has been the topic of a number of research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $165.00 to $163.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Evercore upped their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $165.00 to $170.00 in a report on Friday, April 17th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $154.00 to $158.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, April 20th. BNP Paribas Exane upped their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $191.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $160.00 to $150.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, June 5th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $167.35.

PepsiCo Company 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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