Vestor Capital LLC Grows Stake in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Key Points

• Vestor Capital increased its PepsiCo stake by 5,495.7% in the first quarter, bringing its holdings to 36,764 shares valued at approximately $5.7 million. Institutional investors collectively own 73.07% of PepsiCo.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious, with a consensus “Hold” rating and an average price target of $157.90. PepsiCo shares opened at $140.20, near the lower end of their 52-week range.
• PepsiCo slightly exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, while approving a $1.48 quarterly dividend—or $5.92 annually—for a yield of about 4.2%. Softer North American demand, pricing pressure and elevated leverage remain key concerns.

Vestor Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP - Free Report) by 5,495.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 36,764 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 36,107 shares during the period. Vestor Capital LLC's holdings in PepsiCo were worth $5,709,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in PEP. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd grew its holdings in PepsiCo by 11.4% in the fourth quarter. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd now owns 415,271 shares of the company's stock valued at $59,600,000 after purchasing an additional 42,335 shares during the last quarter. National Pension Service grew its holdings in shares of PepsiCo by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. National Pension Service now owns 3,143,939 shares of the company's stock worth $451,218,000 after buying an additional 77,051 shares in the last quarter. Allstate Corp lifted its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 108.1% during the fourth quarter. Allstate Corp now owns 104,723 shares of the company's stock valued at $15,030,000 after buying an additional 54,405 shares during the period. IFM Investors Pty Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of PepsiCo by 4.8% during the first quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 273,135 shares of the company's stock worth $42,415,000 after purchasing an additional 12,472 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC boosted its stake in PepsiCo by 90.0% in the 4th quarter. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC now owns 94,652 shares of the company's stock worth $13,584,000 after buying an additional 44,824 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.07% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $163.00 to $161.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $155.00 price objective on shares of PepsiCo in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Wall Street Zen lowered PepsiCo from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, April 18th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $162.00 to $152.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on PepsiCo from $180.00 to $183.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $157.90.

PepsiCo Stock Down 2.3%

PepsiCo stock opened at $140.20 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.93. PepsiCo, Inc. has a one year low of $133.73 and a one year high of $171.48. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $141.49 and a 200-day simple moving average of $151.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $191.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.37, a P/E/G ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 0.36.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 9th. The company reported $2.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.19 by $0.01. PepsiCo had a net margin of 10.78% and a return on equity of 54.63%. The firm had revenue of $24.18 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.95 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.92 EPS. PepsiCo's revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.550-8.710 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.57 earnings per share for the current year.

PepsiCo Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 4th will be given a dividend of $1.48 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 4th. This represents a $5.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.2%. PepsiCo's payout ratio is currently 77.59%.

Insider Transactions at PepsiCo

In related news, EVP David Flavell sold 2,900 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.54, for a total value of $404,666.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 74,825 shares in the company, valued at $10,441,080.50. This trade represents a 3.73% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.12% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Trending Headlines about PepsiCo

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: International volume growth, product innovation and productivity initiatives are helping offset softer North American demand. PepsiCo’s broad global brand portfolio remains a key support for its outlook. PepsiCo Rides Global Volume Growth as North American Demand Slows
• Positive Sentiment: The stock’s valuation and dividend remain appealing to income-focused investors. PepsiCo recently approved a quarterly dividend of $1.48 per share, equivalent to an annualized $5.92 and a yield above 4%. Its latest quarterly earnings and revenue also slightly exceeded expectations. PepsiCo’s Brand and Dividend Strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo appointed Tanvi Swami as marketing director for Pepsi, 7UP and Mirinda, reinforcing its brand-building strategy but providing no immediate financial impact. PepsiCo’s Brand and Dividend Strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Executive Vice President David Flavell sold 2,900 shares valued at approximately $405,000. The sale reduced his holdings by 3.73%, but he continues to own a substantial position, limiting the signal from the transaction. SEC insider transaction filing
• Negative Sentiment: Consumer-staples companies are facing increased consumer resistance to price increases, raising concerns about PepsiCo’s pricing power and profitability. Margin pressure, elevated leverage and weaker earnings estimates are additional headwinds. Consumer Staples Estimates Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit alleging workplace harassment and retaliation presents a potential reputational risk, although no specific financial impact has been reported. PepsiCo Workplace Lawsuit Report

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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