WestEnd Advisors LLC Sells 21,149 Shares of PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Key Points

• WestEnd Advisors sold 21,149 PepsiCo shares in Q4, trimming its stake by 8.4% to 231,450 shares valued at about $33.22 million.
• Q1 results: PepsiCo beat estimates with EPS of $1.61 (vs. $1.55) and revenue of $19.44B, cited U.S. volume recovery after snack price cuts, and set FY‑2026 EPS guidance of roughly 8.465–8.628 while analysts' consensus target is $170.05 (average "Hold").
• PepsiCo pays a quarterly dividend of $1.4225 (annualized $5.69, ~3.6% yield) and its board authorized a $10 billion share repurchase plan, roughly 4.7% of outstanding shares.

WestEnd Advisors LLC lessened its holdings in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP - Free Report) by 8.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 231,450 shares of the company's stock after selling 21,149 shares during the period. WestEnd Advisors LLC's holdings in PepsiCo were worth $33,218,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. JCIC Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in PepsiCo in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV purchased a new stake in PepsiCo in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in PepsiCo in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC increased its holdings in PepsiCo by 667.7% in the 3rd quarter. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC now owns 238 shares of the company's stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 207 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Strategic Advocates LLC purchased a new stake in PepsiCo in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Institutional investors own 73.07% of the company's stock.

PepsiCo Trading Down 0.4%

Shares of PEP opened at $157.67 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.67. PepsiCo, Inc. has a 1 year low of $127.60 and a 1 year high of $171.48. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $159.79 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $151.65. The firm has a market cap of $215.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 0.40.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP - Get Free Report) last announced 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. PepsiCo had a net margin of 9.15% and a return on equity of 56.61%. The business had revenue of $19.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.89 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.48 EPS. The company's revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.465-8.628 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

PepsiCo Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 6th were issued a dividend of $1.4225 per share. This represents a $5.69 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 6th. PepsiCo's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 94.83%.

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $165.00 to $163.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $169.00 to $173.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Piper Sandler increased their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $172.00 to $181.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, HSBC increased their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $175.00 to $176.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $170.05.

Key PepsiCo News

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and volume recovery — PepsiCo reported Q1 revenue of $19.44B and EPS of $1.61 (above consensus). Management said recent price cuts on snacks helped revive U.S. food volumes, supporting top-line momentum. PepsiCo tops quarterly revenue estimates as price cuts drive demand
• Positive Sentiment: Broker support rising — Several major banks raised price targets and kept bullish ratings after the quarter (examples: Goldman to $183, BNP Paribas to $195, JPMorgan to $178, Deutsche to $173), giving the stock additional analyst-driven upside. Goldman Sachs adjusts price target on PepsiCo
• Positive Sentiment: Brand and innovation initiatives — Management highlighted a Gatorade overhaul and new product push (including energy and hydration innovations) as part of a broader “hungry and thirsty for growth” strategy that could sustain the recovery. PepsiCo Q1 earnings beat: CEO talks Gatorade overhaul & more
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary mixed — While many firms raised targets, some analysts struck cautionary notes on margins and consumer trends; expect divergent views to continue driving intraday volatility. What analysts are saying about PepsiCo after its earnings report
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance and revenue outlook under the microscope — FY‑2026 EPS and revenue ranges were viewed as modest versus some consensus math (company-provided EPS range ~8.465–8.628 and revenue guidance slightly below some estimates), which trimmed some upside despite the beat. PepsiCo Analysts Boost Their Forecasts After Upbeat Q1 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Reputational/legal hit from Doritos controversy — Coverage notes past controversy cost the company materially; any renewed consumer backlash or litigation headlines could pressure sentiment. PepsiCo Lost Billions Amid a Doritos Controversy

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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