Westpac Banking Corp Invests $2 Million in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Westpac Banking Corp bought a new position in shares of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 14,774 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,000,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Evergreen Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of PepsiCo during the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in PepsiCo in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Swiss RE Ltd. purchased a new position in PepsiCo in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Networth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 2,857.1% during the first quarter. Networth Advisors LLC now owns 207 shares of the company's stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of PepsiCo by 99.1% in the first quarter. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. now owns 217 shares of the company's stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 108 shares during the period. 73.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

PepsiCo Trading Up 1.0%

Shares of PEP opened at $141.07 on Friday. PepsiCo, Inc. has a one year low of $133.73 and a one year high of $171.48. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $139.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $149.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.93. The company has a market capitalization of $192.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.49, a P/E/G ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.35.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP - Get Free Report) last announced 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 return on equity of 54.63% and a net margin of 10.78%.The company had revenue of $24.18 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.95 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.92 EPS. PepsiCo's quarterly revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.550-8.710 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

PepsiCo Dividend Announcement

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on PepsiCo from $180.00 to $160.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 10th. UBS Group set a $159.00 price objective on shares of PepsiCo in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $155.00 price objective on shares of PepsiCo in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $163.00 to $161.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Piper Sandler set a $176.00 price target on shares of PepsiCo in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $157.90.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP David Flavell sold 2,900 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.54, for a total value of $404,666.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 74,825 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $10,441,080.50. The trade was a 3.73% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.12% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

PepsiCo News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer highlighted PepsiCo as a defensive large-cap opportunity, citing its roughly 4% dividend yield and the potential benefit of lower oil prices. Cheaper fuel could support consumer spending and reduce transportation and operating costs. Jim Cramer Shares Why PepsiCo Caught His Eye During Consumer Headwinds
• Positive Sentiment: Investors remain attracted to PepsiCo’s 54-year record of consecutive dividend increases and comparatively reasonable valuation. Improving international results could help offset continuing weakness in North America, supporting the case for income-oriented investors. Most Investors Overlook This. I’m Buying PepsiCo for Its Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo is pursuing growth beyond its traditional snack portfolio by introducing and emphasizing global flavors, a strategy that could broaden consumer appeal and create new avenues for international growth. PepsiCo Bets on Global Flavors to Grow Beyond Snacks
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary describing consumer staples as a lagging sector frames PepsiCo as a value opportunity rather than a near-term growth leader. The investment appeal depends on the stock’s discounted valuation, dividend support and execution on its recovery plans. The Consumer Staples Sector Is Lagging the S&P 500
• Negative Sentiment: Texas authorities are investigating PepsiCo and Kraft Heinz over claims involving avocado oil. The outcome and scope of the investigation are unclear, but regulatory scrutiny could create legal, reputational or product-related costs. PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz Under Investigation in Texas Over Avocado Oil Claims
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts note that PepsiCo’s dividend faces pressure from slower growth, persistent North American weakness and a more difficult recovery than the commodity-driven risks facing Chevron. This raises questions about future payout growth, despite the company’s long dividend history. Chevron or PepsiCo: Whose Dividend Is Standing on Thinner Ice?

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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