PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) Price Target Raised to $178.00 at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Key Points

• JPMorgan raised its price target on PepsiCo to $178 (from $172) and maintained an overweight rating, implying about a 12.5% upside from the prior close.
• PepsiCo beat Q1 estimates with $1.61 EPS and $19.44 billion revenue, saying price cuts on snack brands helped North America volume recovery while reaffirming FY26 EPS guidance of roughly 8.465–8.628.
• The board authorized a $10 billion share buyback (≈4.7% of shares), while analysts remain mixed overall—consensus rating is "Hold" with a $170.05 average target (8 Buy, 11 Hold, 1 Sell).

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP - Get Free Report) had its target price boosted by research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $172.00 to $178.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has an "overweight" rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price would indicate a potential upside of 12.54% from the stock's previous close.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Evercore lifted their price objective on PepsiCo from $165.00 to $170.00 in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $154.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of PepsiCo from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, March 7th. UBS Group lowered their target price on PepsiCo from $190.00 to $186.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their target price on PepsiCo from $172.00 to $181.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, March 12th. 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $170.05.

PepsiCo Stock Performance

Shares of PepsiCo stock opened at $158.16 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06. The stock's fifty day moving average is $160.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $151.46. PepsiCo has a 52 week low of $127.60 and a 52 week high of $171.48. The company has a market capitalization of $216.20 billion, a PE ratio of 26.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.99 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, topping the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $19.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $18.89 billion. PepsiCo had a return on equity of 57.92% and a net margin of 8.77%.PepsiCo's revenue was up 8.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.48 earnings per share. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.465-8.628 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that PepsiCo will post 8.3 earnings per share for the current year.

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On PepsiCo

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. JCIC Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in PepsiCo in the third quarter valued at $27,000. Swiss RE Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of PepsiCo during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV purchased a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in PepsiCo during the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.07% of the company's stock.

Key PepsiCo News

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat — PepsiCo reported $1.61 EPS and $19.44B revenue, topping Street estimates and showing broad-based sales growth that signals the turnaround may be working. PepsiCo Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Price cuts drove demand — Discounts (up to ~15%) on Lay’s, Doritos and value brands helped North America foods volumes return to growth and materially lifted revenue. This validates management’s tactical pricing move to regain shoppers. Food companies are finally cutting prices. PepsiCo shows it’s worth it
• Positive Sentiment: Product & international momentum — Management highlighted new product initiatives (Gatorade revamp, new snack/DRINK SKUs) and continued strength in international markets and energy/prebiotic beverages, supporting upside beyond pricing actions. PepsiCo Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights
• Neutral Sentiment: Guidance reaffirmed but with nuance — PepsiCo reiterated FY26 EPS guidance (~8.465–8.628) while revenue guidance sits a bit below some consensus reads; that keeps the outlook intact but gives investors a mixed signal on near-term top-line ambition. Earnings Snapshot: PepsiCo tops Q1 estimates; reaffirms FY26 outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction & income appeal — Shares rallied after the print and dividend-focused publications note PepsiCo’s yield and “Dividend King” status look attractive after the pullback, drawing income-oriented buyers. Pepsi says price cuts and wellness push are bringing back customers — and the stock surges
• Negative Sentiment: Margin and sustainability risks — While price cuts are boosting volume and top line, they potentially compress margins if input costs or inflation re-accelerate; management warned inflationary pressures remain a risk. Despite Iran War’s Effects, PepsiCo Says Consumers Still Spending on Snacks
• Negative Sentiment: Corporate/legal noise — A recent EEOC settlement and activist-driven pressure mean ongoing execution scrutiny; not material to fundamentals today but worth monitoring for governance and cost impacts. PepsiCo Settles EEOC Lawsuit

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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