PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) Raised to Hold at Sanford C. Bernstein

Key Points

• Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded PepsiCo to a hold rating, adding to a mixed but broadly cautious analyst backdrop around the stock.
• PepsiCo shares opened at $144.27, below both the 50-day and 200-day moving averages, and the stock remains near a consensus hold with a price target of $167.35.
• The company’s latest quarterly results were solid, with EPS of $1.61 beating estimates and revenue of $19.44 billion topping forecasts, while revenue rose 8.5% year over year.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP - Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein to a "hold" rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of PepsiCo in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Barclays lifted their target price on PepsiCo from $154.00 to $158.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, April 20th. HSBC lifted their target price on PepsiCo from $175.00 to $176.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Wall Street Zen downgraded PepsiCo from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, April 18th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane lifted their target price on PepsiCo from $191.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, PepsiCo has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $167.35.

PepsiCo Trading Up 0.4%

NASDAQ:PEP opened at $144.27 on Thursday. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $151.11 and its 200 day moving average price is $152.37. The company has a market capitalization of $197.18 billion, a PE ratio of 22.65, a P/E/G ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98. PepsiCo has a 52-week low of $127.60 and a 52-week high of $171.48.

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, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $19.44 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.89 billion. PepsiCo had a return on equity of 56.61% and a net margin of 9.15%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 8.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.48 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that PepsiCo will post 8.63 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of PepsiCo

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Evergreen Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Swiss RE Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV acquired a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Networth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of PepsiCo by 2,857.1% in the 1st quarter. Networth Advisors LLC now owns 207 shares of the company's stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the period. 73.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about 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

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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