PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) Short Interest Update

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 29,665,371 shares, an increase of 25.5% from the January 29th total of 23,630,340 shares. Approximately 2.2% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 11,378,549 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.6 days. Based on an average daily volume of 11,378,549 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.6 days. Approximately 2.2% of the shares of the stock are short sold.

Institutional Trading of PepsiCo

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY lifted its holdings in PepsiCo by 8.3% during the fourth quarter. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY now owns 838 shares of the company’s stock worth $121,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the period. United Bank raised its position in shares of PepsiCo by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. United Bank now owns 1,717 shares of the company’s stock worth $246,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Three Bridge Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Three Bridge Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,870 shares of the company’s stock worth $544,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Koa Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in PepsiCo by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. Koa Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,007 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,149,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pettinga Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in PepsiCo by 3.8% in the fourth quarter. Pettinga Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,880 shares of the company’s stock valued at $270,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. 73.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

PepsiCo Trading Down 0.6%

PEP opened at $163.92 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.85. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $154.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $149.17. PepsiCo has a one year low of $127.60 and a one year high of $171.48. The stock has a market cap of $224.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.32, a P/E/G ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 0.39.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 2nd. The company reported $2.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.24 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $29.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $28.96 billion. PepsiCo had a return on equity of 57.92% and a net margin of 8.77%.PepsiCo’s quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.96 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that PepsiCo will post 8.3 EPS for the current year.

PepsiCo announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback program on Tuesday, February 3rd that permits the company to repurchase $10.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to purchase up to 4.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally a sign that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

PepsiCo Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be paid a dividend of $1.4225 per share. This represents a $5.69 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. PepsiCo’s payout ratio is currently 94.83%.

Key PepsiCo News

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Gatorade launched “Gatorade Lower Sugar” nationwide — a science-backed formula with no artificial flavors/sweeteners/colors and ~75% less sugar than Gatorade Thirst Quencher. This product targets health-conscious consumers and could defend market share in sports/hydration categories while aligning with ongoing sugar-reduction trends. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo introduced protein‑packed Doritos — a product innovation in snacks that targets consumers seeking higher-protein options. New innovation can support category growth and potentially improve mix and margins if adoption is strong. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: RBC set a new $165 price target for PEP, which provides a near-term valuation anchor and may help sentiment among some institutional investors. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Income/defensive appeal: PEP was featured as a top Dividend Aristocrat pick for 2026, reinforcing demand from income-focused and risk-averse investors amid volatility. That recognition can support share stability over time. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Positive equity research coverage: A Zacks piece highlighted PepsiCo as a strong growth stock based on style scores, which could attract growth-oriented retail investors. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Internal promotion: PepsiCo elevated Rajat Paul to marketing manager for global canisters & imports. Operationally relevant but unlikely to move the stock materially in the short term. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry risk discussion: A MarketBeat piece on J.M. Smucker referenced the broader sector concern that GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs could pressure indulgent snack demand. PepsiCo management has said the impact isn’t yet quantifiable — this is a watchlist item rather than a confirmed headwind. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Investor alert / legal investigation: Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law issued an investor alert investigating PepsiCo’s directors and officers for alleged breach of fiduciary duties. Such probes can trigger governance scrutiny, potential litigation costs, and short-term selling pressure as investors de‑risk. This appears to be the primary immediate negative catalyst behind today’s downward move. Read More.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently issued reports on PEP shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on PepsiCo from $164.00 to $176.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Evercore increased their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $152.00 to $165.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $163.00 to $164.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $170.00 to $182.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on PepsiCo from $165.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Eight equities 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat, PepsiCo currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $168.50.

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.