Auto Owners Insurance Co Acquires 48,923,629 Shares of PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Auto Owners Insurance Co raised its holdings in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 14,857.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 49,252,907 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 48,923,629 shares during the period. PepsiCo makes up 1.7% of Auto Owners Insurance Co’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest position. Auto Owners Insurance Co’s holdings in PepsiCo were worth $7,068,777,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY raised its position in shares of PepsiCo by 8.3% during the 4th quarter. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY now owns 838 shares of the company’s stock valued at $121,000 after buying an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. United Bank boosted its holdings 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 purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Koa Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of PepsiCo by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. Koa Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,007 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,149,000 after buying an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. Pettinga Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in PepsiCo by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Pettinga Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,880 shares of the company’s stock worth $270,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in PepsiCo by 4.0% during the third quarter. Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,807 shares of the company’s stock valued at $254,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. 73.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about PepsiCo

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo’s management is being spotlighted for using AI and digital tools to improve operations, strengthen food-system resilience, and support a broader global transformation strategy, which could bolster long-term efficiency and growth. Building a Lighthouse Company: Athina Kanioura on Leading PepsiCo’s Global Transformation
• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo is also being discussed as a beneficiary of AI adoption across food and beverage companies, which may support productivity and growth initiatives over time. PepsiCo, Danone & Nestlé: how AI is powering F&B growth
• Positive Sentiment: A new Doritos Loaded commercial featuring Gordon Ramsay and Formula 1 driver George Russell underscores PepsiCo’s willingness to spend on high-profile marketing to support snack brand visibility and demand. PepsiCo: Doritos Loaded Unveils High-Octane Commercial Starring Chef Gordon Ramsay And Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Driver George Russell
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent commentary pieces focus on PepsiCo’s valuation and dividend appeal, with one suggesting the shares may trade below fair value while another argues for caution and calls the stock a possible sell, leaving investor sentiment mixed. PepsiCo (PEP) Stock Could Be 46.9% Below Fair Value as Views Split
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo remains a frequent feature in dividend-investing discussions, reinforcing its reputation as a defensive income stock rather than signaling a new catalyst. PepsiCo: Scoop Up This Dividend Growth Legend Now
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish market commentary argues PepsiCo has lagged the broader market since late 2025, which may weigh on sentiment if investors continue to favor faster-growing alternatives. 3 Reasons to Sell PEP and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

PepsiCo Stock Performance

PEP opened at $142.02 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $194.11 billion, a PE ratio of 22.30, a PEG ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.35. The business has a 50 day moving average of $149.90 and a 200-day moving average of $152.24. PepsiCo, Inc. has a 52 week low of $127.60 and a 52 week high of $171.48. 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 (NASDAQ:PEP) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 15th. The company reported $1.61 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $19.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.89 billion. PepsiCo had a net margin of 9.15% and a return on equity of 56.61%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.48 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

PepsiCo Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 5th will be given a $1.48 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 5th. This represents a $5.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.2%. This is a boost from PepsiCo’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.42. PepsiCo’s payout ratio is presently 92.94%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently commented on PEP shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $173.00 to $168.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. UBS Group reduced their price target on PepsiCo from $190.00 to $186.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of PepsiCo from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, April 18th. BNP Paribas Exane raised their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $191.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $130.00 to $132.00 in a research note on Monday, May 11th. 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, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $167.10.

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.