Ascentis Independent Advisors Raises Position in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Ascentis Independent Advisors grew its position in shares of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 169.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 12,064 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 7,591 shares during the period. Ascentis Independent Advisors’ holdings in PepsiCo were worth $1,874,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY lifted its position in PepsiCo by 8.3% during the fourth 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 during the period. United Bank grew 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 buying an additional 65 shares during the period. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC increased its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC now owns 2,673 shares of the company’s stock worth $415,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Richards Merrill & Peterson Inc. boosted its stake in PepsiCo by 3.6% during the first quarter. Richards Merrill & Peterson Inc. now owns 1,938 shares of the company’s stock worth $301,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Koa Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of 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. 73.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

PepsiCo Price Performance

NASDAQ PEP opened at $143.29 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $195.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.49, a PEG ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.72. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $146.59 and its 200-day moving average price is $151.71. PepsiCo, Inc. has a 1-year low of $132.96 and a 1-year high of $171.48.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 15th. The company reported $1.61 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $19.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.89 billion. PepsiCo had a net margin of 9.15% and a return on equity of 56.61%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.48 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.62 earnings per share for the current year.

PepsiCo Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 5th were given a $1.48 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 5th. This is a positive change from PepsiCo’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.42. This represents a $5.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.1%. PepsiCo’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 92.94%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on PepsiCo from $180.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $162.00 price objective on PepsiCo in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Barclays cut their target price on PepsiCo from $158.00 to $144.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. UBS Group lowered their price target on PepsiCo from $186.00 to $172.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. Finally, HSBC increased their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $175.00 to $176.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $165.00.

More PepsiCo News

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo announced a new sustainability initiative, RegenLend, designed to help farmers adopt soil conservation practices and support its supply chain. The company also highlighted a promotional partnership with Captain D’s, which could help brand visibility and consumer engagement. PepsiCo (PEP) Launches RegenLend And Captain D’s Seafood Promotion
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart said it is lowering prices on summer barbecue items, including PepsiCo sodas and chips, which could support volume for PepsiCo brands if the promotions drive stronger store traffic and consumer purchases. Trump claims credit as Walmart drops prices on barbecue staples
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo named Suraya Hamdulay to lead Southern Africa corporate affairs, a routine leadership update with limited near-term impact on the stock. PepsiCo names Suraya Hamdulay to lead Southern Africa corporate affairs
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles ahead of earnings note that PepsiCo is in focus this week, but that is mainly a calendar-driven setup rather than a direct catalyst. Wall Street braces for Fed signals as earnings season gets underway
• Negative Sentiment: Barclays reportedly cut its price target on PepsiCo and warned that the company’s turnaround may be losing momentum ahead of second-quarter earnings, pointing to slowing North American demand. That kind of commentary can weigh on shares. PEP Stock Faces Fresh Pressure: Barclays Cuts Price Target, Warns Turnaround Is Losing Steam Ahead Of Q2 Earnings

PepsiCo 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.