PepsiCo Shares Rise for Seventh Consecutive Day
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 2d ago
0mins
Should l Buy PEP?
Source: seekingalpha
- Stock Performance: PepsiCo (PEP) shares rose 0.84% to $168.93 in afternoon trading on Friday, marking a seventh consecutive day of gains, with a 21% increase over the past month and approximately 17.38% year-to-date, indicating strong market confidence in its future performance.
- Earnings Beat: The company exceeded fourth-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, driven by growth in North America and strong Frito-Lay performance, supported by targeted affordability initiatives, which further bolstered investor confidence and contributed to the stock's rise.
- Shareholder Return Plan: PepsiCo announced an increase in its annual dividend and a $10 billion share buyback program, which not only enhances shareholder returns but also reflects the company's confidence in future cash flows, potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Analyst Ratings: According to Seeking Alpha's rating system, PEP is rated Hold, with an A+ for profitability but a D+ for growth and valuation, indicating market concerns about future growth; analysts noted that the current stock rally is primarily driven by multiple expansion rather than fundamental improvements.
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Analyst Views on PEP
Wall Street analysts forecast PEP stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for PEP is 161.90 USD with a low forecast of 144.00 USD and a high forecast of 172.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
12 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 167.530
Low
144.00
Averages
161.90
High
172.00
Current: 167.530
Low
144.00
Averages
161.90
High
172.00
About PEP
PepsiCo, Inc. is a global beverage and convenient food company. The Company’s segments include PepsiCo Foods North America (PFNA), PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA), International Beverages Franchise (IB Franchise), Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Latin America Foods (LatAm Foods), and Asia Pacific Foods. PFNA segment includes all of its convenient food businesses in the United States and Canada. PBNA segment includes all of its beverage businesses in the United States and Canada. IB Franchise segment includes its international franchise beverage businesses, as well as its SodaStream business. EMEA segment includes its convenient food businesses and beverage businesses with Company-owned bottlers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. LatAm Foods segment includes all of its convenient food businesses in Latin America. Asia Pacific Foods segment consists of its convenient food businesses in Asia Pacific, including China, Australia and New Zealand, as well as India.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Market Response: This price cut comes amid escalating consumer dissatisfaction with rising food costs, particularly among low- and middle-income households concerned about snack affordability, reflecting the company's responsiveness to market feedback.
- Sales Pressure: Sales volumes in the North American snacks business are under pressure, with recent quarterly figures showing declines in units sold; analysts view the price cuts as a strategic move to boost volume growth and compete with private-label brands, potentially attracting more consumers back to branded products.
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- Market Response: This price cut comes amid escalating consumer dissatisfaction with rising food costs, particularly among low- and middle-income households concerned about snack affordability, reflecting the company's responsiveness to market feedback.
- Sales Pressure: Sales volumes in the North American snacks business are under pressure, with recent quarterly figures showing declines in units sold; analysts view the price cuts as a strategic move to boost volume growth and compete with private-label brands, potentially attracting more consumers back to branded products.
- Retail Dynamics: The price reductions may influence retailers' pricing strategies and promotional planning, prompting competitive responses from other brands; buyers and merchandisers should closely monitor the speed of new price implementations and their impact on sales patterns ahead of key seasonal demand periods.
See More
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- Capital Expenditure Comparison: Google announced an increase in capital expenditures to $175 billion to $185 billion, exceeding the expected $115 billion to $120 billion, indicating a proactive approach in AI despite challenges from slowing ad revenues.
- Changing Competitive Landscape: With Alphabet's ongoing investments and successes in AI, YouTube's user base has grown to 750 million, and Waymo's self-driving business is outpacing Tesla, suggesting a strengthening competitive advantage that may attract more investor interest.
- Mixed Market Reactions: Despite OpenAI and Anthropic's strong performance in AI, Microsoft's Copilot sales have been disappointing, highlighting investor concerns about its future growth and reflecting differing levels of confidence across companies.
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- Consumer Budget Pressure: CEO Ramon Laguarta highlights that despite a strong economy, middle and lower-income consumers are still facing budget constraints, particularly in discretionary categories, prompting the company to strategically adjust product pricing to maintain consumer loyalty.
- Functional Food Innovation: PepsiCo is introducing more functional and high-density foods to meet consumer demands for health and nutrition, particularly with the launch of artificial-free products like the Naked line, aimed at attracting ingredient-sensitive consumers and expanding market share.
- Pricing Adjustment Strategy: The company has conducted a six-month price testing across multiple U.S. markets, aiming to boost sales through moderate price reductions, especially on brands like Doritos, with plans for flexible adjustments based on market feedback to ensure affordability for consumers.
- Brand Investment and Growth: PepsiCo plans to make targeted investments to help consumers afford its products at both the beginning and end of the month, expecting this strategy to drive brand growth and reflect a positive trend in its overall food business, showcasing the company's keen insight into market demands.
See More
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Market Volatility: Stocks experienced volatility as investors reacted to concerns about AI spending and its impact on the tech sector, leading to a sell-off earlier in the week, but buyers began to find value in oversold stocks.
Earnings Reports: As of January 30, 33% of S&P 500 companies reported earnings, with 75% exceeding earnings per share estimates, indicating a positive trend despite being below the five-year average.
Stock Performance Examples: Companies like AMD and Tyson Foods saw varied stock reactions post-earnings, with AMD's stock dropping despite solid earnings, while Tyson's stock rose after better-than-expected results.
Investment Opportunities: Analysts highlighted several stocks with strong fundamentals that could help investors navigate the volatile market, emphasizing the importance of long-term growth potential amidst short-term fluctuations.
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- Labor Data Impact: The upcoming nonfarm payroll report on Wednesday is expected to show an addition of 80,000 jobs, and if the data comes in weak, it could lead the Fed to continue cutting rates, which would positively impact the stock market, reflecting concerns about economic slowdown.
- CVS Health Earnings Outlook: CVS Health is set to report quarterly results on Tuesday, and despite being affected by the Trump administration's proposed reimbursement rates for Medicare Advantage, Cramer believes CEO David Joyner's management is impressive and the stock is worth owning.
- DuPont Performance Highlights: DuPont's earnings report on the same day is expected to showcase CEO Lori Koch's success in improving the company's performance, with the stock soaring 58% over the past six months, reflecting the effectiveness of its electronics business spin-off strategy.
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- Job Data Focus: Cramer emphasized the importance of the nonfarm payroll report due next Wednesday, suggesting that a soft reading could lead the Fed to continue cutting rates, which would positively impact the stock market and reflect market expectations of economic slowdown.
- Earnings Reports Ahead: Several companies, including CVS Health, Robinhood, and DuPont, are set to report earnings next week; Cramer believes CVS is the only drug retailer worth owning amid Medicare reform, showcasing its competitive edge in the market.
- DuPont's Strong Performance: Cramer anticipates that DuPont's earnings report will highlight CEO Lori Koch's effective management, particularly after the spinoff of its electronics business, with the stock soaring 58% over the past six months, indicating the success of the company's restructuring.
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