Merit Financial Group LLC Reduces Position in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Merit Financial Group LLC trimmed its stake in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 3.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 138,616 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,825 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC’s holdings in PepsiCo were worth $18,769,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY grew 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 valued at $121,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. United Bank raised its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 3.9% in the fourth 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 lifted its position in shares of PepsiCo by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC now owns 2,673 shares of the company’s stock valued at $415,000 after buying an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC grew its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 3.3% during the 1st quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 2,040 shares of the company’s stock valued at $317,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the period. Finally, Richards Merrill & Peterson Inc. increased its holdings in PepsiCo by 3.6% in the 1st 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. 73.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

PepsiCo Trading Up 1.4%

PEP stock opened at $140.62 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.74. PepsiCo, Inc. has a 1-year low of $133.73 and a 1-year high of $171.48. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $140.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $150.64. The company has a market capitalization of $191.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.43, a PEG ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 0.35.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 9th. The company reported $2.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.19 by $0.01. PepsiCo had a net margin of 10.78% and a return on equity of 54.63%. The firm had revenue of $24.18 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $23.95 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.92 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.550-8.710 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

PepsiCo Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 4th will be issued a $1.48 dividend. This represents a $5.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 4th. PepsiCo’s payout ratio is currently 77.59%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on PEP. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $130.00 to $132.00 in a report on Monday, May 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $178.00 to $170.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $155.00 price objective on shares of PepsiCo in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Evercore set a $150.00 target price on shares of PepsiCo in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, TD Cowen cut their price target on PepsiCo from $150.00 to $145.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, PepsiCo currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $157.90.

Insider Transactions at PepsiCo

In other PepsiCo news, EVP David Flavell sold 2,900 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.54, for a total value of $404,666.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 74,825 shares in the company, valued at $10,441,080.50. The trade was a 3.73% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.12% of the company’s stock.

PepsiCo News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo’s valuation is being highlighted as attractive after shares traded near a decade-low multiple. Analysts and financial commentators argue that the discounted valuation, solid brands and potential for earnings improvement could attract value-oriented investors. PepsiCo: A Behemoth Trading At A Decade-Low Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s appeal to income investors is strengthening after a 4% dividend increase, extending PepsiCo’s record of annual dividend growth to 54 consecutive years. Its yield and lower valuation than Coca-Cola could support buying interest. 54 Straight Years: Why PepsiCo Remains a Dividend Investor’s Anchor
• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo is expanding beyond traditional snacks and beverages. The U.S. launch of Alvalle refrigerated gazpacho moves the company into fresh meals, while a new Tampa Bay Buccaneers beverage partnership adds a sports-marketing channel. PepsiCo Enters Fresh Meals With Its US Alvalle Gazpacho Launch
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary points to a product mix better aligned with consumer demand and a return to revenue growth, raising hopes that the second half of 2026 could become a recovery period for PepsiCo. PepsiCo Stock Has Stalled. Here Is Why the Second Half of 2026 Could Be Its Turning Point
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo reported progress toward its pep+ sustainability goals, including efforts involving agriculture, emissions, packaging and products with lower sugar, sodium and saturated fat. The update may support its long-term brand positioning but is unlikely to materially change near-term earnings. PepsiCo Reports on Latest ESG Performance Towards pep+ Goals
• Negative Sentiment: Higher gasoline prices could leave consumers with less discretionary income, potentially pressuring demand for PepsiCo’s snacks and beverages. Comparisons with Coca-Cola also suggest PepsiCo faces a less favorable near-term operating outlook. Why Is PepsiCo in Focus as Gasoline Prices Pressure Consumers?

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.