PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) Shares Up 0.7% – Still a Buy?

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) shot up 0.7% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $151.83 and last traded at $151.34. 1,072,786 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 84% from the average session volume of 6,551,753 shares. The stock had previously closed at $150.25.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently issued reports on PEP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on PepsiCo from $183.00 to $165.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 24th. Piper Sandler began coverage on shares of PepsiCo in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $171.00 price objective for the company. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $170.00 to $155.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $183.00 to $160.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, Hsbc Global Res raised shares of PepsiCo to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $176.73.

PepsiCo Stock Up 0.2 %

The stock has a market capitalization of $206.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.19, a PEG ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96, a current ratio of 0.89 and a quick ratio of 0.70. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $153.68 and its two-hundred day moving average is $165.17.

PepsiCo Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 6th. Investors of record on Friday, December 6th were paid a $1.355 dividend. This represents a $5.42 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.60%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 6th. PepsiCo’s dividend payout ratio is 79.94%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On PepsiCo

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates raised its holdings in PepsiCo by 59.0% in the 3rd quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 159 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 59 shares during the period. Cross Staff Investments Inc boosted its position in PepsiCo by 0.9% in the third quarter. Cross Staff Investments Inc now owns 7,080 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,204,000 after buying an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Paulson Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in PepsiCo by 2.1% in the third quarter. Paulson Wealth Management Inc. now owns 2,986 shares of the company’s stock valued at $508,000 after buying an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. LCM Capital Management Inc raised its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 0.8% in the third quarter. LCM Capital Management Inc now owns 7,573 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,288,000 after acquiring an additional 62 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Demars Financial Group LLC raised its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 1.1% during the third quarter. Demars Financial Group LLC now owns 5,721 shares of the company’s stock worth $973,000 after buying an additional 62 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.07% of the company’s stock.

PepsiCo Company Profile

PepsiCo, Inc engages in the manufacture, marketing, distribution, and sale of various beverages and convenient foods worldwide. The company operates through seven segments: Frito-Lay North America; Quaker Foods North America; PepsiCo Beverages North America; Latin America; Europe; Africa, Middle East and South Asia; and Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand and China Region.