National Pension Service Has $451.22 Million Stock Position in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

National Pension Service increased its position in shares of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 2.5% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 3,143,939 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 77,051 shares during the period. National Pension Service’s holdings in PepsiCo were worth $451,218,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV acquired a new position in PepsiCo during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in PepsiCo during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Strategic Advocates LLC acquired a new position in PepsiCo during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 56.3% in the fourth quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 250 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. 73.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

PepsiCo Stock Performance

Shares of PEP opened at $146.29 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98. The company has a market capitalization of $199.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.97, a PEG ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.38. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $153.31 and a 200 day moving average of $152.66. PepsiCo, Inc. has a 12 month low of $127.60 and a 12 month high of $171.48.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last issued its quarterly 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 company had revenue of $19.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.89 billion. PepsiCo had a return on equity of 56.61% and a net margin of 9.15%.PepsiCo’s revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.48 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.63 earnings per share for the current year.

PepsiCo Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, June 5th will be given a dividend of $1.48 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is 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 dividend yield of 4.0%. PepsiCo’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 89.32%.

PepsiCo announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback plan on Tuesday, February 3rd that allows the company to buyback $10.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 4.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are typically a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently commented on PEP shares. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on PepsiCo from $180.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on PepsiCo from $169.00 to $173.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on PepsiCo from $165.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on PepsiCo from $190.00 to $186.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their price objective on PepsiCo from $172.00 to $181.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $170.11.

Key PepsiCo News

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo recently boosted its quarterly dividend by 4% to $1.48 per share, a signal of confidence in cash flow and shareholder returns. The company was also highlighted as one of the best dividend-paying beverage stocks to buy now. Here is Why PepsiCo (PEP) is Among the Best Dividend-Paying Beverage Stocks to Buy Now
• Positive Sentiment: Piper Sandler reiterated a Buy rating on PepsiCo with a $181 price target, suggesting upside from current levels even as investors weigh inflation headwinds. Piper Sandler Sticks With Buy Rating on PepsiCo (PEP) Amid Inflation Concerns
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation announced several sustainability and agriculture initiatives, including support for young European farmers and a low-carbon fertilizer alliance, which may help long-term brand positioning but is unlikely to move the stock immediately. Future Harvest: The European program tackling the decline in generational renewal in farming
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports about new packaging labels, AI hiring priorities, and PepsiCo’s role in APAC sports sponsorship mostly reflect ongoing operational and marketing trends rather than a direct earnings catalyst. PepsiCo new packaging to carry ‘no artificial flavours or colours’ label
• Negative Sentiment: Recent trading has shown PepsiCo stock slipping as the broader market rose, with investors still concerned about inflation pressures and margin risk for a consumer staples company facing higher input costs. PepsiCo (PEP) Stock Slides as Market Rises: Facts to Know Before You Trade

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.