Smartleaf Asset Management LLC Has $2.29 Million Holdings in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 30.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 16,305 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,794 shares during the quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC’s holdings in PepsiCo were worth $2,286,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in PEP. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in PepsiCo in the 2nd quarter valued at $2,330,594,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of PepsiCo by 14,420.2% during the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,890,688 shares of the company’s stock worth $513,726,000 after buying an additional 3,863,893 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 9.7% in the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 29,031,404 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,833,406,000 after buying an additional 2,556,163 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its position in PepsiCo by 19.5% in the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 15,577,073 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,056,797,000 after purchasing an additional 2,541,455 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP increased its holdings in PepsiCo by 112.6% during the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 4,040,079 shares of the company’s stock worth $533,452,000 after buying an additional 2,139,847 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.07% of the company’s stock.

Key PepsiCo News

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations (EPS $2.26 vs. $2.24; revenue roughly $29.3B) and management reiterated FY2026 guidance while reporting margin improvement — a core driver for today’s buying. Pepsi Pops as Investors Take Notice of Key Strategic Initiatives
• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a $10 billion share repurchase program, supporting EPS and signaling capital-return priority. PepsiCo to Repurchase $10.00 billion in Shares
• Positive Sentiment: Several brokerages lifted price targets after the strong quarter (UBS to $190, Morgan Stanley $180, JPMorgan $176, HSBC $175), which helps sustain buying interest. UBS Lifts PepsiCo Target JPMorgan Raises Target HSBC Adjusts Target
• Positive Sentiment: Management is cutting prices (up to ~15% on some snacks) and pivoting to “snack affordability” ahead of heavy seasonal demand (Super Bowl), which should boost volumes and retail sales. Guacamole & chip prices and PepsiCo price moves
• Positive Sentiment: Productivity and distribution integration (testing combined beverage/snack logistics) are cited as margin levers — management reported early positive results and operating-margin expansion. Productivity Strategy Analysis
• Neutral Sentiment: Pepsi is publicly adapting product mixes for health-conscious consumers (functional foods) and watching trends like GLP-1 drug use — outcomes are uncertain but the company is actively responding. How PepsiCo is adapting to GLP-1 use
• Neutral Sentiment: Activist investor interest (Elliott) remains a background catalyst; Pepsi is implementing changes but has said full refranchising isn’t being pursued — keeps outcomes dependent on execution. Elliott stake & catalyst analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Snack price cuts — and earlier consumer backlash over pricing — could pressure near-term gross margins until volume gains offset the lower pricing. PepsiCo to cut some US snack prices

PepsiCo Price Performance

Shares of PepsiCo stock opened at $170.49 on Monday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $147.65 and its 200-day moving average price is $146.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $233.00 billion, a PE ratio of 28.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.40. PepsiCo, Inc. has a 12 month low of $127.60 and a 12 month high of $170.75. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.24 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $29.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $28.96 billion. PepsiCo had a return on equity of 57.92% and a net margin of 8.77%.PepsiCo’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.96 EPS. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.550-8.710 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

PepsiCo declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program on Tuesday, February 3rd that permits the company to repurchase $10.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to repurchase up to 4.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are often an indication that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

PepsiCo Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be given a $1.4225 dividend. This represents a $5.69 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. PepsiCo’s payout ratio is currently 94.83%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $117.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $156.00 target price on shares of PepsiCo in a research note on Wednesday. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $190.00 price target on shares of PepsiCo in a research note on Wednesday. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on PepsiCo from $155.00 to $162.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $154.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $167.16.

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.