PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Evercore Analyst Says

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) had its target price raised by equities researchers at Evercore from $165.00 to $170.00 in a research report issued on Friday, MarketBeat reports. Evercore’s price objective points to a potential upside of 7.82% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on PEP. Argus raised PepsiCo to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on PepsiCo from $165.00 to $163.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. BNP Paribas Exane upped their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $191.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of PepsiCo from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, March 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $176.00 to $172.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $170.05.

PepsiCo Trading Down 0.4%

Shares of NASDAQ:PEP opened at $157.67 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $215.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.75, a PEG ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 0.40. PepsiCo has a 1-year low of $127.60 and a 1-year high of $171.48. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $159.79 and a 200 day moving average price of $151.65.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 16th. 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%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.48 EPS. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.465-8.628 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that PepsiCo will post 8.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

PepsiCo declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, February 3rd that allows the company to buyback $10.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to reacquire up to 4.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Trading of PepsiCo

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new position in PepsiCo in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. JCIC Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of PepsiCo during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Swiss RE Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of PepsiCo during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV purchased a new position in shares of PepsiCo during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of PepsiCo in the third quarter worth $31,000. 73.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting PepsiCo

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and volume recovery — PepsiCo reported Q1 revenue of $19.44B and EPS of $1.61 (above consensus). Management said recent price cuts on snacks helped revive U.S. food volumes, supporting top-line momentum. PepsiCo tops quarterly revenue estimates as price cuts drive demand
• Positive Sentiment: Broker support rising — Several major banks raised price targets and kept bullish ratings after the quarter (examples: Goldman to $183, BNP Paribas to $195, JPMorgan to $178, Deutsche to $173), giving the stock additional analyst-driven upside. Goldman Sachs adjusts price target on PepsiCo
• Positive Sentiment: Brand and innovation initiatives — Management highlighted a Gatorade overhaul and new product push (including energy and hydration innovations) as part of a broader “hungry and thirsty for growth” strategy that could sustain the recovery. PepsiCo Q1 earnings beat: CEO talks Gatorade overhaul & more
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary mixed — While many firms raised targets, some analysts struck cautionary notes on margins and consumer trends; expect divergent views to continue driving intraday volatility. What analysts are saying about PepsiCo after its earnings report
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance and revenue outlook under the microscope — FY‑2026 EPS and revenue ranges were viewed as modest versus some consensus math (company-provided EPS range ~8.465–8.628 and revenue guidance slightly below some estimates), which trimmed some upside despite the beat. PepsiCo Analysts Boost Their Forecasts After Upbeat Q1 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Reputational/legal hit from Doritos controversy — Coverage notes past controversy cost the company materially; any renewed consumer backlash or litigation headlines could pressure sentiment. PepsiCo Lost Billions Amid a Doritos Controversy

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.