The Goldman Sachs Group Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) Stock

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) had its price target raised by equities research analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from $180.00 to $183.00 in a report released on Friday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has a “buy” rating on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 16.07% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on PEP. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price objective on PepsiCo from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Evercore boosted their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $165.00 to $170.00 in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $154.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group cut their price target on shares of 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 boosted their price objective on shares of 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, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $170.05.

PepsiCo Trading Down 0.4%

PepsiCo stock opened at $157.67 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $215.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.75, a P/E/G ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 0.40. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $159.79 and a 200-day moving average of $151.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.67. PepsiCo has a one year low of $127.60 and a one year high of $171.48.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 16th. The company reported $1.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $19.44 billion for 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 quarterly revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.48 earnings per share. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.465-8.628 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that PepsiCo will post 8.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On PepsiCo

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

More PepsiCo News

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

About PepsiCo

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.