Smith Salley Wealth Management Grows Stake in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Smith Salley Wealth Management grew its stake in shares of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 3.8% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 125,176 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,547 shares during the quarter. Smith Salley Wealth Management’s holdings in PepsiCo were worth $19,439,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of PEP. Balboa Wealth Partners raised its holdings in PepsiCo by 23.9% in the 1st quarter. Balboa Wealth Partners now owns 3,013 shares of the company’s stock worth $468,000 after acquiring an additional 582 shares during the last quarter. Forbes J M & Co. LLP boosted its stake in PepsiCo by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Forbes J M & Co. LLP now owns 91,913 shares of the company’s stock valued at $14,273,000 after purchasing an additional 262 shares during the last quarter. Montecito Bank & Trust increased its holdings in shares of PepsiCo by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. Montecito Bank & Trust now owns 10,012 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,555,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. Monarch Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of PepsiCo by 2.7% in the first quarter. Monarch Capital Management Inc. now owns 13,323 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,069,000 after purchasing an additional 350 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quotient Wealth Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of PepsiCo by 17.1% during the first quarter. Quotient Wealth Partners LLC now owns 6,911 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,073,000 after purchasing an additional 1,011 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 73.07% of the company’s stock.

PepsiCo Price Performance

PepsiCo stock opened at $142.02 on Monday. PepsiCo, Inc. has a one year low of $127.60 and a one year high of $171.48. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $149.90 and a 200 day moving average of $152.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 0.90. The stock has a market cap of $194.11 billion, a PE ratio of 22.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.35.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 15th. The company reported $1.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.06. PepsiCo had a return on equity of 56.61% and a net margin of 9.15%.The business had revenue of $19.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.89 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.48 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.63 EPS for the current year.

PepsiCo Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, June 5th will be issued a $1.48 dividend. 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 4.2%. PepsiCo’s payout ratio is 92.94%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Wall Street Zen cut PepsiCo from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 18th. UBS Group lowered their target price on shares of PepsiCo from $190.00 to $186.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. Sanford C. Bernstein assumed coverage on shares of PepsiCo in a report on Thursday, June 11th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $143.00 price target on the stock. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $154.00 to $158.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $130.00 to $132.00 in a report on Monday, May 11th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $167.10.

Key Stories Impacting PepsiCo

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo’s management is being spotlighted for using AI and digital tools to improve operations, strengthen food-system resilience, and support a broader global transformation strategy, which could bolster long-term efficiency and growth. Building a Lighthouse Company: Athina Kanioura on Leading PepsiCo’s Global Transformation
• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo is also being discussed as a beneficiary of AI adoption across food and beverage companies, which may support productivity and growth initiatives over time. PepsiCo, Danone & Nestlé: how AI is powering F&B growth
• Positive Sentiment: A new Doritos Loaded commercial featuring Gordon Ramsay and Formula 1 driver George Russell underscores PepsiCo’s willingness to spend on high-profile marketing to support snack brand visibility and demand. PepsiCo: Doritos Loaded Unveils High-Octane Commercial Starring Chef Gordon Ramsay And Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Driver George Russell
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent commentary pieces focus on PepsiCo’s valuation and dividend appeal, with one suggesting the shares may trade below fair value while another argues for caution and calls the stock a possible sell, leaving investor sentiment mixed. PepsiCo (PEP) Stock Could Be 46.9% Below Fair Value as Views Split
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo remains a frequent feature in dividend-investing discussions, reinforcing its reputation as a defensive income stock rather than signaling a new catalyst. PepsiCo: Scoop Up This Dividend Growth Legend Now
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish market commentary argues PepsiCo has lagged the broader market since late 2025, which may weigh on sentiment if investors continue to favor faster-growing alternatives. 3 Reasons to Sell PEP and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

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.