PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) – What Are Analysts Saying About This Stock?

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) has earned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the twenty-one analysts that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, fourteen have issued a hold recommendation, five have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $145.50.

PEP has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of PepsiCo in a research note on Friday, October 9th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “hold” rating on shares of PepsiCo in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Weiss Ratings downgraded PepsiCo from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 24th. UBS Group lowered their target price on PepsiCo from $159.00 to $145.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane dropped their price target on PepsiCo from $161.00 to $157.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 9th.

PepsiCo Stock Performance

NASDAQ:PEP opened at $133.57 on Tuesday. PepsiCo has a 1 year low of $123.47 and a 1 year high of $171.48. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $134.36 and its 200 day simple moving average is $142.00. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $182.02 billion, a PE ratio of 15.64, a PEG ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.35.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 7th. The company reported $2.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.29 by $0.05. PepsiCo had a net margin of 11.09% and a return on equity of 53.08%. The firm had revenue of $25.27 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.95 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.29 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that PepsiCo will post 8.41 EPS for the current year.

PepsiCo News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: A PepsiCo director reported acquiring 184,646 shares in a trust-related transaction. A separate report valued the director’s stock purchase at approximately $23.7 million. Because the transactions appear to be trust-related, they may not represent a conventional open-market insider bet, but the size of the holdings can still support investor confidence. PepsiCo director buys 184,646 shares in trust-related trade PepsiCo director buys $23.7 million in stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts’ FY2026 earnings projections provide a valuation reference, but do not appear to introduce a major new catalyst. PepsiCo’s latest reported quarter showed revenue growth and earnings above consensus, while the company continues to be forecast to generate approximately $8.41 in full-year EPS. Analysts offer predictions for PepsiCo FY2026 earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo is among companies reassessing how employees and management share the benefits of artificial-intelligence-driven productivity gains. The article offers limited near-term detail on financial results or capital allocation. The AI productivity boom and employee benefits
• Negative Sentiment: PepsiCo reduced its fiscal 2026 core EPS growth outlook to 2.5%–3.5%, citing higher input costs and softer U.S. performance. The lower forecast shifts the investment narrative toward slower growth and margin pressure despite higher sales and earnings. Did lowered earnings outlook shift PepsiCo’s investment narrative?
• Negative Sentiment: KFC will replace Pepsi with Coca-Cola for its U.S. beverage contract beginning in January 2027. The loss is financially manageable relative to PepsiCo’s overall sales, but it represents another high-profile account loss and could undermine the company’s turnaround efforts and restaurant-channel positioning. PepsiCo was dealt another blow by Coca-Cola
• Negative Sentiment: PepsiCo plans to close its Knoxville plant, with employees receiving pay during the notice period. The closure may eventually reduce costs, but it creates near-term restructuring implications and highlights operational pressure. Pepsi plant in Knoxville to close

Insider Buying and Selling at PepsiCo

In related news, Director Robert C. Pohlad bought 184,646 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 14th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $128.28 per share, for a total transaction of $23,686,388.88. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 433,009 shares in the company, valued at $55,546,394.52. This trade represents a 74.35% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP David Flavell sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.54, for a total transaction of $404,666.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 74,825 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,441,080.50. This trade represents a 3.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.12% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PEP. Banque Pictet & Cie SA increased its position in PepsiCo by 14.1% during the 3rd quarter. Banque Pictet & Cie SA now owns 174,844 shares of the company’s stock worth $22,156,000 after purchasing an additional 21,663 shares during the period. Rise Advisors LLC raised its holdings in PepsiCo by 17.1% during the third quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 1,852 shares of the company’s stock worth $235,000 after purchasing an additional 271 shares during the last quarter. James T. Borello RIA purchased a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the 3rd quarter worth about $131,000. V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of PepsiCo by 4.1% in the third quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 31,761 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,025,000 after purchasing an additional 1,265 shares in the last quarter. Finally, YANKCOM Partnership lifted its stake in PepsiCo by 9.2% in the 3rd quarter. YANKCOM Partnership now owns 11,260 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,427,000 after buying an additional 945 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 73.07% of the company’s stock.

PepsiCo Company Profile

PepsiCo, Inc (NASDAQ:PEP) is a global food and beverage company whose portfolio includes Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Quaker, Tostitos, Fritos, and SodaStream. Its products span carbonated soft drinks, sports and energy beverages, bottled water, juices, convenient foods, snacks, and other packaged food offerings.

The company sells products through retail stores, restaurants, food-service providers, e-commerce platforms, and other distribution channels. PepsiCo serves consumers in North America and international markets across Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.