Merit Financial Group LLC Decreases Stock Holdings in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Merit Financial Group LLC cut its holdings in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 3.4% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 138,616 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,825 shares during the quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC’s holdings in PepsiCo were worth $18,769,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Evergreen Advisors LLC bought a new position in PepsiCo during the first quarter valued at $25,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Swiss RE Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of PepsiCo during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of PepsiCo in the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Networth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of PepsiCo by 2,857.1% in the 1st quarter. Networth Advisors LLC now owns 207 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 73.07% of the company’s stock.

PepsiCo News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo’s valuation is being highlighted as attractive after shares traded near a decade-low multiple. Analysts and financial commentators argue that the discounted valuation, solid brands and potential for earnings improvement could attract value-oriented investors. PepsiCo: A Behemoth Trading At A Decade-Low Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s appeal to income investors is strengthening after a 4% dividend increase, extending PepsiCo’s record of annual dividend growth to 54 consecutive years. Its yield and lower valuation than Coca-Cola could support buying interest. 54 Straight Years: Why PepsiCo Remains a Dividend Investor’s Anchor
• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo is expanding beyond traditional snacks and beverages. The U.S. launch of Alvalle refrigerated gazpacho moves the company into fresh meals, while a new Tampa Bay Buccaneers beverage partnership adds a sports-marketing channel. PepsiCo Enters Fresh Meals With Its US Alvalle Gazpacho Launch
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary points to a product mix better aligned with consumer demand and a return to revenue growth, raising hopes that the second half of 2026 could become a recovery period for PepsiCo. PepsiCo Stock Has Stalled. Here Is Why the Second Half of 2026 Could Be Its Turning Point
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo reported progress toward its pep+ sustainability goals, including efforts involving agriculture, emissions, packaging and products with lower sugar, sodium and saturated fat. The update may support its long-term brand positioning but is unlikely to materially change near-term earnings. PepsiCo Reports on Latest ESG Performance Towards pep+ Goals
• Negative Sentiment: Higher gasoline prices could leave consumers with less discretionary income, potentially pressuring demand for PepsiCo’s snacks and beverages. Comparisons with Coca-Cola also suggest PepsiCo faces a less favorable near-term operating outlook. Why Is PepsiCo in Focus as Gasoline Prices Pressure Consumers?

PepsiCo Trading Up 1.4%

PEP opened at $140.62 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.93. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $140.23 and its 200-day moving average price is $150.64. PepsiCo, Inc. has a one year low of $133.73 and a one year high of $171.48. The stock has a market cap of $191.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.43, a P/E/G ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 0.35.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 9th. The company reported $2.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.19 by $0.01. PepsiCo had a return on equity of 54.63% and a net margin of 10.78%.The company had revenue of $24.18 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $23.95 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.92 EPS. PepsiCo’s revenue was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.550-8.710 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.57 EPS for the current year.

PepsiCo Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 4th will be issued a $1.48 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 4th. This represents a $5.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.2%. PepsiCo’s dividend payout ratio is presently 77.59%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP David Flavell sold 2,900 shares of PepsiCo stock in a transaction dated 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 owned 74,825 shares in the company, valued at $10,441,080.50. This trade represents a 3.73% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.12% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Citigroup cut PepsiCo from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $170.00 to $145.00 in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on PepsiCo from $150.00 to $140.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 10th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on PepsiCo from $162.00 to $152.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Piper Sandler set a $176.00 price target on PepsiCo in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on PepsiCo from $180.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $157.90.

PepsiCo 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.