WestEnd Advisors LLC Sells 215,684 Shares of PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

WestEnd Advisors LLC cut its stake in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 98.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 3,393 shares of the company’s stock after selling 215,684 shares during the period. WestEnd Advisors LLC’s holdings in PepsiCo were worth $430,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Evergreen Advisors LLC purchased a new position in PepsiCo during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Montgomery Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of PepsiCo in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Atlatl Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in PepsiCo during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in PepsiCo during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Kilter Group LLC acquired a new stake in PepsiCo during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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 roughly 4.3% dividend yield is nearly twice Coca-Cola’s 2.2%, reinforcing PEP’s appeal to income-focused investors. Both companies are Dividend Kings with more than five decades of consecutive dividend increases. Coca-Cola Yields Just 2.2% Compared to 4.3% for PepsiCo
• Positive Sentiment: PepsiCo and Grimme are developing a virtual potato harvester designed to help growers protect crop quality and reduce waste. The technology could support supply-chain efficiency and the Frito-Lay business over time. Inside the Virtual Potato Harvester
• Positive Sentiment: One valuation analysis described PEP as potentially below fair value after a roughly 7.4% 12-month decline, which may attract investors seeking a discounted consumer-staples stock. PepsiCo Stock Looks Below Fair Value
• Neutral Sentiment: PepsiCo’s latest reported quarter exceeded analyst expectations, with $2.34 in EPS and $25.27 billion in revenue, although investors remain focused on whether growth can reaccelerate.
• Neutral Sentiment: A reported short-interest update showed zero shares sold short and a zero-day days-to-cover ratio, an unusual figure that may reflect incomplete or unreliable data rather than a meaningful trading signal.
• Negative Sentiment: A fire and explosion at a PepsiCo Quaker Oats plant could create temporary production, supply-chain and cost disruptions. Fire, Explosion Strike PepsiCo Quaker Oats Plant
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Ramon Laguarta reportedly sold approximately $4.05 million of PEP stock, which can weigh on sentiment even though insider sales may be routine. PepsiCo CEO Sells Stock
• Negative Sentiment: PepsiCo faces an ?8,000 consumer payout over an alleged Lay’s packet-weight dispute, adding a minor legal and reputational concern. PepsiCo Faces Payout Over Lay’s Packet Weight Dispute
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary argues PepsiCo has lost focus in the cola business and notes Coca-Cola’s stronger recent share-price performance, raising concerns about execution and competitive positioning. PepsiCo Started Losing the Cola Wars

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on PEP shares. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “hold” rating on shares of PepsiCo in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of PepsiCo in a research note on Friday, October 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $132.00 price target on shares of PepsiCo in a report on Friday, October 9th. Freedom Broker raised shares of PepsiCo from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, October 10th. Finally, Barclays cut their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $133.00 to $126.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $143.28.

PepsiCo Stock Performance

PepsiCo stock opened at $133.50 on Wednesday. PepsiCo, Inc. has a 1-year low of $123.47 and a 1-year high of $171.48. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $133.91 and its 200 day moving average price is $145.96.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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. The business had revenue of $25.27 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.95 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.29 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that PepsiCo, Inc. will post 8.39 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at PepsiCo

In other news, CEO Ramon Laguarta sold 30,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.13, for a total value of $4,053,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 491,645 shares in the company, valued at $66,435,988.85. This trade represents a 5.75% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Robert Pohlad acquired 184,646 shares of PepsiCo stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 14th. The stock was bought at an average price of $128.28 per share, with a total value of $23,686,388.88. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 433,009 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $55,546,394.52. This trade represents a 74.35% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 0.12% 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.