PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) Price Target Raised to $176.00

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) had its target price raised by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $164.00 to $176.00 in a report released on Wednesday, MarketBeat reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the stock.

Several other research analysts also recently issued reports on PEP. Loop Capital set a $164.00 price objective on PepsiCo in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on PepsiCo from $154.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday. HSBC increased their price objective on PepsiCo from $145.00 to $152.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of PepsiCo from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, December 27th. Finally, TD Cowen raised their price target on shares of PepsiCo from $155.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $167.28.

PepsiCo Trading Up 1.8%

Shares of PEP stock opened at $170.49 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $233.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.42, a P/E/G ratio of 3.19 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06. PepsiCo has a fifty-two week low of $127.60 and a fifty-two week high of $170.75. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $147.65 and a 200-day simple moving average of $146.30.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.26 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.24 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $29.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $28.96 billion. PepsiCo had a net margin of 8.77% and a return on equity of 57.92%. The firm’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.96 EPS. PepsiCo has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.550-8.710 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that PepsiCo will post 8.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

PepsiCo declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback program on Tuesday, February 3rd that authorizes the company to buyback $10.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 4.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

PepsiCo Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be issued a dividend of $1.4225 per share. This represents a $5.69 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. PepsiCo’s dividend payout ratio is presently 94.83%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On PepsiCo

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of PEP. Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in PepsiCo by 12.4% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 59,392 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,031,000 after purchasing an additional 6,574 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new position in shares of PepsiCo in the 1st quarter valued at $251,000. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of PepsiCo by 138.5% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 6,527 shares of the company’s stock valued at $862,000 after acquiring an additional 3,790 shares in the last quarter. RMG Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in PepsiCo during the 2nd quarter worth $45,000. Finally, WestEnd Advisors LLC raised its position in PepsiCo by 8.1% in the second quarter. WestEnd Advisors LLC now owns 258,259 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,101,000 after purchasing an additional 19,287 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.07% of the company’s stock.

More PepsiCo News

Here are the key news stories impacting PepsiCo this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations (EPS $2.26 vs. $2.24; revenue roughly $29.3B) and management reiterated FY2026 guidance while reporting margin improvement — a core driver for today’s buying. Pepsi Pops as Investors Take Notice of Key Strategic Initiatives
• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a $10 billion share repurchase program, supporting EPS and signaling capital-return priority. PepsiCo to Repurchase $10.00 billion in Shares
• Positive Sentiment: Several brokerages lifted price targets after the strong quarter (UBS to $190, Morgan Stanley $180, JPMorgan $176, HSBC $175), which helps sustain buying interest. UBS Lifts PepsiCo Target JPMorgan Raises Target HSBC Adjusts Target
• Positive Sentiment: Management is cutting prices (up to ~15% on some snacks) and pivoting to “snack affordability” ahead of heavy seasonal demand (Super Bowl), which should boost volumes and retail sales. Guacamole & chip prices and PepsiCo price moves
• Positive Sentiment: Productivity and distribution integration (testing combined beverage/snack logistics) are cited as margin levers — management reported early positive results and operating-margin expansion. Productivity Strategy Analysis
• Neutral Sentiment: Pepsi is publicly adapting product mixes for health-conscious consumers (functional foods) and watching trends like GLP-1 drug use — outcomes are uncertain but the company is actively responding. How PepsiCo is adapting to GLP-1 use
• Neutral Sentiment: Activist investor interest (Elliott) remains a background catalyst; Pepsi is implementing changes but has said full refranchising isn’t being pursued — keeps outcomes dependent on execution. Elliott stake & catalyst analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Snack price cuts — and earlier consumer backlash over pricing — could pressure near-term gross margins until volume gains offset the lower pricing. PepsiCo to cut some US snack prices

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.