Smith Salley Wealth Management Raises Stock Holdings in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP

Smith Salley Wealth Management lifted its stake in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 3.8% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 125,176 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in PEP. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of PepsiCo in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Swiss RE Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of PepsiCo during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV purchased a new position in shares of PepsiCo during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new position in PepsiCo in the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Strategic Advocates LLC bought a new position in PepsiCo in the 3rd quarter worth $33,000. 73.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines 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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price target on PepsiCo from $130.00 to $132.00 in a report on Monday, May 11th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on PepsiCo from $180.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on PepsiCo from $181.00 to $178.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, June 12th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price target on PepsiCo from $173.00 to $168.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Finally, TD Cowen cut their price objective on shares of PepsiCo from $165.00 to $150.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, June 12th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $167.10.

PepsiCo Stock Performance

Shares of PepsiCo stock opened at $142.02 on Monday. PepsiCo, Inc. has a twelve month low of $127.60 and a twelve month high of $171.48. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $149.90 and a 200-day moving average price of $152.26. The firm has a market cap of $194.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.30, a PEG ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.35.

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

PepsiCo Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 5th will be issued a dividend of $1.48 per share. This is a positive change from PepsiCo’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.42. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 5th. This represents a $5.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.2%. PepsiCo’s payout ratio is currently 92.94%.

PepsiCo Company 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.