Freedom Capital Markets Adjusts PepsiCo Rating to Hold and Reduces Price Target to $164
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Oct 23 2025
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Should l Buy PEP?
Source: Benzinga
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Analyst Views on PEP
Wall Street analysts forecast PEP stock price to rise
12 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 156.990
Low
144.00
Averages
161.90
High
172.00
Current: 156.990
Low
144.00
Averages
161.90
High
172.00
About PEP
PepsiCo, Inc. is a global beverage and convenient food company. The Company’s segments include PepsiCo Foods North America (PFNA), PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA), International Beverages Franchise (IB Franchise), Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Latin America Foods (LatAm Foods), and Asia Pacific Foods. PFNA segment includes all of its convenient food businesses in the United States and Canada. PBNA segment includes all of its beverage businesses in the United States and Canada. IB Franchise segment includes its international franchise beverage businesses, as well as its SodaStream business. EMEA segment includes its convenient food businesses and beverage businesses with Company-owned bottlers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. LatAm Foods segment includes all of its convenient food businesses in Latin America. Asia Pacific Foods segment consists of its convenient food businesses in Asia Pacific, including China, Australia and New Zealand, as well as India.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
PepsiCo Q1 Revenue Rises 8.5% Amid Price Cuts
- Revenue Growth: PepsiCo's revenue increased by 8.5% year-over-year in Q1 2026, indicating that the company's strategy to reduce prices has positively impacted sales, reflecting a shift in consumer price sensitivity.
- Profit Improvement: The company's operating profit rose by 24%, demonstrating that PepsiCo has successfully enhanced its profitability through operational optimization and innovation activities, which boosts market confidence.
- Shareholder Returns: PepsiCo plans to return nearly $9 billion to shareholders through stock buybacks and dividends in 2026, indicating strong confidence in future growth while providing stable returns to investors, which further attracts market attention.
- Market Reaction: PepsiCo's stock has risen nearly 10% in 2026 and maintains a dividend yield of 3.59%, reflecting positive market response to the company's turnaround efforts, with investors optimistic about its future performance.
See More
Carlsberg Secures PepsiCo Distribution Rights in Northern Europe
- Strategic Partnership Expansion: Carlsberg will take over the production, sale, and distribution rights for PepsiCo in Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania starting January 1, 2029, marking a significant deepening of its strategic partnership with PepsiCo, which is expected to enhance market share and brand influence significantly.
- Increased Market Coverage: The agreement positions Carlsberg as the sole bottler for PepsiCo in the Nordics and the Baltics, further solidifying its bottling appointments across 14 European markets, which is anticipated to generate substantial revenue growth and business integration opportunities.
- Impact on Royal Unibrew: Royal Unibrew's contract with PepsiCo will expire at the end of 2028, and while the company expects to lose approximately 13% of its net revenue, its CEO stated that accelerated growth in its own brands will partly compensate for this loss, highlighting the competitive intensity in the market.
- Confidence in Brand Growth: Royal Unibrew's own brands, such as Faxe Kondi and Jaffa, have consistently outperformed the soft drinks market in recent years and are expected to continue driving growth, with the CEO emphasizing the intention to leverage flexibility to explore new partnership opportunities to enhance market competitiveness.
See More
REFILE-BUZZ-ROYAL UNIBREW EXPERIENCES LOWEST PERFORMANCE IN 17 YEARS FOLLOWING END OF NORTHERN EUROPE CONTRACT WITH PEPSI
Refile Buzz: The article discusses the recent performance of Royal Unibrew, highlighting it as the worst day in 17 years for the company.
Northern Europe Contract: It mentions the impact of the Northern Europe contract with PepsiCo, which has contributed to the company's current challenges.
See More
Campaign360 Conference Set to Launch
- Conference Theme Announced: Campaign360 2026 is set for May 20-21, 2026, at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, with the theme 'Human Connection and Intelligent Marketing,' expected to attract over 1,000 CMOs and senior brand leaders from across APAC, highlighting the industry's focus on the tension between AI and creativity.
- Keynote Speakers: Sorin Patilinet, Global Marketing Effectiveness Lead at PepsiCo, and Bryony Cole, founder of Future of Sex, will explore how AI reshapes marketing from the perspectives of creative effectiveness and human behavior, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a creative edge in a data-driven world.
- AI Impact Discussion: Bryony Cole notes that over 660 million users globally engage with AI companion Xiaoice, with Asia-Pacific being the fastest-growing market; she will discuss how technology redefines intimacy and trust, challenging brands to maintain authentic connections in a frictionless relationship landscape.
- Lineup of Industry Leaders: In addition to the two keynote speakers, Campaign360 will feature over 70 speakers from B2C and B2B sectors, offering a dynamic program of discussions and case studies, further solidifying its status as a must-attend event for marketing leaders in the APAC region.
See More
Tilray Brands Faces Significant Challenges in Cannabis Market
- Market Value Collapse: Tilray Brands has seen its stock price plummet by 96% over the past five years, with its market cap dropping from a peak of $20 billion to just $1.5 billion, highlighting the company's struggles in a competitive legal cannabis market.
- Intensified Industry Competition: With approximately 1,000 licensed cannabis companies competing, profit margins are razor-thin, and Tilray faces significant challenges in building brand loyalty due to stringent advertising and packaging restrictions.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Despite a modest 6% increase in net revenue over the past three quarters, Tilray's operating loss remains high at around $47 million, indicating ongoing challenges in achieving profitability.
- Expansion Risks: While Tilray is diversifying into alcohol and international cannabis markets, these ventures are costly and limited in scale, leading to persistent organic growth challenges, compounded by the uncertain timeline for potential U.S. legalization reforms.
See More
U.S. Stock Futures Decline; Four Key Stocks to Watch
- Eli Lilly Acquisition Talks: Eli Lilly (LLY) slipped 0.19% in premarket trading amid reports that the pharmaceutical giant is in advanced negotiations to acquire Kelonia Therapeutics for over $2 billion, with an announcement possible as soon as Monday if talks conclude successfully, potentially including milestone payments tied to Kelonia's future progress.
- Marvell Technology's AI Prospects: Marvell Technology (MRVL) gained over 6% before the opening bell after reports surfaced that the specialty semiconductor company may collaborate with Google on developing future AI chips, which negatively impacted existing Google partners, with Broadcom and Celestica declining by 1.5% and 1%, respectively.
- PepsiCo's Brand Refresh: PepsiCo (PEP) rose 0.21% in premarket trading following the launch of a major brand refresh for its Gatorade line, shifting its identity from a sports drink to a broader everyday hydration platform, featuring new packaging and cleaner formulas aimed at non-athlete occasions.
- AST SpaceMobile Launch Failure: AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) fell 12.7% in premarket trading after Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket failed to place a satellite into its intended orbit, with the satellite entering an 'off-nominal orbit' despite separating from the rocket's second stage, marking Blue Origin's third New Glenn mission and its first successful booster reuse.
See More
PepsiCo Q1 Revenue Rises 8.5% Amid Price Cuts
- Revenue Growth: PepsiCo's revenue increased by 8.5% year-over-year in Q1 2026, indicating that the company's strategy to reduce prices has positively impacted sales, reflecting a shift in consumer price sensitivity.
- Profit Improvement: The company's operating profit rose by 24%, demonstrating that PepsiCo has successfully enhanced its profitability through operational optimization and innovation activities, which boosts market confidence.
- Shareholder Returns: PepsiCo plans to return nearly $9 billion to shareholders through stock buybacks and dividends in 2026, indicating strong confidence in future growth while providing stable returns to investors, which further attracts market attention.
- Market Reaction: PepsiCo's stock has risen nearly 10% in 2026 and maintains a dividend yield of 3.59%, reflecting positive market response to the company's turnaround efforts, with investors optimistic about its future performance.
See More
Carlsberg Secures PepsiCo Distribution Rights in Northern Europe
- Strategic Partnership Expansion: Carlsberg will take over the production, sale, and distribution rights for PepsiCo in Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania starting January 1, 2029, marking a significant deepening of its strategic partnership with PepsiCo, which is expected to enhance market share and brand influence significantly.
- Increased Market Coverage: The agreement positions Carlsberg as the sole bottler for PepsiCo in the Nordics and the Baltics, further solidifying its bottling appointments across 14 European markets, which is anticipated to generate substantial revenue growth and business integration opportunities.
- Impact on Royal Unibrew: Royal Unibrew's contract with PepsiCo will expire at the end of 2028, and while the company expects to lose approximately 13% of its net revenue, its CEO stated that accelerated growth in its own brands will partly compensate for this loss, highlighting the competitive intensity in the market.
- Confidence in Brand Growth: Royal Unibrew's own brands, such as Faxe Kondi and Jaffa, have consistently outperformed the soft drinks market in recent years and are expected to continue driving growth, with the CEO emphasizing the intention to leverage flexibility to explore new partnership opportunities to enhance market competitiveness.
See More
REFILE-BUZZ-ROYAL UNIBREW EXPERIENCES LOWEST PERFORMANCE IN 17 YEARS FOLLOWING END OF NORTHERN EUROPE CONTRACT WITH PEPSI
Refile Buzz: The article discusses the recent performance of Royal Unibrew, highlighting it as the worst day in 17 years for the company.
Northern Europe Contract: It mentions the impact of the Northern Europe contract with PepsiCo, which has contributed to the company's current challenges.
See More
Campaign360 Conference Set to Launch
- Conference Theme Announced: Campaign360 2026 is set for May 20-21, 2026, at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, with the theme 'Human Connection and Intelligent Marketing,' expected to attract over 1,000 CMOs and senior brand leaders from across APAC, highlighting the industry's focus on the tension between AI and creativity.
- Keynote Speakers: Sorin Patilinet, Global Marketing Effectiveness Lead at PepsiCo, and Bryony Cole, founder of Future of Sex, will explore how AI reshapes marketing from the perspectives of creative effectiveness and human behavior, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a creative edge in a data-driven world.
- AI Impact Discussion: Bryony Cole notes that over 660 million users globally engage with AI companion Xiaoice, with Asia-Pacific being the fastest-growing market; she will discuss how technology redefines intimacy and trust, challenging brands to maintain authentic connections in a frictionless relationship landscape.
- Lineup of Industry Leaders: In addition to the two keynote speakers, Campaign360 will feature over 70 speakers from B2C and B2B sectors, offering a dynamic program of discussions and case studies, further solidifying its status as a must-attend event for marketing leaders in the APAC region.
See More
Tilray Brands Faces Significant Challenges in Cannabis Market
- Market Value Collapse: Tilray Brands has seen its stock price plummet by 96% over the past five years, with its market cap dropping from a peak of $20 billion to just $1.5 billion, highlighting the company's struggles in a competitive legal cannabis market.
- Intensified Industry Competition: With approximately 1,000 licensed cannabis companies competing, profit margins are razor-thin, and Tilray faces significant challenges in building brand loyalty due to stringent advertising and packaging restrictions.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Despite a modest 6% increase in net revenue over the past three quarters, Tilray's operating loss remains high at around $47 million, indicating ongoing challenges in achieving profitability.
- Expansion Risks: While Tilray is diversifying into alcohol and international cannabis markets, these ventures are costly and limited in scale, leading to persistent organic growth challenges, compounded by the uncertain timeline for potential U.S. legalization reforms.
See More
U.S. Stock Futures Decline; Four Key Stocks to Watch
- Eli Lilly Acquisition Talks: Eli Lilly (LLY) slipped 0.19% in premarket trading amid reports that the pharmaceutical giant is in advanced negotiations to acquire Kelonia Therapeutics for over $2 billion, with an announcement possible as soon as Monday if talks conclude successfully, potentially including milestone payments tied to Kelonia's future progress.
- Marvell Technology's AI Prospects: Marvell Technology (MRVL) gained over 6% before the opening bell after reports surfaced that the specialty semiconductor company may collaborate with Google on developing future AI chips, which negatively impacted existing Google partners, with Broadcom and Celestica declining by 1.5% and 1%, respectively.
- PepsiCo's Brand Refresh: PepsiCo (PEP) rose 0.21% in premarket trading following the launch of a major brand refresh for its Gatorade line, shifting its identity from a sports drink to a broader everyday hydration platform, featuring new packaging and cleaner formulas aimed at non-athlete occasions.
- AST SpaceMobile Launch Failure: AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) fell 12.7% in premarket trading after Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket failed to place a satellite into its intended orbit, with the satellite entering an 'off-nominal orbit' despite separating from the rocket's second stage, marking Blue Origin's third New Glenn mission and its first successful booster reuse.
See More
