Natural Investments LLC Acquires Shares in PepsiCo, Inc.

Natural Investments LLC has recently acquired a new stake in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) during the fourth quarter of the year, as stated in the company's latest 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 13,178 shares of PepsiCo's stock, with a total investment amount of about $2,003,000.

In addition to Natural Investments LLC, several other institutional investors and hedge funds have adjusted their holdings in PepsiCo. Fairway Wealth LLC made a new investment in PepsiCo in the fourth quarter, valued at approximately $69,000. Meanwhile, GC Wealth Management RIA LLC increased its stake in the company by 23.3%, now holding 16,312 shares worth about $2,480,000 after acquiring an additional 3,084 shares last quarter. Gables Capital Management Inc. also expanded its ownership by 5.1%, bringing its total to 4,152 shares valued at $631,000 after adding 200 shares. Additionally, Miller Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in PepsiCo worth around $1,141,000, and Mcintyre Freedman & Flynn Investment Advisers Inc. raised its position by 3.5%, now owning 17,500 shares valued at $2,661,000 after acquiring 590 shares last quarter. Collectively, institutional investors own 73.07% of PepsiCo's stock.

Market Performance of PepsiCo

The share price of PepsiCo opened at $156.25 on a recent trading day. The stock has seen a low of $141.51 and a high of $183.41 over the past year. The fifty-day moving average for PepsiCo is $148.89, while the two-hundred-day moving average is $160.62. Currently, PepsiCo has a market capitalization of $214.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.48, and a beta of 0.52, indicating its relatively stable nature compared to the overall market.

Recent Earnings Report

PepsiCo recently released its quarterly earnings data, reporting an earnings per share (EPS) of $1.96. This exceeded analysts' expectations, which estimated an EPS of $1.94. The company's net margin stands at 10.43%, with a return on equity of 58.87%. PepsiCo reported a revenue of $27.78 billion for the quarter, which is slightly below the consensus estimate of $27.89 billion, showing a small decline of .2% compared to the previous year's revenue. Analysts predict that PepsiCo, Inc. will achieve an EPS of 8.3 for the current fiscal year.

PepsiCo's Dividend Announcement

Furthermore, PepsiCo announced a quarterly dividend of $1.355, which is set to be paid on March 31st. Investors who are on record as of March 7th will receive the dividend, leading to an annualized total dividend of $5.42 and a yield of 3.47%. The ex-dividend date is also March 7th. PepsiCo maintains a payout ratio of 77.99%, which indicates a considerable portion of earnings is returned to shareholders.

Analysts' Price Targets for PepsiCo

Several analysts have recently updated their price targets for PepsiCo stock. Barclays raised their target price from $153.00 to $168.00 and assigned an 'overweight' rating to the stock. In contrast, StockNews.com downgraded PepsiCo from a 'buy' to a 'hold' rating. BNP Paribas also reduced their price target from $162.00 to $160.00, maintaining a 'neutral' stance, while Wells Fargo adjusted their target from $155.00 to $150.00, rating the stock as 'equal weight'. Morgan Stanley also lowered their price objective from $185.00 to $168.00, suggesting a similar rating. Currently, analysts have issued a diverse range of ratings for PepsiCo, with one sell rating, twelve hold ratings, and eight buy ratings, leading to an average rating of 'Hold' and an average target price of $172.35.

Company Overview

PepsiCo, Inc. engages in the manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and sale of a variety of beverages and convenience foods globally. The company operates through different segments including Frito-Lay North America, Quaker Foods North America, and PepsiCo Beverages North America, among others. With its diverse portfolio, PepsiCo has established itself as a significant player in the global food and beverage industry.

PepsiCo, investment, market