PepsiCo (ticker: PEP) has stood out in the consumer staples sector this year, demonstrating impressive growth and defying the downward trend seen in many other stocks. Investors are eagerly anticipating the company’s second-quarter results, set to be released before the market opens on Thursday.
Analysts are projecting PepsiCo to report earnings per share of $1.96, a rise from $1.86 per share in the same period last year. Over the past month, estimates have been steadily increasing. Revenue is also expected to climb to $21.73 billion, up from $20.23 billion in the second quarter of 2022.
Pepsi impressed investors in April with its beat-and-raise first quarter results, driving its stock price higher. As of Tuesday’s closing, Pepsi stock has gained 1.8% this year, while other consumer staples stocks tracked by the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR fund (XLP) have declined by 1%. Looking at the past 12 months, Pepsi has outperformed XLP, with an increase of 8.5% versus a marginal increase of 1.3%.
One key factor contributing to Pepsi’s success has been its ability to raise prices to offset increased costs without negatively impacting demand. Although inflation rates are beginning to stabilize, many households continue to face financial difficulties when it comes to meeting essential expenses. This has shifted the focus of Wall Street analysts to whether packaged food companies can maintain pricing levels that safeguard profit margins without compromising revenue.
PepsiCo has proven its resilience in navigating this challenging landscape, and investors will be closely monitoring its second-quarter performance to assess whether the company can sustain its momentum and continue delivering favorable results.
Pepsi Unveils Strong Momentum and Resilient Consumer Demand
As investors eagerly await the latest quarterly results, there is optimism surrounding Pepsi’s ability to deliver exceptional performance. Leading Goldman Sachs analyst Bonnie Herzog is confident in Pepsi’s prospects, reiterating a Buy rating for the company. She attributes her positive outlook to the “strong underlying momentum for Pepsi’s businesses” and anticipates the company surpassing expectations in both top- and bottom-line performance. Herzog also highlights the surprising resilience of consumer elasticities despite the challenging macro environment, suggesting that shoppers will continue to prioritize Pepsi products even with tight budgets.
While broader factors have impacted sales of packaged food and beverages in recent weeks, some investors express concerns regarding a potential slowdown in organic growth for Pepsi and its peers. However, UBS analyst Jay Sole remains optimistic about Pepsi’s ability to outperform the broader Staples universe, even amidst a broader slowdown. Sole believes that Pepsi’s track record of driving outsized organic revenue growth positions them well for continued success. In fact, Sole predicts a positive surprise in Pepsi’s second quarter and maintains a Buy rating on the stock.
Positive remarks from Pepsi regarding its future organic growth outlook could alleviate worries about its sales trajectory, even without an upward adjustment to its full-year forecast. Currently, approximately half of analysts tracked by FactSet hold a bullish view on Pepsi, with an average price target of $200, reflecting an 8% increase from Tuesday’s closing stock price.
