PepsiCo's 2025 Playbook: Can Cost Cuts Fund an Innovation-Led Rebound?

Core Insights - PepsiCo's 2025 strategy focuses on aggressive cost reduction and an accelerated innovation agenda to rebuild profitability after facing margin pressure from inflation and supply-chain issues [1][8] - The company aims to strengthen margins through productivity improvements, including SKU reductions and workforce cuts, while also investing in new product development [2][3] Cost Reduction Initiatives - PepsiCo has cut over 35% of SKUs and reduced Frito-Lay's workforce by 7%, alongside shutting down some plants and consolidating distribution [2] - The company plans to implement an additional 15% SKU reduction in the fourth quarter to further enhance margins [2] Innovation and Product Development - PepsiCo is focusing on a stronger pipeline of new products, including functional drinks and clean-label snacks, to drive higher-value growth [3] - Successful product launches like Pepsi Zero Sugar and Gatorade Lower Sugar reflect the company's shift towards health-focused categories [3] Financial Performance and Projections - PepsiCo's shares have decreased by 2.5% over the past three months, compared to a 0.2% decline in the industry [7] - The forward price-to-earnings ratio for PepsiCo is 17.49X, slightly below the industry average of 18.01X [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a 0.7% decline in earnings for 2025, with a projected growth of 5.9% for 2026 [10]