Time activist investor Elliot Management is taking a significant stake in PepsiCo. But despite today's 2% pop, shares are still only flat since January. Lesie Picker has the details.Hi Les. Hey Court. Yeah, this may not be helpful in uh your hunger issues, but Elliot says if if its proposal, if enacted, could deliver 50% upside to shareholders.The activist says Pepsi trades at a substantial discount to many historically slower growing peers as well as to its own historical average valuation. The activist di ...

Core Insights - PepsiCo anticipates a 70% increase in productivity savings in the second half of 2025, driven by plant closures, workforce reductions, and procurement efficiencies [1][4] - The company is focusing on productivity initiatives and brand innovation to counteract rising supply chain costs amid stagnant sales in North America [1][5] Financial Performance - For the quarter ending June 14, PepsiCo reported a net income of $1.26 billion, or 92 cents per share, down from $3.08 billion, or $2.23 per share, a year earlier, impacted by a $1.86 billion impairment charge related to its Rockstar and Be & Cheery brands [8] - Revenue for the quarter was $22.73 billion, a 1% increase from $22.5 billion a year earlier, with organic revenue rising 2.1%, led by 6% growth in international business, while North America remained flat [9] Strategic Initiatives - The company has closed two plants and several manufacturing lines to mitigate higher fixed costs, with plans to reintegrate production in North America to reduce costs [3][5] - PepsiCo is making targeted investments to boost sales, including refreshing legacy brands and expanding into health-conscious categories [6] Market Trends - The away-from-home sales segment rose at a high single-digit rate, which is seen as a focus area that is margin accretive, particularly in beverages [8] - The company is experiencing early success in relaunching brands like Simply and Tostitos, aiming to enhance the perception of its products as "real food" [7] Future Outlook - PepsiCo reaffirmed its full-year outlook for low-single-digit organic revenue growth and flat core constant currency earnings per share, while reducing its forecast for foreign exchange headwinds from 3 percentage points to 1.5 points [10] - The company plans to continue expanding its international business and accelerate initiatives to improve North American performance through portfolio innovation and cost optimization [11]

Q2 Performance & Growth - PepsiCo is pleased with its Q2 performance, noting an acceleration of the business in the US for both snacks and beverages [2] - The company's international business, a $40 billion business, continues to grow at a mid-single-digit rate [2] - Pepsi gains share in the cola category with Pepsi, driven by non-sugar options and advertising [4] - The company is growing share in various snack segments, including Cheetos, Doritos, and permissible snacks [5] Brand Investment & Innovation - PepsiCo is focused on strengthening brands, finding the right affordability levels for consumers, and investing in away-from-home channels [6][7] - The company is reinvesting in value, brands, and innovation, particularly in functional and permissible segments [7] Portfolio Transformation & Consumer Preferences - PepsiCo is working to improve the profile of its portfolio, with 60% of products already without artificial colors in the US [10][11] - Lays and Tostitos will move to zero artificial colors by the end of the year [11] - PepsiCo is launching "naked" versions of Doritos and Cheetos to gauge consumer reaction to products without artificial colors [12] - The company offers a variety of options, including sugar, no sugar, corn syrup, and real sugar, to cater to consumer preferences [13][16] Government & Regulatory Considerations - Food and beverage is important, and it's normal for governments to pay attention to what people eat and drink [10] - Sugar is more expensive in the US than in many parts of the world, suggesting a potential conversation with the government on affordability and farming strategies [15]

No, investors are all over British American Tobacco because of its growth in new nicotine categories such as vaping, nicotine pouches, and heat-not-burn cigarettes. Nicotine pouches are on fire at the moment, a category that is seeing rapid global adoption. The company's Velo brand has an estimated 30% market share of nicotine pouches globally in its key markets, with United States revenue growing in the triple digits at the moment and hitting an estimated 12% market share in the country. As investors have ...