PepsiCo, Inc. engages in the manufacture, marketing, distribution, and sale of various beverages and convenient foods worldwide. The company operates through seven segments: Frito-Lay North America; Quaker Foods North America; PepsiCo Beverages North America; Latin America; Europe; Africa, Middle East and South Asia; and Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand and China Region. It provides dips, cheese-flavored snacks, and spreads, as well as corn, potato, and tortilla chips; cereals, rice, pasta, mixes and syrups, granola bars, grits, oatmeal, rice cakes, and side dishes; beverage concentrates, fountain syrups, and finished goods; ready-to-drink tea, coffee, and juices; dairy products; and sparkling water makers and related products, as well as distributes alcoholic beverages under Hard MTN Dew brand. The company offers its products primarily under the Lay's, Doritos, Fritos, Tostitos, BaiCaoWei, Cheetos, Cap'n Crunch, Life, Pearl Milling Company, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, Rice-A-Roni, Aquafina, Bubly, Emperador, Diet Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, Gatorade Zero, Crush, Propel, Dr Pepper, Schweppes, Marias Gamesa, Ruffles, Sabritas, Saladitas, Tostitos, 7UP, Diet 7UP, H2oh!, Manzanita Sol, Mirinda, Pepsi Black, Pepsi Max, San Carlos, Toddy, Walkers, Chipsy, Kurkure, Sasko, Spekko, White Star, Smith's, Sting, SodaStream, Lubimyj Sad, Agusha, Chudo, Domik v Derevne, Lipton, and other brands. It serves wholesale and other distributors, foodservice customers, grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores, discount/dollar stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, hard discounters, e-commerce retailers and authorized independent bottlers, and others through a network of direct-store-delivery, customer warehouse, and distributor networks, as well as directly to consumers through e-commerce platforms and retailers. The company was founded in 1898 and is based in Purchase, New York.

PepsiCo, Inc.

This morning a "Potential Dividend Run Alert" went out for PepsiCo Inc (NASD: PEP), at our DividendChannel.com Dividend Alerts service (a free email alerts feature). Let's look at the situation in greater detail, shall we?
First of all, what is a "Dividend Run" anyway? This is an interesting concept which we first learned about at a past ValueForum conference. And to best explain the concept, we need to start with the expected behavior of a stock on its ex-dividend date.
For anyone unfamiliar with the term, the ex-dividend date marks the trading day when any buyer of the stock is no longer entitled to the referenced dividend — in other words, to be eligible to receive the dividend in question, one would have had to purchase their shares before the ex-dividend date.
All else equal, the stock price would be expected to drop by the dividend amount on that ex-date (remember, that's "all else equal" and naturally other factors will drive stocks higher/lower on any given day). But think about it: if a buyer is entitled to a 1.422 dividend before ex-date, but no longer entitled to that amount on or after ex-date, then this drop makes perfect sense! Because if the shares didn't drop by that same 1.422 the next day, then effectively, buyers would effectively be paying 1.422 more for the same share of stock.
But now think about this: if a stock is expected to drop by the dividend amount (all else equal) on ex-date, then in turn, shouldn't that stock be expected to rise sometime ahead of a dividend? After all, if a dividend-paying stock didn't ever rise and only fell on each and every ex-date, then eventually after enough dividend payments those shares would have fallen to zero. And that wouldn't make any sense for a company continually earning money and paying dividends. So indeed, "sometime" before a given dividend, there should be sort of a built-in "pressure" for a stock to gradually rise in expectation of that next cash dividend... in other words: pressure for the stock to have a potential Dividend Run.
And notice we put the word "sometime" in quotes in that last sentence, because there are differing views among different dividend investors about timeframe when it comes to capturing Dividend Run effects. Some like to invest (and then also to sell) on specific target dates; others like to employ some form of dollar cost averaging. Some like to invest shortly before ex-div, hold for the dividend, and then sell on or after ex-date (having actually capturing the dividend / received the income). Others like to sell the day before ex-date (the last possible day where the buyer of the shares will still be "paying for" the upcoming dividend) with the idea to try and maximize capital gain. In this capital-gain-focused scenario, one common timeframe we've seen discussed, is to buy about two weeks (ten trading days) prior to the targeted sale date.
For example, consider the 1.355/share PEP dividend that went "ex-dividend" on 03/07/25. On the prior trading day — the last day where a seller knows that the buyer of their shares will be expecting that dividend amount — shares of PEP closed at 154.61. And two weeks (ten trading days) prior to that, on 02/20/25, shares closed at a price of 149.10. That means that in the final two-week run-up to the 1.355 dividend, PEP gained 5.51 in price.
Looking back at the last four dividends paid by PEP, this strategy would have captured a capital gain in excess of the dividend 3 out of 4 times, with a "Divvy Run" total of +12.31 in capital gains. Incidentally, that exceeds the sum total dividend amounts across those last four dividends, of 5.488. Here's the data:
In about two weeks from now, PepsiCo Inc (NASD: PEP) will go ex-dividend for its latest dividend of 1.422/share. Will Dividend Run history repeat itself?
Upcoming Dividend: 1.422/share
Ex-Div Date: 09/05/25
Payment Date: 09/30/25
Dividend Frequency: Quarterly
Full PEP Dividend History »
As the saying goes, past performance is never a guarantee of future returns. But one thing's for sure: for those investors who count Dividend Runs among the tools in their arsenal, PEP is a good dividend stock to know about and have on your radar screen with its implied annualized yield of 3.77%.
Stay tuned for future Dividend Run candidates, and if you'd like to receive email alerts right into your inbox, enroll in our free Dividend Alerts feature, courtesy of DividendChannel.com.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Upcoming Dividend Run For PEP?

Key Points
Cornell's departure is not a surprise, with his contract nearly up and the company's performance down.
His successor, Michael Fiddelke, is a company insider; analysts were hoping for big changes.
The biggest news from retailer Target's (NYSE: TGT) second-quarter earnings report, which arrived on Wednesday, wasn't the 21% plunge in profits (although that was bad). It's what the company is doing about it: hiring a new CEO.
Target's board unanimously appointed Michael Fiddelke to replace current CEO Brian Cornell, who has led the company since 2014. Cornell will officially step down in February.
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Here's what this is likely to mean for Target and its stock.
Not a surprise departure
Analysts had been expecting Cornell to step down soon. On top of the company's recent poor performance and PR missteps, his current three-year contract was set to expire in September.
Cornell isn't fully leaving, but transitioning into the role of executive chair of the board of directors, indicating he's not departing on bad terms.
The big surprise wasn't Cornell's departure, it was the identity of his successor.
A company insider
Some analysts were hoping that Target would bring in an outsider who would "shake things up" at Target, much as Cornell himself did in 2014.
Cornell came to Target from PepsiCo's global foods business. He made big investments in Target's online fulfillment, same-day delivery, and curbside pickup capabilities, which paid off during the pandemic lockdowns, sending revenue and share prices soaring.
Fiddelke, on the other hand, is perhaps the ultimate company insider: He's Target's current chief operating officer, its former CFO, and a 20-year company veteran. Target credits him with scaling up the company's supply chain and digital capabilities and spearheading the current push to find efficiencies in the business.
What it means for investors
The choice of Fiddelke to succeed Cornell is seen by some as a decision to "stay the course." That is, focus on existing initiatives to boost same-store traffic and identify cost savings, rather than make big changes.
Shares tumbled by about 10% in the wake of the announcement:
That's an indication that Wall Street isn't convinced staying the course is the right move for the struggling retailer. Investors who agree may want to hold off on buying shares.
Should you invest $1,000 in Target right now?
Before you buy stock in Target, consider this:
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John Bromels has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Target CEO Brian Cornell to Step Down. Here's What Investors Need to Know.

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Neos Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (Symbol: QQQI) where we have detected an approximate $218.0 million dollar inflow -- that's a 5.9% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 69,220,000 to 73,320,000). Among the largest underlying components of QQQI, in trading today PepsiCo Inc (Symbol: PEP) is up about 0.6%, Shopify Inc (Symbol: SHOP) is down about 2.5%, and Intuitive Surgical Inc (Symbol: ISRG) is higher by about 0.4%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the QQQI Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of QQQI, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, QQQI's low point in its 52 week range is $41.1701 per share, with $54.47 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $51.95. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Cheapest Stocks Right Now
TSIA shares outstanding history
LXP Historical Stock Prices
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

QQQI, PEP, SHOP, ISRG: ETF Inflow Alert

Key Points
Costco is a very well-run company with a differentiated business model.
The business and the stock have performed well over the last three years.
Long-term investors might be better off with this lagging growth stock while it is out of favor.
Wall Street icon Warren Buffett got some of his investment training by studying with and working for value investing pioneer Benjamin Graham. One of Graham's most important contributions to investing was to point out, during the Great Depression, that even a great business can be a bad investment if you pay too much for it.
Right now, investors could be paying too much for Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) when they could, instead, buy stock in an out-of-favor consumer staples giant. Let me explain.
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Costco is a great company
Costco's customers pay for the privilege of shopping at its stores. The membership fees the retailer collects create an annuity-like income stream thanks to a roughly 90% customer retention rate. That gives Costco a huge amount of business flexibility, effectively allowing it to offer the lowest prices while also providing great service, thanks to strong employee relations.
And Costco is performing very well right now, even as some of its retail peers are struggling. For example, Costco's fiscal third-quarter 2025 same-store sales rose a strong 5.7% with traffic at its stores up 5.2%. Clearly, customers are very happy to shop at Costco. The problem is that Wall Street is aware of how good a business Costco runs, which is what Benjamin Graham's warning is all about.
Costco's price-to-sales ratio, price-to-earnings ratio, and price-to-book-value ratio are all well above their five-year averages. Its dividend yield is a tiny 0.5%, which is near the low end of the historical yield range.
It is entirely possible that Costco's business could grow into that valuation, but that would mean a static stock price. It is more likely that investors realize that Costco is too dearly priced and the stock falls. Buffett likes to buy great companies, but taking his mentor's advice, he prefers to buy them when they are attractively priced. Costco doesn't pass that test right now.
PepsiCo is on sale despite an incredible history
A better option for value-conscious investors today is likely to be PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP). PepsiCo's 3.8% dividend yield is near the highest levels in recent history. The company's P/S and P/B ratios are both below their five-year averages, while the P/E is slightly above that mark, thanks to near-term headwinds the company is facing. Simply put, where Costco looks expensive, PepsiCo looks cheap.
But PepsiCo has been growing its diversified consumer staples business for decades. It is easily one of the largest and best-run food makers on the planet, competing well with all of its branded peers. It has the scale to be an industry consolidator. It also has the marketing, distribution, and research and development (R&D) strength to stand toe to toe with any company in the beverage, snack, and packaged food niches in which it competes. But even good companies go through hard times, which is often the best time to buy them. Right now is a hard time for PepsiCo, which is why its stock has underperformed strongly executing Costco.
This time could be different. For example, the "bad news" that is dragging PepsiCo's stock down is likely to lead to a slight increase in organic sales in 2025 and flat earnings. Despite the big share price drop, that's really not such a bad financial performance. It is just worse than other companies in the consumer staples space, including Costco.
But history suggests that PepsiCo will muddle through, noting that it is a Dividend King with over five decades of annual increases under its belt. A record like that can't be built by accident. It requires a strong business model that gets executed well in both good markets and bad ones. Notably, PepsiCo has been buying brands so that it can keep pace with consumer trends. It has done the same thing many times before, helping it to continue growing its business over the long term. The playbook hasn't changed, and there's no reason to believe the results will be different this time around, either.
Think long-term and buy PepsiCo
Buying Costco while it is doing well is easy to justify. However, you have to consider the price you are paying. Simply put, it is expensive. Buying PepsiCo when it is struggling is harder to justify, but it could be the better choice in the consumer staples space.
PepsiCo is still working on growing its business, just like it has for over 50 years. But investors are focused on the next quarter when they should be focused on the next decade. And, thus, PepsiCo has been put on the sale rack. If you think long-term you'll likely be happy if you pick up this bargain growth stock while others are selling it.
Should you invest $1,000 in Costco Wholesale right now?
Before you buy stock in Costco Wholesale, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Costco Wholesale wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $671,466!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,115,633!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,077% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 18, 2025
Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in PepsiCo. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Should You Forget Costco? Why You Might Want to Buy This Unstoppable Growth Stock Instead.

Key Points
The acquisition of Alani Nu has helped breathe new life into Celsius stock.
The company's market share rose over the last year.
Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ: CELH) stock has climbed 43% since releasing its earnings results for the second quarter of 2025 on April 7. The energy drink company has benefited from strong sales of its core flavors, the popularity of limited time offerings, and its recent acquisition of Alani Nu.
Amid those successes, investors should focus on one key metric in 2025 that is likely to continue driving the stock price going forward.
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The key metric
The metric that is arguably most critical to Celsius stock investors is its net sales.
In Q2, net sales rose to more than $739 million, a year-over-year increase of 84%. This impressive growth, however, was largely due to Alani Nu. Sales of Celsius brand products rose 9% year over year. While that was an improvement from recent quarters, it fell far short of the 129% growth for the Alani Nu brand.
Investors who have been following this stock the past few years know that massive sales growth helped take Celsius to a record closing price of $96.11 per share in Mar. 2024. Conversely, they likely also recall when slower purchases from a key distributor, PepsiCo, resulted in declining revenue growth and, in turn, a plummeting stock price as you can see below.
PepsiCo has powered much of the sales growth for Celsius since the two companies signed a distribution agreement in Aug. 2022, and the snack and beverage giant remains critical to Celsius' continued success.
Meanwhile, selling, general, and administrative expenses rose 107% year over year amid acquisition-related costs and higher spending on marketing. Celsius shareholders need to keep track of these expenses as well.
Still, investors should note that Celsius' share of the U.S. market rose 1.8 percentage points to 17.3% last quarter. As long as Celsius continues to grow revenue at a rapid pace, investors are likely to bid the stock higher.
Should you invest $1,000 in Celsius right now?
Before you buy stock in Celsius, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Celsius wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $671,466!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,115,633!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,077% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 18, 2025
Will Healy has positions in Celsius. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Celsius. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

1 Metric to Watch for Celsius Holdings Stock in 2025

The NASDAQ 100 After Hours Indicator is down -1.71 to 23,383.06. The total After hours volume is currently 259,932,235 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the after hours session:
CSX Corporation (CSX) is -0.04 at $36.48, with 11,794,785 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 3 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Dec 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $0.44. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for CSX is in the "buy range".
Intel Corporation (INTC) is -0.2 at $25.11, with 5,012,564 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 6 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Sep 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $-0.12. INTC's current last sale is 114.14% of the target price of $22.
Merck & Company, Inc. (MRK) is +0.05 at $84.98, with 4,121,304 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 3 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Dec 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $2.19. MRK's current last sale is 84.98% of the target price of $100.
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is +0.07 at $175.71, with 3,488,467 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NVDA is in the "buy range".
ICICI Bank Limited (IBN) is unchanged at $32.88, with 3,050,213 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for IBN is in the "buy range".
Coca-Cola Company (The) (KO) is -0.08 at $70.05, with 2,822,050 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 6 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Jun 2026. The consensus EPS forecast is $0.93. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for KO is in the "buy range".
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (FUN) is unchanged at $25.98, with 2,768,957 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for FUN is in the "buy range".
Pepsico, Inc. (PEP) is -0.15 at $152.01, with 2,241,489 shares traded. PEP's current last sale is 98.71% of the target price of $154.
Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. (CX) is +0.02 at $8.67, with 2,117,595 shares traded. CX's current last sale is 107.04% of the target price of $8.1.
Walmart Inc. (WMT) is +0.16 at $101.45, with 2,081,731 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 3 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Jul 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $0.73. WMT is scheduled to provide an earnings report on 8/21/2025, for the fiscal quarter ending Jul2025. The consensus earnings per share forecast is 0.73 per share, which represents a 67 percent increase over the EPS one Year Ago
Hertz Global Holdings, Inc (HTZ) is -0.0295 at $5.17, with 1,791,526 shares traded. As reported in the last short interest update the days to cover for HTZ is 8.389105; this calculation is based on the average trading volume of the stock.
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is -0.05 at $569.23, with 1,713,739 shares traded. This represents a 41.46% increase from its 52 Week Low.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

After Hours Most Active for Aug 19, 2025 : CSX, INTC, MRK, NVDA, IBN, KO, FUN, PEP, CX, WMT, HTZ, QQQ

PepsiCo, Inc.’s PEP Frito-Lay snacks unit continues to be a key growth engine, even as the company navigates a challenging North American market. Management emphasized that the food business remains central to its strategy, with efforts focused on stabilizing the broader snacking category and keeping consumers engaged through value, affordability and innovation. Flagship brands like Cheetos and Doritos are showing strength, while the 'permissible' snacking portfolio — which includes SunChips, PopCorners, Siete and Simply — has grown into a business worth over $2 billion, highlighting Frito-Lay’s ability to capture evolving consumer preferences.
At the same time, PepsiCo is actively refreshing its biggest snack brands to maintain category leadership. The company is relaunching Lay’s and Tostitos with a sharper focus on natural ingredients and 'real food' positioning, eliminating artificial ingredients to strengthen consumer trust. Innovation is also extending into functional snacking, with new offerings in protein and fiber expected across brands like PopCorners and Quaker snacks. This brand reinvestment, combined with expanded distribution and sharper price-pack strategies, underscores why Frito-Lay remains a critical performer in PepsiCo’s portfolio.
Beyond retail, Frito-Lay is expanding its presence in the away-from-home channel, where snacks command higher margins and create incremental consumption occasions. PepsiCo sees this as a long-term growth driver, with innovation and increased physical availability fueling momentum in restaurants, small stores and convenience outlets. While potato chips remain an area of work, management is confident that sequential improvement across subsegments and strong brand equity will keep Frito-Lay in its leading position. Overall, the snacks unit is still the star performer, providing resilience and profitability while driving PepsiCo’s broader growth ambitions.
PEP’s Competitors: MDLZ & CPB’s Smart Moves
In the competitive global snacking landscape, PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay faces strong challenges from rivals like Mondelez International, Inc. MDLZ and The Campbell's Company CPB, both of which have carved out significant positions across key snacking categories.
Mondelez is a major global competitor in the snacking space, with a stronghold in biscuits, cookies and confectionery. Its powerhouse brands like Oreo, Ritz, belVita and Chips Ahoy! dominate the sweet and baked snack categories, while Cadbury and Toblerone strengthen its confectionery leadership. Mondelez has been expanding into healthier snacking options through acquisitions such as Hu, Tate’s Bake Shop and Perfect Snacks, aligning with consumer demand for permissible indulgence. Its global distribution scale and constant innovation make it one of PepsiCo’s most formidable rivals in the broader snacking market.
Campbell’s, through its Snyder’s-Lance portfolio, is a key competitor to PepsiCo in salty snacks, particularly in North America. The company owns well-known brands such as Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels, Cape Cod and Kettle Brand potato chips and Goldfish crackers, giving it a solid presence across both premium and mainstream snack categories. Campbell’s has been focused on flavor innovation, variety packs and better-for-you options to stay relevant with changing consumer preferences. Its strength in iconic brands and targeted snacking categories positions it as a strong challenger to PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay dominance.
PEP’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of PepsiCo have lost around 1.1% year to date against the industry’s growth of 6.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, PEP trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 18.18X, slightly above the industry’s average of 18.05X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PEP’s 2025 earnings implies a year-over-year decline of 1.8%, whereas its 2026 earnings estimate suggests year-over-year growth of 5.2%. The company’s EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have moved northward in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
PEP stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Is PepsiCo's Frito-Lay Snacks Unit Still the Star Performer?

Celsius Holdings, Inc. (CELH) continues to drive growth through product innovation, which remains a cornerstone of its long-term growth strategy. The company is developing products and is continually evolving its product portfolio to resonate well with shifting consumer preferences toward healthier, sugar-free and functional beverage options.
To this end, CELH’s "LIVE FIT" campaign, which revolves around health, aspiration and daily functionality, strongly relates to today’s customer. The company continues to develop programs under this platform, supported by extensive research to deepen consumer engagements, boost category participation and solidify its position in the growing sugar-free section.
With its entirely sugar-free energy drinks and powders under the Celsius and Alani brands, the company has bolstered its leadership in this fast-expanding category. By introducing products like Celsius Essentials, CELSIUS Hydration sticks and limited-time or seasonal offerings, the company has diversified beyond traditional canned beverages, thus enhancing consumer engagement and reinforcing brand relevance.
Celsius weaves innovation into its marketing strategy, with new product launches leveraging high-impact influencer collaborations, immersive brand experiences and targeted social media campaigns, which expand reach and strengthen brand engagement. During the second quarter of 2025, the Celsius brand’s innovation agenda expanded with the launch of two refreshing Fizz-Free flavors, namely Pink Lemonade and Dragon Fruit Lime.
On the other hand, Alani Nu demonstrated exceptional strength and innovation, fueled by the Sherbet Swirl and Cotton Candy, which delivered incremental sales across the business. On the innovation front, CELH is doubling down on fizz-free beverages. In a nutshell, the company’s robust innovation pipeline across both the Celsius and Alani portfolios, coupled with international expansion and other growth initiatives, positions it for continued success.
CELH’s Competition
Amid growing awareness in health and wellness, and constant innovations, PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP), The Coca-Cola Company (KO) and Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST) are competing with Celsius.
PepsiCo is strategically reshaping its product portfolio to align with the evolving consumer preferences, with a sharp focus on functionality, health and affordability. PepsiCo is proactively expanding its range of sugar-free beverages and working to lower the overall sugar content in its drinks. As part of its innovation strategy, PEP is intensifying its focus on zero-sugar offerings while extending its reach into functional hydration, powders and tablets. Pepsi Zero Sugar, Gatorade Zero and rapid hydration variants are doing well. PepsiCo’s emphasis on a solid innovation pipeline, designed to resonate well with evolving consumer preferences, positions it well for growth.
Coca-Cola is evolving into a total beverage company with a resilient, all-weather strategy that integrates marketing, innovation and revenue growth management. In response to changing consumer tastes for healthier beverage options, Coca Cola has ramped up its offerings of sugar-free drink options. Coca Cola’s efforts include reformulating existing products such as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar alongside rolling out new sugar-free variants. Innovation and marketing continue to drive brand momentum, with impactful campaigns and product launches.
Innovation has been playing a significant role in Monster Beverage’s success. MNST continues to launch its affordable energy brands, Predator and Fury, in various markets across the world. Product innovation and solid demand aided growth in the second quarter of 2025, with new launches like Ultra Blue Hawaiian leading. Monster Beverage drives growth through relentless innovation, introducing new flavors and affordable energy brands, to capture diverse consumer segments. The company’s product pipeline is designed to expand household penetration and per capita consumption, while catering to evolving tastes and functional needs. Monster Beverage remains excited about its innovation pipeline in 2025.
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Celsius' Innovation Strategy: A Catalyst for Future Growth?

The Coca-Cola Company's KO recent revenue growth has been significantly influenced by its strategic focus on new product launches that cater to evolving consumer preferences. Innovations like Sprite + Tea in North America have gained strong traction, benefiting from social media buzz and limited-time appeal, helping Sprite climb to the number 3 sparkling soft drink brand in the United States. This launch reflects the company’s approach of testing products in smaller markets or channels, then scaling successful offerings globally. Additionally, the reintroduction of the “Share a Coke” campaign across more than 120 countries, tailored with over 30,000 local names, has created a personalized consumer experience that drives transactions while strengthening brand connection.
Coca-Cola’s innovation pipeline is also targeting niche and premium segments to expand its revenue base. The upcoming launch of a U.S. cane sugar variant of Coca-Cola reflects consumer demand for differentiated, authentic-tasting products. Similarly, the expansion of value-added dairy through the fairlife brand continues to deliver double-digit growth despite capacity constraints, demonstrating strong category leadership in protein-based beverages. The company is also exploring adjacent product opportunities, such as fiber-enriched drinks and unique flavor blends, which aim to open new consumption occasions and strengthen category presence.
These new product launches are backed by Coca-Cola’s enhanced marketing transformation, enabling faster idea testing, cross-market learning and precise targeting. By combining product innovation with tailored marketing and revenue growth management, the company is not only responding to shifting tastes but also proactively shaping demand, ensuring that new launches contribute meaningfully to its top-line growth.
KO’s Rivals Drive Growth With New Products
In a fiercely competitive beverage market, PepsiCo Inc. PEP and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. KDP are harnessing bold product innovations to capture evolving consumer tastes, protect margins and unlock new growth avenues.
PepsiCo is leveraging new product innovation to reinforce its market position and offset competitive pricing pressures. The company has been expanding its beverage and snack portfolios with launches that align with consumer trends such as zero-sugar options, functional hydration and energy drinks. For example, PepsiCo has introduced zero-sugar reformulations across key brands, expanded Gatorade’s Gatorlyte and Propel offerings, and launched new energy beverages under the Rockstar and Mountain Dew banners. These products not only cater to shifting health-conscious preferences but also open new consumption occasions, helping drive both volume and value growth in mature and emerging markets.
Keurig is also leaning heavily on product innovation to shape its revenue trajectory. In the beverage segment, the company has introduced new flavors and limited-time seasonal varieties in its flagship brands like Dr Pepper and Canada Dry, as well as functional beverage offerings through partnerships and brand extensions. On the coffee side, KDP continues to expand its Keurig brewing ecosystem with new machine formats and high-quality pod varieties, targeting both convenience seekers and premium coffee drinkers. These launches, combined with its portfolio diversification into fast-growing categories like flavored sparkling water and ready-to-drink coffee, are helping KDP sustain demand even amid pricing competition.
The Zacks Rundown for Coca-Cola
KO’s shares have risen 13.2% year to date compared with the industry’s growth of 6.5%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Coca-Cola trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 22.51X, significantly higher than the industry’s 18.13X.
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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KO’s 2025 and 2026 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 3.1% and 8.4%, respectively. Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been unchanged in the past seven days.
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Coca-Cola currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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How Product Launches Are Shaping Coca-Cola's Revenue Growth

The Coca-Cola Company KO has witnessed significant year-to-date growth, pushing the stock above industry thresholds and portraying bullishness from a technical standpoint. Coca-Cola’s stock is benefiting from a blend of resilient demand, strategic pricing and investor recognition of its defensive strengths.
Backed by the momentum, the KO stock recently surpassed its 50-day simple moving average (SMA). On Aug. 8, 2025, the stock closed at $70.34, crossing the 50-day SMA of $70.08. Since then, the KO stock has been on an uptrend.
Coca-Cola’s move above its 50-day moving average signals a shift in short-term momentum, suggesting that buying interest is strengthening after a period of consolidation or weakness. Technically, this level often acts as a key trend indicator, and breaking above it can attract additional investor attention, particularly from traders who view it as a bullish signal. It may also indicate improving sentiment toward KO’s fundamentals and market outlook.
The 50-day SMA is a key indicator for traders and analysts to identify support and resistance levels. It is considered particularly important as it is the first marker of an uptrend or a downtrend. SMA is an essential tool in technical analysis that helps investors evaluate price trends by smoothing out short-term fluctuations.
KO Stock Moves Above 50-Day SMA
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Coca-Cola’s momentum in the year-to-date period is evident from its 13.6% rally, which led it to outpace the Zacks Beverages – Soft Drinks industry and the broader Consumer Staples sector’s advances of 6.2% and 4.9%, respectively. The stock also marked an outperformance relative to the S&P 500’s growth of 8.3% in the same period.
KO’s performance is notably stronger than that of its key competitor, PepsiCo Inc. PEP, which declined 3.4% year to date. The stock also outpaced Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.’s KDP growth of 8.4% and Monster Beverage Corporation’s MNST growth of 21.8% in the same period.
At its closing price of $70.71 yesterday, the KO stock trades 4.9% below its 52-week high mark of $74.38 and 16.6% above its 52-week low of $60.62.
Coca-Cola’s YTD Price Performance
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What’s Driving KO’s Momentum? Are There Risks Attached?
Coca-Cola’s recent momentum is rooted in strong business fundamentals, resilient demand and strategic execution. In second-quarter 2025, the company delivered solid organic revenue growth, driven by pricing initiatives, product innovation and balanced volume performance across key markets.
Premium offerings and category expansion in areas like ready-to-drink beverages and protein-based shakes have helped broaden its portfolio appeal, while targeted marketing has reinforced brand strength globally. The asset-light franchise model continues to enhance operational efficiency and protect margins, even amid cost pressures.
A key driver has been Coca-Cola’s pricing power, enabling it to offset inflationary impacts without significantly eroding demand. Growth in emerging markets, coupled with stable performance in developed regions, reflects the company’s ability to adapt to local consumer trends while maintaining consistent brand positioning. Additionally, digital initiatives and partnerships with bottling partners have improved supply-chain agility, supporting on-time delivery and inventory management.
However, risks remain. Currency volatility, shifting consumer preferences, and increased competition in both traditional soda and non-carbonated categories may pressure growth. Macroeconomic uncertainty and potential regulatory actions on sugar-sweetened beverages also present ongoing challenges. Moreover, while pricing has been a key growth lever, over-reliance could strain volumes if economic conditions weaken.
Overall, Coca-Cola’s momentum reflects a blend of global brand equity, diversified offerings and disciplined execution. While the growth story remains intact, investors should watch for how the company balances pricing, innovation and market expansion against a backdrop of evolving consumer behaviors and economic headwinds.
Estimate Revision Trend for KO
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Coca-Cola’s 2025 EPS was unchanged in the last 30 days. Meanwhile, the consensus estimate for 2026 EPS has moved up by a penny in the past 30 days.
For 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for KO’s revenues and EPS implies 3.2% and 3.1% year-over-year growth, respectively. The consensus mark for 2026 revenues and earnings suggests 5.6% and 8.4% year-over-year growth, respectively.
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Is Coca-Cola’s Valuation Premium Justified?
KO’s current forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 22.6X raises concerns about whether the stock's valuation is justified. This multiple is significantly higher than the Zacks Beverages – Soft Drinks industry average of 18.05X, making the stock appear relatively expensive.
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At 22.6X P/E, Coca-Cola trades at a significant premium to most of its industry peers. The company’s peers, such as PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper, are delivering solid growth and trade at more reasonable multiples, while Monster Beverage trades at a premium multiple. PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper have forward 12-month P/E ratios of 17.76X and 16.35X, significantly lower than KO. However, Monster Beverage trades at a P/E multiple of 32.04X.
The KO stock’s premium valuation suggests that investors have strong expectations for its growth. However, the stock currently seems somewhat overvalued. Coca-Cola’s ability to meet or exceed these lofty expectations is crucial in justifying its premium pricing.
Does Near-Term Bullishness Suggest a Buy for KO?
Coca-Cola’s move above its 50-day SMA reinforces the stock’s strong technical momentum, reflecting sustained investor confidence supported by steady demand, pricing power and a globally recognized brand. Positive estimate revisions for 2026 earnings further highlight market optimism about the company’s ability to deliver growth. This combination of technical strength and encouraging forecasts positions KO as a resilient player in the consumer staples space.
However, the premium valuation leaves little margin for error, and ongoing challenges, including currency volatility, shifting consumer preferences and regulatory risks, may affect future gains. While the bullish momentum is notable, Coca-Cola must maintain consistent execution to justify investor expectations and sustain its upward trajectory. Existing shareholders may consider holding their positions, while new investors may wait for more attractive entry points before initiating exposure in this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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PepsiCo, Inc.

Price history and volume

Shares 360

Investment risk — high

Investment potential — medium

AI Factors

Food Supply

Consumer Confidence

Inflation

Consumer Spending

UK Economy

stagflation

Recession Risk

Supply Chain Disruptions

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