PepsiCo Option Alert: Jan 16 $140 Calls at the Bid: 2000 vs 4587 OI

PepsiCo Option Alert: Jan 16 $140 Calls at the Bid: 2000 @ $10.25 vs 4587 OI; Ref=$143.49

PepsiCo Option Alert: Jan 16 $150 Calls at the Bid: 2000 vs 5410 OI

PepsiCo Option Alert: Jan 16 $150 Calls at the Bid: 2000 @ $6.1 vs 5410 OI; Ref=$145.22

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) Stock

PEPSICO INC

PepsiCo

Pepsico, Inc.

NYSE

PepsiCo is a global leader in snacks and beverages, owning well-known household brands including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Lay's, Cheetos, and Doritos, among others. The company dominates the global savory snacks market and also ranks as the second-largest beverage provider in the world (behind Coca-Cola) with diversified exposure to carbonated soft drinks, or CSD, as well as water, sports, and energy drink offerings. Convenience foods account for approximately 55% of its total revenue, with beverages making up the rest. Pepsi owns the bulk of its manufacturing and distribution capacity in the US, but uses bottlers overseas for beverages. International markets made up 40% of both total sales and operating profits in 2024.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is one of the most active members of Congress when it comes to buying stocks in 2025. The congresswoman recently disclosed buying two stocks, including one that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/06/45913665/if-you-invested-1000-in-palantir-stock-when-marjorie-taylor-green-disclosed-buying-heres-how-much-youd-have-now">caused red flags</a> earlier this year.
What Happened: Greene recently disclosed buying two stocks and U.S. Treasury Bills in a new filing, as reported on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades">Benzinga Government Trades page.</a>
Greene disclosed buying PepsiCo Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) for the first time this year, buying $1,000 to $15,000 on July 15. The stock purchase <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46463845/pepsico-delivers-the-fizz-in-q2-sweetens-outlook-on-subdued-dollar-headwind">came days before</a> the beverage giant reported quarterly financial results.
Greene also disclosed buying $1,000 to $15,000 in Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) stock.
Check out the current <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PLTR">PLTR stock price here.</a>
This marked the latest time that Greene has bought Palantir stock in 2025 and came days before the company hit new 52-week highs.
In total, Greene has bought Palantir stock four times in 2025 with the following transactions:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>February 12: $1,000 to $15,000, disclosed on February 14</li>
<li>April 8: $1,000 to $15,000, disclosed on April 11</li>
<li>April 9: $1,000 to $15,000, disclosed on April 11</li>
<li>July 15: $1,000 to $15,000, disclosed on July 22</li>
</ul>
Greene's past disclosure of buying Palantir stock raised red flags given her committee assignments within Congress.
Several of the trades made by Greene in the past could raise red flags as conflicts of interest given her congressional committee assignments. Greene is a member of the following committees:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>House Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.)</li>
<li>House Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability</li>
</ul>
Palantir Technologies is a company that regularly lands government contracts. As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Greene could have an inside track on upcoming contracts with Palantir.
In fact, several days after Greene disclosed buying Palantir stock in April, the company announced a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44882049/peter-thiels-palantir-bags-30-million-order-from-ice-for-immigrant-tracking-system" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;new $30 million&nbsp;</a>government contract to enhance immigration enforcement tools.
Did You Know?
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades/?utm_source=BZprocontent072425">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>
Why It's Important: In 2024, Greene ranked 23rd among members of Congress who made stock transactions based on a return of +30.2%, outperforming the broader stock market.
While Greene is far from the only member of Congress buying Palantir stock, her committee assignments might make her purchases that much more newsworthy than those of other elected members.
Greene's trades earlier this year <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/politics/25/04/44852406/marjorie-taylor-greene-brushes-off-stock-buying-criticism-says-portfolio-manager-bought-the-dip">were also flagged</a> due to the timing of buying shares of several stocks as the market declined on news of President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs. The stocks soared after Trump announced a pause to tariffs, with Greene showing a quick profit on her recent trades at the time.
Greene took pride in her transactions, despite other members of Congress calling for an investigation into whether Trump and his allies participated in insider trading.
&#8220;I think that criticism is laughable. President Trump has been talking about tariffs for decades,&#8221; Greene told reporters when asked about the trades at a recent town hall event in Georgia, in a clip <a href="https://x.com/unusual_whales/status/1912456434081480777" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shared </a>by Unusual Whales. The congresswoman used the opportunity to boast about her stock performance, which ranked her as one of the top trading members of Congress in 2024.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t place my buys and sells," Greene said, citing an agreement she has with her portfolio manager, who handles all the buying and selling of stocks. &#8220;He did a great job. Guess what he did. He bought the dip. And that&#8217;s what anybody that has financial sense does."
Greene also said her portfolio manager did not have inside information, everything was public and a potential tariff pause wasn&#8217;t a secret.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/politics/25/04/45077654/bill-named-after-nancy-pelosi-could-ban-congress-members-from-trading-stocks-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-pelosi-act" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">has introduced the</a> Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments Act, or PELOSI Act based on the first letter of each of the main words. The name takes aim at Congresswoman and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Speaker of the House&nbsp;Mike Johnson&nbsp;and President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;have voiced support for the ban on Congressional trading.
PLTR Price Action: Palantir hit new 52-week highs of $155.68 on Thursday. The stock is up 106% year-to-date in 2025 and up over 480% in the last year.
Read Next: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42860759/10-best-stock-traders-in-congress-in-2024-where-do-nancy-pelosi-pete-sessions-susan-collins-marjorie-taylor-greene-rank">Top 10 Stock Traders In Congress For 2024: How Nancy Pelosi, Pete Sessions, Susan Collins, Marjorie Taylor Greene Rank</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Government

Politics

PLTR

Marjorie Taylor Greene Increases These 2 Stocks In Portfolio, Including This AI Name Up Over 100% YTD

The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KO#NYSE">KO</a>) is all set to launch the cane-sugar version of its flagship soft drink in the United States this fall, marking a significant shift in its formulation strategy.
Check out the current price of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/KO" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KO stock here.</a>
What Happened: During its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46544443/higher-margins-sweeten-coca-colas-q2-yet-volume-struggles-persist">second quarter earnings</a> call on Tuesday, the company&#8217;s CEO, James Quincey, confirmed the move, saying, &#8220;We're going to be bringing a Coke sweetened with U.S. cane sugar into the market this fall. And I think that will be an enduring option for consumers.&#8221;
The company notes that cane sugar isn&#8217;t new to its U.S. product line-up, with a presence across several existing products such as its lemonades, teas, coffee, and vitamin water drinks.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/07/46477802/buy-cane-sell-ingr-on-coca-cola-switching-to-real-sugar-a-tell-for-stock-market-from-trump">Buy CANE, Sell INGR On Coca-Cola Switching To Real Sugar, A Tell For Stock Market From Trump-Powell Drama</a>
Quincey sees the new cane sugar variant as part of a broader strategy to meet evolving consumer tastes. &#8220;We are definitely looking to use the whole toolbox, the whole toolkit of available sweetening options to some extent where there are consumer preferences,&#8221; he said.
The new variant is expected to complement Coca-Cola's existing lineup, not replace it, and serve as an option for differentiation for consumers.
Why It Matters: A week ago, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, saying that &#8220;I have been speaking to&nbsp;Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane&nbsp;Sugar in Coke in the&nbsp;United States, and they have&nbsp;agreed to do so.&#8221; Trump added that he felt this was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46457941/trump-says-coca-cola-has-agreed-to-use-real-cane-sugar-in-their-us-sodas-its-just-better">a good move</a>. &#8220;You&#8217;ll see. It&#8217;s just better,&#8221; he said.
This comes amid a growing push to Make America Healthy Again, spearheaded by Secretary of Health and Human Services,&nbsp;Robert Kennedy Jr. 
Nearly a year ago, Kennedy urged Americans to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40453139/robert-kennedy-jr-says-if-you-want-to-drink-a-coke-drink-a-mexican-coke-heres-why">choose Mexican Coke</a> over its U.S. counterpart, citing its use of cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. &#8220;If you want to drink Coke, drink a Mexican Coke because they don't allow it down there,&#8221; he said.
Coca-Cola&#8217;s biggest rival, PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>), <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/retail-sales/25/07/46538399/pepsico-to-launch-cane-sugar-based-prebiotic-cola-this-fall-to-counter-declining-soda-consumption">announced plans</a> for a cane sugar-based prebiotic cola early this week, in order to counter declining soda consumption. 
The Coca-Cola Co. released its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46544443/higher-margins-sweeten-coca-colas-q2-yet-volume-struggles-persist">second quarter results</a> on Tuesday, reporting $12.50 billion in revenue, up 1% year-over-year, but falling short of consensus estimates at $12.54 billion. Profits during the quarter stood at $0.87 per share, ahead of analyst estimates at $0.83.
Price Action: The company&#8217;s shares were down 0.59% on Tuesday, trading at $69.66, and are up 0.27% after hours.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="149" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/23044418/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-2.14.04-PM-1024x149.png" alt="" class="wp-image-996699" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/23044418/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-2.14.04-PM-1024x149.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/23044418/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-2.14.04-PM-300x44.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/23044418/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-2.14.04-PM-768x112.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/23044418/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-2.14.04-PM.png 1526w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Coca-Cola&#8217;s shares score high on Growth in Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings, but fall short on other metrics. They also have a favorable price trend in the long term. Click <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">here</a> for deeper insights into the stock, as well as how it compares with long-time rival PepsiCo. 
Read More: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/dividends/25/07/46515441/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-coca-cola-stock-ahead-of-q2-earnings">How To Earn $500 A Month From Coca-Cola Stock Ahead Of Q2 Earnings?</a></li>
</ul>
Photo Courtesy: Miha Creative on Shutterstock.com

Health Care

A Win For RFK Jr. And MAHA? Coca-Cola's Cane Sugar Variant Is Coming To America This Fall: CEO James Quincey Calls It 'An Enduring Option For Consumers'

A weakening U.S. dollar is discreetly helping <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs">some ETFs</a> to outperform their size during this earnings season, particularly those comprised of globally exposed American titans. 
But before investors get caught up in the greenback-driven glow, experts caution: all that moves isn&#8217;t necessarily real growth.
Also Read:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/25/07/46488992/us-dollar-can-lose-its-supremacy-premium-if-fed-interferes-with-bond-market-currencies-are-release-valve-for-unsustainable-fiscal-policy"> US Dollar Can Lose Its &#8216;Supremacy Premium&#8217; If Fed Interferes With Bond Market: Currencies Are &#8216;Release Valve For Unsustainable Fiscal Policy&#8217;</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Dollar&#8217;s Slump And The ETF Sweet Spot</h2>
The U.S. dollar has fallen about 10% this year, battered by trade policy whiplash, debt worries, and decelerating growth, per a Reuters report. That weakness has boosted foreign earnings for multinational U.S. companies, and by proxy, juiced the payouts of ETFs that own them.
Industry ETFs such as the Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VCR#NYSE">VCR</a>), SPDR Industrial Select Sector ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLI#NYSE">XLI</a>) and iShares U.S. Technology ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IYW#NYSE">IYW</a>) are in the sweet spot. These funds allocate heavily to firms generating substantial revenue overseas, which are now profiting from favorable currency translation.
For instance, VCR component PepsiCo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) stated the dollar downturn assisted it in projecting a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46463845/pepsico-delivers-the-fizz-in-q2-sweetens-outlook-on-subdued-dollar-headwind">less-than-anticipated annual profit decline</a>, the Reuters report noted. XLI component 3M (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMM#NYSE">MMM</a>) reported a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46491058/post-it-maker-3m-defies-tariff-headwinds-with-strong-q2-and-outlook-boost">profit beat in Q2 </a>with FX gains doing some heavy lifting.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why the Market Isn&#8217;t Celebrating (Yet)</h2>
Even though FX is benefiting the bottom line, investors do not trust it. Wall Street typically discounts foreign exchange-driven earnings surprises as optical, not fundamental.
This is particularly applicable to ETF investors who might believe they&#8217;re surfing a trend, only to realize it&#8217;s all flash, no substance. Constant-currency beats, those FX-adjusted, tend to get more rewarded than FX-led ones, says Goldman Sachs.
What does it mean? Don&#8217;t expect a lift in earnings to be followed by a lift in ETF prices unless it&#8217;s preceded by actual demand growth.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">When FX Becomes A Tailwind For ETFs</h2>
Still, the impact is real. Based on two decades of data, every 1% depreciation in the dollar improves S&amp;P 500 EPS growth by about 0.6 percentage points, according to LSEG data cited in the Reuters report. That's not nothing, especially for ETFs tracking international-facing sectors.
IYW has experienced indirect support from names like Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), which generate over half of their revenues from international locations.
Even thematic ETFs such as the Invesco International BuyBack Achievers ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IPKW#NASDAQ">IPKW</a>), which is skewed toward U.S. companies with aggressive foreign strategies, might gain if the dollar is weak.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ETFs To Watch If The Dollar Remains Soft</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>VCR (Consumer Discretionary): Large global brands such as Amazon (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Nike (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>), and Starbucks (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>).</li>
<li>XLI (Industrials): High exposure to cyclical multinationals with international sales.</li>
<li>IYW (Technology): FX-bolstered cash flow machines such as Microsoft and Apple.</li>
<li>SPY / VOO (S&amp;P 500): Wide, but still ~38% international exposure.</li>
<li>IPKW/ iShares International Select Dividend ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IDV#BATS">IDV</a>): Dividend or buyback ETFs with heavy overseas tilts.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Bottom Line</h2>
ETF holders could be quietly profiting from the decline of the greenback, but such gains can disappear as suddenly as they began. Most of these gains are less about consumer enthusiasm and more about currency arithmetic, and that makes all the difference when macro is choppy.
Appreciate the tailwind, by all means. But don&#8217;t confuse a currency flutter with a structural break.
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/07/46554173/trump-targets-chinas-backdoors-vietnam-and-mexico-etfs-could-pay-the-price"> </a>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/07/46554173/trump-targets-chinas-backdoors-vietnam-and-mexico-etfs-could-pay-the-price">Trump Targets China&#8217;s Backdoors—Vietnam And Mexico ETFs Could Pay The Price</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Currency ETFs

Forex

ETFs

AAPL

AMZN

iShares Dow Jones International Select Dividend Income Fund

IPKW

iShares Dow Jones US Technology Sector Index Fund

MSFT

NFLX

SBUX

Dollar Down, Multinationals Up: ETFs Riding The FX Wave

Formula 1 is quietly becoming one of the most powerful profit engines in sports media and Goldman Sachs <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/expert-ideas">is going full throttle.</a>
On Monday, Goldman Sachs analyst Stephen Laszczyk reinstated coverage of Liberty Formula One Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FWONK#NASDAQ">FWONK</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FWONA#NASDAQ">FWONA</a>) – owner of the Formula 1 and newly acquired MotoGP racing series – with a Buy rating and a 12-month price target of $120, suggesting a 17% total return potential.
In the report, Laszczyk calls Liberty Formula One Group a "high quality, execution-based growth story with potential for outsized capital returns", making it one of the firm&#8217;s top picks in the global sports media space.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Four Reasons Why FWONK Stock Is In Pole Position</h2>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. F1 Is Firing On All Cylinders</h3>
Goldman expects Formula 1 revenue to grow at 8% annually through 2028, driven by gains in race promotion, media rights, and sponsorships. Adjusted operating income is projected to expand at 15% per year, with margins getting a boost from a new Concorde Agreement kicking off in 2026.
This will be driven by gains across its three core verticals: Race Promotion, Media Rights, and Sponsorship. 
Laszczyk highlights that Formula 1 is capitalizing on the increasingly favorable supply-demand dynamic for hosting Grand Prix events, particularly in legacy European venues and emerging growth markets like the U.S.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix, in particular, is expected to rebound from a weak second year. 
On the media rights side, Goldman sees upside from step-ups in upcoming renewals in the U.S., Australia, and Latin America, and notes that around 40% of F1's media rights revenue is up for renegotiation by the end of 2026. 
Goldman analysts expect U.S. rights alone to jump from $85 million/year to $130 million/year, helped by rising engagement and reported interest from streamers like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>).
Sponsorship revenue is projected to rise at a 10% CAGR, aided by high-profile additions like LVMH&#8211;Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (OTCPK: LVMHF), PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>), and Nestlé S.A. (OTCPK: NSRGY), plus new advertising partners in untapped verticals.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. MotoGP: A High-Potential Growth Engine</h3>
Liberty Media's acquisition of MotoGP is seen as a long-term win. With a business model echoing F1's, MotoGP is gearing up for global expansion and expects to grow profits by 13% CAGR through 2028—even with short-term repositioning.
&#8220;MotoGP has the opportunity to globalize its calendar,&#8221; Laszczyk notes, with 64% of races currently concentrated in Europe and roughly one-third of contracts up for renewal over the next two years. 
The firm also sees a pathway to expanding from 22 races per year to 24 over time.
"We see meaningful opportunity for MotoGP… to benefit under the stewardship of Liberty Media as it navigates further expansion into the global marketplace for sports media, sponsorship and event promotion," Laszczyk wrote.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Massive Buyback Potential As Leverage Falls</h3>
Liberty Formula One's capital-light model and rising profitability should unlock massive free cash flow. 
"This deleveraging will afford Liberty Formula One the option to return significant capital to shareholders in the coming years," he said.
"At 2.5x net leverage, we estimate that Liberty Formula One could return over $6B of capital to shareholders by 2030, or about 25% of current market capitalization."
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. Premium Valuation Backed By Premium Assets</h3>
At 23.5x EBITDA and nearly 29x free cash flow, Liberty Formula One doesn't look like a bargain. 
But Goldman says the price is right for a unique asset.
"We believe the stock's premium multiple is justified," Laszczyk wrote, highlighting the company's exposure to global sports rights, execution capabilities, and strong free cash flow conversion.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bottom Line</h2>
Formula 1 is no longer just racing—it&#8217;s an expanding media juggernaut with real pricing power and global brand momentum. With MotoGP now under its wing, Liberty Formula One is assembling a high-margin, capital-light sports empire poised for explosive cash returns. 
Goldman Sachs sees FWONK as one of the clearest plays on the future of live entertainment—and it's still early in the race.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46533114/china-stocks-outperform-sp500-trump-tariffs-economy-xiaomi">Trump Wanted To Break China—Now It&#8217;s Crushing The US At Its Own Game</a><span class="author" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-pan-x: ; --tw-pan-y: ; --tw-pinch-zoom: ; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-gradient-from-position: ; --tw-gradient-via-position: ; --tw-gradient-to-position: ; --tw-ordinal: ; --tw-slashed-zero: ; --tw-numeric-figure: ; --tw-numeric-spacing: ; --tw-numeric-fraction: ; --tw-ring-inset: ; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246/0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-blur: ; --tw-brightness: ; --tw-contrast: ; --tw-grayscale: ; --tw-hue-rotate: ; --tw-invert: ; --tw-saturate: ; --tw-sepia: ; --tw-drop-shadow: ; --tw-backdrop-blur: ; --tw-backdrop-brightness: ; --tw-backdrop-contrast: ; --tw-backdrop-grayscale: ; --tw-backdrop-hue-rotate: ; --tw-backdrop-invert: ; --tw-backdrop-opacity: ; --tw-backdrop-saturate: ; --tw-backdrop-sepia: ; --tw-contain-size: ; --tw-contain-layout: ; --tw-contain-paint: ; --tw-contain-style: ;"></li>
</ul>
 Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Equities

Global

Econ #s

Analyst Ratings

FWONA

FWONK

LVMHF

Nestle Sponsored representing Registered Shares Series B

NSRGY

Formula 1 Is Wall Street's New Money Machine—With Horsepower

PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) announced it plans to introduce a prebiotic cola under its flagship soda brand, a move aimed at reversing the declining sales of its beverages in the U.S.
What Happened:  The new product, Pepsi Prebiotic Cola, is expected to hit the market this fall. This development comes shortly after Pepsi acquires Poppi, a rising star in the prebiotic soda space, for $1.95 billion in May.
Check out the current price of&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/quote/PEP" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PEP stock here</a>.
This move is part of PepsiCo's effort to attract health-conscious consumers amid weakening demand for its drinks in North America, where beverage volume fell 2% in the second quarter.
Poppi and other emerging brands like&nbsp;Olipop&nbsp;have been successful in attracting health-conscious consumers with their gut-health claims, despite a general decline in soda consumption in the U.S.&nbsp;spanning the past two decades.&nbsp;
Pepsi's launch of a prebiotic soda reflects its broader strategy to capitalize on health-focused trends like protein and fiber, aiming to retain customers amid declining domestic demand for its beverages.
The new Pepsi Prebiotic Cola will contain&nbsp;three grams of prebiotic fiber, one gram more than Poppi&#8217;s soda, but significantly less than Olipop&#8217;s fiber content. It will also contain five grams of cane sugar, a departure from the corn syrup used to sweeten classic Pepsi in the U.S.
SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46511576/jamie-dimon-reveals-a-coffee-table-chat-with-jeff-bezos-in-1999-that-almost-made-him-never-wear-a-su" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jamie Dimon Reveals A Coffee Table Chat With Jeff Bezos In 1999 That Almost Made Him &#8216;Never Wear A Suit Again&#8230;Live On A Houseboat&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The introduction of the prebiotic cola is part of Pepsi&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46486021/pepsicos-2-billion-healthy-snacks-portfolio-thrives-no-sugar-and-energy-drinks-gain-ahead-of-protein-beverage-launch">broader strategy </a>to adapt to changing consumer preferences. The company has been focusing on health-conscious products, evident in its $2 billion permissible snack portfolio, which has been performing well.
Despite the declining sales of its beverages in the U.S., Pepsi&#8217;s stock price has been showing signs of recovery. After a significant sell-off, the stock price hit historical lows, offering a buying opportunity. The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/content/46510074/pepsico-bottomed-out-time-to-chugalug-this-blue-chip-buy">recent developments</a>, including the introduction of the prebiotic cola, could further boost investor confidence in Pepsi&#8217;s future performance.
Meanwhile, President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;recently announced that&nbsp;Coca-Cola Co.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KO#NYSE">KO</a>) has agreed to use <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46457941/trump-says-coca-cola-has-agreed-to-use-real-cane-sugar-in-their-us-sodas-its-just-better">real cane sugar</a> in its U.S. products, a move that could potentially impact Pepsi&#8217;s strategy in the mainstream soda market.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="772" height="120" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/22050129/image-294.png" alt="" class="wp-image-994969" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/22050129/image-294.png 772w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/22050129/image-294-300x47.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/22050129/image-294-768x119.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px" /></figure>
Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings shows that Pepsi had a stronger price trend over the short and medium term but a weaker trend over the long term as per&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga's Proprietary Edge Rankings.&nbsp;</a>
READ MORE:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/25/07/46501332/lays-tostitos-comeback-set-to-ignite-q4-but-can-pepsico-fend-off-q3-earnings-dip">Lay&#8217;s, Tostitos Comeback Set To Ignite Q4, But Can PepsiCo Fend Off Q3 Earnings Dip?</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

PepsiCo To Launch Cane Sugar-Based Prebiotic Cola This Fall To Counter Declining Soda Consumption

<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/21/food/pepsi-prebiotic-soda-launch">https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/21/food/pepsi-prebiotic-soda-launch</a>

News

General

'Pepsi is betting a popular health trend can get more people to drink its soda'- CNN

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KO#NYSE">KO</a>) could have some of the most prominent people in the U.S. watching along when the beverage giant reports second-quarter financial results Tuesday <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">before market open.</a>
Here are the earnings estimates, what experts are saying ahead of the report, and the key items to watch.
Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Coca-Cola to report second-quarter revenue of $12.54 billion. That&#8217;s up from $12.36 billion in last year's second quarter, according to data<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0721"> from Benzinga Pro.</a>
The company had a rare revenue miss in the first quarter. However, it beat analyst estimates for revenue in nine of the last 10 quarters overall.
Analysts expect Coke to report quarterly earnings of 83 cents per share, down from 84 cents in last year's second quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in five straight quarters and eight of the last 10 quarters overall. Over the past 10 quarters, Coca-Cola has not missed consensus estimates a single time, with eight beats and two quarters coming in line with estimates.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/dividends/25/07/46515441/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-coca-cola-stock-ahead-of-q2-earnings">How To Earn $500 A Month From Coca-Cola Stock Ahead Of Q2 Earnings</a>
What Experts Are Saying: Coca-Cola's financial results come at an interesting time. Rival PepsiCo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) recently reported earnings on July 17, and President Donald Trump<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46457941/trump-says-coca-cola-has-agreed-to-use-real-cane-sugar-in-their-us-sodas-its-just-better"> highlighted the company,</a> according to Freedom Capital Markets Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods&#8216; weekly <a href="https://jaywoods.substack.com/">newsletter</a>.
"Coca-Cola is hoping to follow in Pepsi's footsteps when they report on Tuesday," Woods said.
Pepsi beat analyst estimates for both earnings per share and revenue. The company also raised full-year guidance for earnings per share.
Shares of the President's favorite drink made headlines last week when he posted to social media that the soda giant would be using American-made sugar cane in their signature Coca-Cola. The company didn't appear fully on board, and neither confirmed nor denied those reports.
Woods said the two key metrics to watch in Coca-Cola's quarterly results are how the weak dollar is impacting earnings and if the company raises guidance. Woods said the weak dollar could help the company's performance in some of its biggest foreign markets, including Latin America and Asia.
Resilient growth, strategic tailwinds and improving fundamentals were highlighted as reasons Bank of America Securities analyst Bryan D. Spillane <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/25/06/45891826/coke-monster-still-sizzle-amid-strong-demand-and-tailwinds-analyst">remains bullish on Coca-Cola.</a>
The analyst stated that the second half of 2025 appears favorable for the company's bottlers, which should contribute to EBIT and earnings per share growth.
Spillane reiterated a Buy rating on Coca-Cola and price target of $66 in the latest report.
The analyst said Coca-Cola should continue to outpace multinational peers, and the strength of the company is not fully priced into the stock.
Key Items to Watch: Coca-Cola gained significant attention last week when Trump announced that he convinced the company to use real cane sugar in its U.S. beverages. The company has yet to confirm or deny this. Coca-Cola brass will likely be put to the test with questions from analysts this week.
The taste of Coca-Cola varies in different countries due to the sweetener used or whether the product contains real cane sugar.
The beverage giant could look to split the difference and keep its regular Coca-Cola, while also offering a version with real cane sugar. Coca-Cola is unlikely to switch completely to cane sugar due to the higher costs and logistics involved.
Speaking of Trump, Coca-Cola warned about the impact of tariffs earlier this year with higher costs for aluminum leading to potentially using more plastic. The company could give an update on how tariffs are impacting operations and what it means for costs and the consumer.
Along with Trump providing plenty of attention for Coca-Cola, the stock will also attract attention from investors thanks to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/07/46200141/dow-jones-2025-first-half-scoreboard-top-10-winners-losers-where-do-nvidia-apple-stock-rank">its positioning in</a> the Dow Jones Industrial Average and being <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/25/05/45455434/warren-buffett-ditches-bitcoin-linked-nu-holdings-adds-to-constellation-brands-dominos-pizza-pool-corp-stakes">a key holding</a> of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>)(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>).
Coca-Cola is the 28th largest holding in the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>), due to the index being price-weighted. High volatility for Coca-Cola stock would have less impact on the Dow Jones than one of the higher-priced stocks in the index.
Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway owns 400 million Coca-Cola shares, representing more than 9% of the beverage giant. Coca-Cola makes up over 9% of the Berkshire Hathaway stock portfolio, which means high volatility for the stock could impact Berkshire shares.
Pepsi's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46463845/pepsico-delivers-the-fizz-in-q2-sweetens-outlook-on-subdued-dollar-headwind">reported flat growth</a> for its Pepsi Beverages North America segment, while International Beverages were up 3%. In <a href="http://v">the first quarter,</a> Coca-Cola had 3% growth in North America and 7% growth in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Investors and analysts will be looking for year-over-year growth across several of the company's business segments.
Price Action: Coca-Cola stock is up 0.3% to $70.08 on Monday versus a 52-week trading range of $60.62 to $74.38. Coca-Cola stock is up 13.3% year-to-date in 2025.
Pepsi stock trades at $140.97 on Monday, down 6.1% year-to-date in 2025.
Read Next: 
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</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Previews

Trading Ideas

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust

Coca-Cola Q2 Preview: Will Warren Buffett Favorite Acknowledge Donald Trump's Sugar Push?

Barclays analyst Lauren Lieberman maintains PepsiCo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $132 to $144.

Price Target

Barclays Maintains Equal-Weight on PepsiCo, Raises Price Target to $144

Benzinga examined the prospects for <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">many investors' favorite stocks</a> over the last week — here's a look at some of our top stories.
The Magnificent Seven led Wall Street higher this week, pushing the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 to new all-time highs. Strong retail sales, low jobless claims, and standout bank earnings drove momentum, while tech giants' rally — including gains by Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) — supported investor enthusiasm.
Nvidia remains central, its AI-fueled valuation anchoring broader tech optimism. Microsoft posted a 22% YTD gain — second only to Nvidia — while Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) also kicked off upbeat forecasts.
The S&amp;P 500 closed above 6,297 — the highest ever — reflecting a broad-based bullish sentiment. Yet focus is shifting to potential Fed commentary and looming trade risks, which could test tech's capacity to carry markets much further
Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week's most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.

The Bulls
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46453684/defense-stocks-earnings-q2-2025-preview">"Defense stocks head into earnings at record highs — is the boom just beginning?"</a>, by Piero Cingari, reports that, buoyed by the $156 billion "One Big Beautiful Bill" defense package, aerospace and defense stocks — including the iShares U.S. Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (BATS: ITA) — have rallied into record‑high territory ahead of Q2 earnings season, though analysts caution upcoming results must justify the bullish run.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46473075/exclusive-this-stocks-up-1300-but-ceo-says-the-real-payoffs-4-years-away">"Exclusive: This stock's up 1,300% — but CEO says the real payoff's 4 years away"</a>, by Surbhi Jain, reports that Rigetti Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>) stock has surged over 1,300% on quantum hype, but CEO Subodh Kulkarni cautions that true commercial quantum advantage — and meaningful returns — are still about four years away.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46481193/netflix-q2-fueled-by-price-ads-squid-game-q3-set-to-repeat">"Netflix Q2 fueled by price, ads, Squid Game; Q3 set to repeat"</a>, by Adam Eckert, reports that Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) delivered a strong Q2 thanks to subscription price hikes, increased ad revenue, and the return of Squid Game, and analysts anticipate similar momentum in Q3.
For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46444470/gamesquare-holdings-stock-is-surging-wednesday-whats-going-on">GameSquare Holdings Stock Is Surging Wednesday: What's Going On?</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46471676/meta-palantir-amazon-ai-datacenter-growth">Meta, Palantir, Amazon Are All-In On AI—Can Datacenters Keep Up?</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46424062/rocket-lab-stock-launches-to-new-all-time-highs-whats-going-on">Rocket Lab Stock Launches To New All-Time Highs: What's Going On?</a>

The Bears
"GameStop CEO is not scared of the short sellers, calls it ‘un‑American' to bet against business — but it's a free market", by Adam Eckert, reports that GameStop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) CEO Ryan Cohen pushed back on skeptics—calling short-selling "un‑American" — while reaffirming confidence in the company's turnaround and the strength of its free-market model.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46398722/plug-powers-hot-streak-stalls-as-wall-street-frets-over-warrant-surprise">"Plug Power's hot streak stalls as Wall Street frets over warrant surprise"</a>, by Akanksha Bakshi, reports that Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) shares dropped over 7% after the company filed to register 31.5 million shares for resale—raising investor concerns about dilution despite the stock being up 8% over the prior week thanks to a hydrogen supply deal and supportive federal policy developments.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/space/25/07/46481437/blacksky-stock-drops-after-hours-what-happened">"BlackSky stock drops after hours — what happened?"</a>, by Erica Kollmann, reports that BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKSY#NYSE">BKSY</a>) saw its shares fall after hours following weaker-than-expected Q2 bookings, prompting investor concerns about near-term revenue visibility despite the company reaffirming its full-year guidance.
For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46393365/salesforce-underperforms-market-as-growth-concerns-plague-crm-giant">Salesforce Underperforms Market As Growth Concerns Plague CRM Giant</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/technicals/25/07/46504921/stock-of-the-day-pepsicos-former-floor-becomes-ceiling-sellers-lining-up">Stock Of The Day: PepsiCo's Former Floor Becomes Ceiling — Sellers Lining Up</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46499876/wall-street-friday-stocks-today-trump-netflix-earnings">Stocks Slip As Netflix Fails To Impress, Bitcoin Eyes Negative Week: What's Moving Markets Friday?</a>

Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following <a href="https://twitter.com/Benzinga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a><a href="http://twitter.com/Benzinga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> on X</a>.
Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Markets

BlackSky Technology Inc. Class A Common Stock

BKSY

GAME

GOOGL

NVDA

PLUG

RGTI

RKLB

Benzinga Bulls And Bears: Netflix, GameStop, Plug Power — And Defense Stocks Soar

Shares of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) traded lower Friday after Thursday's gain of almost 7.5%. The move higher was driven by an earnings surprise. Second-quarter earnings came in at $2.12, which was above the estimated $2.02.
But PepsiCo is overbought and at a resistance level. This means there is a chance it heads lower. This is why it's our Stock of the Day.
Successful traders can identify important price levels. As you can see on the chart, $144.50 has been a significant level for this stock.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="594" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18163056/pep-1024x594.png" alt="" class="wp-image-992171" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18163056/pep-1024x594.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18163056/pep-300x174.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18163056/pep-768x446.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18163056/pep.png 1408w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Back in March, it was a support level. Then, in April, it became a resistance level. In the financial markets, support converting into resistance is a common occurrence. 
It is the result of investor and trader psychology.
Some of the people who bought Pepsi while it was at support decided their decision to do so was a mistake when the support broke and the shares dropped below it. A number of them decided to sell their stock if they could do so at breakeven.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/25/07/46496809/magnificent-7-stocks-wall-streets-estimates-google-alphabet-microsoft">These Two Magnificent 7 Stocks Are About To Hit Overdrive — And Wall Street&#8217;s Getting Excited</a>
So when it rallied back to around $144.50, they placed sell orders. The large number of these orders caused resistance to form at the same price that had been support.
Pepsi has once again run into resistance around this level. Buyer's remorse can turn what had been support into resistance. It can also keep resistance intact.
Some of the people who purchased shares in April regretted doing so when the price dropped. Some of them decided to sell if they could eventually get out without incurring a loss. Now that the stock has rallied back to the former resistance, remorseful buyers are placing sell orders.
The large number of these orders has created resistance at the level again.
Pepsi is also overbought. The red line on the price chart is two standard deviations above the 20-day moving average. If the stock is above this, it is considered to be overbought. As you can see, that's the case now.
This will draw sellers into the market. They will be expecting a reversion to the mean or a move down. Their selling could force the stock lower.
Stocks that are overbought and at resistance tend to reverse and enter downtrends. It may be about to happen with PepsiCo.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46504135/wall-street-weekly-review-nvidia-magnificent-seven-valuation">Wall Street Sets New Records As Magnificent Seven Valuation Tops $18.5 Trillion: This Week In Markets</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46504135/wall-street-weekly-review-nvidia-magnificent-seven-valuation"> </a>

Technicals

Stock Of The Day: PepsiCo's Former Floor Becomes Ceiling—Sellers Lining Up

Wall Street extended its historic rally this week, with major benchmarks such as the S&amp;P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 hitting fresh all-time highs, as strong corporate earnings, robust economic data and AI-fueled tech momentum continued <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets">to boost investor optimism.</a>
Big banks beat earnings estimates, setting a strong tone for the season. Airlines and consumer-focused giants also impressed.
Johnson &amp; Johnson (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNJ#NYSE">JNJ</a>) and PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) reported their best trading weeks of the year, further supporting the confidence that solid consumer demand is driving margins across sectors.
Economic strength was underscored by June's retail sales data, which showed a 0.6% monthly increase — crushing economists&#8217; forecast of 0.1% — while jobless claims dropped to 221,000, their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46467952/us-retail-sales-june-2025-fed-trump-inflation-consumer">lowest level since April.</a>
Investors appear to be buying into a &#8220;Goldilocks&#8221; scenario, where growth is strong enough to support profits but not so strong as to trigger new inflation fears. June's inflation data came in broadly lower than expected, marking a sharp turnaround from the stagflation concerns that gripped the market in the first quarter.
Since the post-tariff lows in April, the S&amp;P 500 has surged 27%, a rally that now ranks among the sharpest three-month advances ever.
Read also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/25/07/46426381/sp500-rally-investor-sentiment-2025">S&amp;P 500 Defies Odds With Rare Rally — But &#8216;Toppy&#8217; Sentiment Creeps In</a>
NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) remains the epicenter of the tech rally. Its shares have nearly doubled since April, driven by surging demand for AI chips from cloud giants like Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>).
Nvidia's rally has helped lift the "Magnificent Seven" — including Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) — to a combined $18.5 trillion market cap, surpassing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/07/46477275/wall-street-big-7-are-now-bigger-than-chinas-entire-economy">China's entire nominal GDP.</a>
Despite the economic strength, President Donald Trump has renewed his attacks on Fed Chair Jerome Powell, calling for immediate rate cuts. He even reportedly floated the idea of firing Powell before <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46454852/trump-fed-powell-odds-inflation-markets">backing off the proposal.</a>
Meanwhile, Fed Gov. Christopher Waller — a potential candidate to replace Powell next year — said he's willing to cut rates by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46491573/waller-fed-chair-trump-rate-cut-july">the end of July.</a> The Fed meeting on July 30 now carries heightened political stakes, with growing signs of internal divisions.
Read Now:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/25/07/46496809/magnificent-7-stocks-wall-streets-estimates-google-alphabet-microsoft">These Two Magnificent 7 Stocks Are About To Hit Overdrive — And Wall Street&#8217;s Getting Excited </a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Large Cap

Macro Economic Events

Regulations

Economics

Federal Reserve

Tech

TSLA

Wall Street Sets New Records As Magnificent Seven Valuation Tops $18.5 Trillion: This Week In Markets

Wells Fargo analyst Chris Carey maintains PepsiCo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $140 to $154.

Wells Fargo Maintains Equal-Weight on PepsiCo, Raises Price Target to $154

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) is making bold operational shifts across its global portfolio as it navigates shifting demand patterns and prepares for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/movers" rel="noreferrer noopener">key product relaunches</a>.
These moves come as the company looks to balance short-term pressures with long-term growth, especially in its North American and international markets.
Bank of America Securities analyst Peter T. Galbo reiterated the Neutral rating on PepsiCo, raising the price forecast from $145 to $150.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46486021/pepsicos-2-billion-healthy-snacks-portfolio-thrives-no-sugar-and-energy-drinks-gain-ahead-of-protein-beverage-launch" rel="noreferrer noopener">PepsiCo&#8217;s $2 Billion Healthy Snacks Portfolio Thrives, No-Sugar And Energy Drinks Gain Ahead Of Protein Beverage Launch</a>
On Thursday, the company&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investors.pepsico.com/docs/default-source/investors/q2-2025/q2-2025-earnings-release_1acdvhf5pq9synge.pdf?tblci=GiAIRlI0k8093O7NDun8A3VPr6xAR70_aoZJ6XnLiAtCAyCN1Vcoz7Dpifi1v-7FATDviEo" rel="noreferrer noopener">registered</a> second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $2.12, beating the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46463845/pepsico-delivers-the-fizz-in-q2-sweetens-outlook-on-subdued-dollar-headwind" rel="noreferrer noopener"> analyst consensus estimate of $2.03</a>.
Quarterly sales of $22.726 billion (+1% year over year) outpaced&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Street view</a> of $22.292 billion.
Galbo notes that while Pepsi Foods (PFNA) delivered stronger-than-expected results, it may still face headwinds in the near term, particularly due to tough year-over-year comparisons in the third quarter following last year&#8217;s promotional period.
The company expects to face a temporary setback in the third quarter before re-launching key brands like Lay&#8217;s and Tostitos, which should drive sequential improvement in the fourth quarter.
To protect volumes, PepsiCo is adjusting its promotional strategy to emphasize everyday value and is also undertaking structural margin improvements, including two plant closures.
On the PBNA side, the company is sharpening its revenue growth strategies, phasing out case pack water, and optimizing transportation to lift margins.
International operations are expected to remain the primary growth engine for the rest of fiscal year, with strong contributions from Latin America, particularly Brazil and Mexico, and EMEA.
These regions are benefiting from favorable pricing actions and rising per capita consumption and are projected to grow at a mid-single-digit (MSD) to high-single-digit (HSD) pace organically.
Galbo now forecasts a 2.5% year-over-year decline in the third quarter earnings per share to $2.26, down from a prior estimate of $2.37.
The revised outlook reflects expected total organic sales growth of 2%, a gross margin contraction of 60 basis points (in line with the second quarter), and a smaller 20 basis point drop in operating margin.
Notably, PFNA&#8217;s productivity gains and PBNA&#8217;s tariff mitigation strategies are expected to have a more pronounced impact in the fourth quarter.
Price Action: PEP shares are trading lower by 0.29% to $145.03 at last check Friday.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46465437/russell-2000-makes-no-progress-amid-reconstitution-shake-up-are-small-caps-struggling-as-large-caps-soar" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russell 2000 Makes &#8216;No Progress&#8217; Amid Reconstitution Shake-Up: Are Small-Caps Struggling As Large-Caps Soar?</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Erman Gunes via Shutterstock

Reiteration

Movers

Lay's, Tostitos Comeback Set To Ignite Q4, But Can PepsiCo Fend Off Q3 Earnings Dip?

Citigroup analyst Filippo Falorni maintains PepsiCo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $160 to $168.

Citigroup Maintains Buy on PepsiCo, Raises Price Target to $168

Morgan Stanley analyst Dara Mohsenian maintains PepsiCo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $153 to $165.

Morgan Stanley Maintains Equal-Weight on PepsiCo, Raises Price Target to $165

U.S. stock futures were positive on Friday after ending higher on Thursday. Futures of major benchmark indices were higher.
Investor nerves eased after President Donald Trump denied reports suggesting he was considering the removal of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Retail sales rebounded in June, rising 0.6% month-over-month after a revised 0.9% drop in May, far exceeding consensus expectations of a 0.1% gain.
Investors await American Express Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>) and Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SCHW#NYSE">SCHW</a>) earnings, scheduled to be released today.
Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.44% and the two-year bond was at 3.89%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool</a>&#8216;s projections show markets pricing a 97.4% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its July meeting. 
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Change (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>0.17%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>0.15%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>0.15%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>0.12%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were slightly higher in premarket on Friday. The SPY was up 0.16% at $629.07, while the QQQ advanced 0.18% to $562.79, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
Cues From Last Session:
Stocks in the financial, information technology, and consumer staples sectors recorded the biggest gains on Thursday, contributing to a higher close for U.S. stocks, with the S&amp;P 500 reaching a fresh closing record. Conversely, health care and real estate stocks ended the session lower, bucking the overall market trend.
PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) shares climbed over 7% following better-than-expected earnings, while United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAL#NASDAQ">UAL</a>) shares added more than 3% after the airline topped earnings estimates.
On the economic data front, U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 7,000 from the previous week to 221,000 in the recent week, compared to market expectations of 235,000.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>0.75%</td>
<td>20,885.65</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>0.54%</td>
<td>6,297.36</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>0.52%</td>
<td>44,484.49</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>1.20%</td>
<td>2,253.68</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Insights From Analysts:
A key takeaway for investors, according to Scott Wren, Senior Global Market Strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, is the certainty of rising tariffs on numerous U.S. trading partners in the near and intermediate terms. While the recent &#8220;One Big Beautiful Bill Act&#8221; momentarily sidelined trade concerns, tariffs are firmly back on the policy agenda.
As the second-quarter earnings season unfolds, corporate profitability will be under intense scrutiny. Wells Fargo anticipates a mid-single-digit earnings growth rate for the second quarter, a slowdown from the previous quarter, reflecting both a slightly softer economy and the emerging tariff headwinds.
While some companies have benefited from &#8220;buying ahead&#8221; to mitigate tariff impacts, others are now feeling the pressure on their bottom lines.
Wren highlights that S&amp;P 500 companies have generally enjoyed robust operating profit margins, around 14-15% since late 2021, exceeding the long-term average. This provides some capacity to absorb tariff costs. However, investors will be keenly focused on how much of these additional expenses will be passed on to consumers and the ultimate impact on earnings.
Wells Fargo continues to favor Information Technology and Communication Services for their expected strong earnings. They also see improved comparisons later this year and into 2026 for Energy, Utilities, and Financials.
For now, the firm suggests trimming overvalued sectors like Industrials, Consumer Discretionary, and U.S. Small Cap Equities, anticipating better buying opportunities towards the end of the year and into 2026.
Meanwhile, Ryan Detrick from Carson Research highlighted that the S&amp;P 500 made its ninth all-time high on Thursday.
&#8220;Since 1957 (when it became 500 stocks) today was ATH number 1,250,&#8221; he added.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Number nine! Today was the 9th new all-time high of 2025 for the S&amp;P 500. Since 1957 (when it became 500 stocks) today was ATH number 1,250. Congrats to those who followed their investment plan back in April. <a href="https://t.co/SPQXDO7BnD">pic.twitter.com/SPQXDO7BnD</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1945939522044272809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-trade-futures">How to Trade Futures</a> 
Upcoming Economic Data
Here&#8217;s what investors will keep an eye on Friday:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>June&#8217;s housing starts and building permits data will be out by 8:30 a.m., and preliminary consumer sentiment data for July will be released by 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>American Express Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>) was up 0.70% in premarket on Friday as analysts expect it to report earnings of $2.03 per share on revenue of $22.29 billion before the opening bell.</li>
<li>Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SCHW#NYSE">SCHW</a>) advanced 1.82% as it is expected to report earnings before the opening bell. Analysts estimate earnings of $1.07 per share on revenue of $5.65 billion.</li>
<li>3M Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMM#NYSE">MMM</a>) was up 1.79% as analysts expect it to report earnings of $2.01 per share on revenue of $6.09 billion before the opening bell.</li>
<li>Schlumberger NV (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLB#NYSE">SLB</a>) was 1.24% higher as it is expected to report earnings before the opening bell. Analysts estimate earnings of 74 cents per share on revenue of $8.47 billion.</li>
<li>Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBKR#NASDAQ">IBKR</a>) rose 4.61% after posting better-than-expected second-quarter results. Its quarterly earnings of 51 cents per share beat the analyst consensus estimate of 45 cents. Quarterly revenue of $1.48 billion beat the Street estimate of $1.36 billion.</li>
<li>Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) fell 1.11% despite beating earnings expectations. It said that it will be interested in partnering with top YouTube creators—but only if their content aligns with the company&#8217;s premium streaming standards and monetization model.</li>
<li>LQR House Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/YHC#NASDAQ">YHC</a>) slumped 61.95% after the company announced plans to integrate cryptocurrency and blockchain technology into its business model.</li>
<li>Telomir Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TELO#NASDAQ">TELO</a>) surged 125.62% following the announcement of promising data regarding the company's lead candidate, Telomir-1. The data indicated that Telomir-1 could reverse epigenetic gene silencing, restoring the tumor suppressor in human prostate cancer cells.</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.84% to hover around $68.11 per barrel.
Gold Spot US Dollar rose 0.29% to hover around $3,348.97 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,500.33 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was lower by 0.36% at the 98.3770 level.
Asian markets ended on a mixed note on Friday as India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex, Japan's Nikkei 225, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng indices fell. While Australia's ASX 200, China&#8217;s CSI 300, and South Korea's Kospi indices rose. European markets were higher in early trade.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46463595/dan-ives-picks-5-stocks-for-2nd-half-of-2025-nvidia-palantir-microsoft-and-more-golden-age-of-tech-is-here-with-ai-revolution">Dan Ives Picks 5 Stocks For 2nd Half Of 2025: Nvidia, Palantir, Microsoft And More: &#8216;Golden Age Of Tech Is Here With AI Revolution&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

IBKR

SCHW

TELO

US Stocks Likely To Open Higher After Scaling Record Close: American Express, 3M, Charles Schwab Earnings In Focus

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index moved to the &#8220;Extreme Greed&#8221; zone on Thursday.
U.S. stocks settled higher on Thursday, with the S&amp;P 500 surging to a fresh closing record during the session.
PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) shares climbed more than 7% following better-than-expected earnings. United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAL#NASDAQ">UAL</a>) shares added over 3% after the airline topped earnings estimates.
On the economic data front, U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 7,000 from the previous week to 221,000 in the recent week, compared to market expectations of 235,000. U.S. retail sales rose 0.6% month-over-month in June, topping market expectations of a 0.1% increase. U.S. export prices increased 0.5% month-over-month in June, while import prices rose 0.1% in June.
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with financial, information technology and consumer staples stocks recording the biggest gains on Thursday. However, health care and real estate stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower.
The Dow Jones closed higher by 230 points to 44,484.49 on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.54% to 6,297.36, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.75% at 20,885.65 during Thursday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from American Express Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>), 3M Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMM#NYSE">MMM</a>) and Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLB#NYSE">SLB</a>) today.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
At a current reading of 75.1, the index moved to the &#8220;Extreme Greed&#8221; zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 73.8.
The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/07/46465973/top-2-defensive-stocks-that-are-ticking-portfolio-bombs-2"> </a>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/07/46465973/top-2-defensive-stocks-that-are-ticking-portfolio-bombs-2">Top 2 Defensive Stocks That Are Ticking Portfolio Bombs</a> </li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Pre-Market Outlook

S&P 500 Hits Fresh Closing Record Amid Upbeat Earnings: Investor Sentiment Improves, Fear Index Moves To 'Extreme Greed' Zone

PepsiCo Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46463845/pepsico-delivers-the-fizz-in-q2-sweetens-outlook-on-subdued-dollar-headwind">second-quarter</a> earnings call showcased a robust strategy to capitalize on evolving consumer preferences, with its $2 billion permissible snack portfolio leading the charge.
Check out the current price of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PEP">PEP stock here</a>.
What Happened: Brands like SunChips, Popcorners, Siete, and Simply are gaining traction, driven by a focus on natural ingredients and no artificial additives.
"Permissible snacks… it's over a $2,000,000,000 business already," said Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta, emphasizing the company's leadership in healthier snacking.
The relaunch of Lay's and Tostitos, set for the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year and the first quarter of the next one, aims to elevate their "real food credentials" by eliminating artificial ingredients, aligning with consumer demand for cleaner options.
On the beverage front, PepsiCo is strengthening its no-sugar and energy drink segments. Laguarta highlighted success in no-sugar colas has &#8220;driven positive share performance," while Gatorade and Propel are gaining share in hydration.
The energy drink category, bolstered by Sting and partnerships like Celsius and Starbucks, remains a priority.
Laguarta teased a significant protein beverage launch, stating, "We will be participating in the liquid protein space with… superior propositions," targeting the growing consumer trend toward protein-rich diets.
PepsiCo's away-from-home channel is another bright spot, delivering high single-digit growth in beverages. "It's a higher margin business… very incremental," Laguarta noted, with investments in physical availability and mini-meal innovations driving expansion.
The company is also leveraging AI and data to enhance affordability and precision in pricing, with CFO Jamie Caulfield adding, "Our analytics are getting much sharper."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46463595/dan-ives-picks-5-stocks-for-2nd-half-of-2025-nvidia-palantir-microsoft-and-more-golden-age-of-tech-is-here-with-ai-revolution">Dan Ives Picks 5 Stocks For 2nd Half Of 2025: Nvidia, Palantir, Microsoft And More: &#8216;Golden Age Of Tech Is Here With AI Revolution&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: PepsiCo reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46463845/pepsico-delivers-the-fizz-in-q2-sweetens-outlook-on-subdued-dollar-headwind">better-than-expected second quarter</a> adjusted earnings of $2.12 per share and revenue rising 1% to $22.73 billion.
It raised its full-year 2025 adjusted EPS guidance from $7.92 to $8.04, exceeding the Street estimate of $7.88. The firm expects a foreign exchange translation headwind of approximately 1.5% to negatively impact its reported net revenue and core EPS growth. This is an improvement from its earlier forecast of an approximate 3% headwind.
Price Action: PepsiCo shares advanced 7.45% on Thursday. It was down 3.18% on a year-to-date basis and 14.63% lower over the past year.
Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings shows that PEP had a weaker price trend over the medium and long term but a stronger trend over the short term. Its momentum ranking was poor, and its value ranking was subpar at the 29.20th percentile. The details of other metrics are <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-3/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">available here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-3/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="157" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18014943/PepsiCo-EDGE-1024x157.png" alt="" class="wp-image-990796" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18014943/PepsiCo-EDGE-1024x157.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18014943/PepsiCo-EDGE-300x46.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18014943/PepsiCo-EDGE-768x118.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/18014943/PepsiCo-EDGE.png 1162w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, ended higher on Thursday. The SPY was up 0.61% at $628.04, while the QQQ advanced 0.81% to $561.80, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pr</a>o data.
On Friday, the futures of the S&amp;P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones indices were higher.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46465437/russell-2000-makes-no-progress-amid-reconstitution-shake-up-are-small-caps-struggling-as-large-caps-soar">Russell 2000 Makes &#8216;No Progress&#8217; Amid Reconstitution Shake-Up: Are Small-Caps Struggling As Large-Caps Soar?</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: Erman Gunes/Shutterstock

Earnings

PepsiCo's $2 Billion Healthy Snacks Portfolio Thrives, No-Sugar And Energy Drinks Gain Ahead Of Protein Beverage Launch

U.S. equities climbed on Thursday, with the S&amp;P 500 briefly testing a record high 6,300 level at midday in New York, bolstered by strong earnings and upbeat retail sales data that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets">reinforced investor risk appetite</a>.
The Nasdaq 100 rose 0.9% to a fresh record above 23,000, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.4% to 44,400. Small-cap stocks continued to outperform, with the Russell 2000 advancing 1.3%.
Retail sales rebounded in June, rising 0.6% month-over-month after a revised 0.9% drop in May, far exceeding consensus expectations of a 0.1% gain. Meanwhile, initial jobless claims fell to 221,000, the lowest since April, suggesting ongoing resilience in the labor market.
Investor nerves eased after President Donald Trump denied reports suggesting he was considering the removal of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Tech-led sector gains, with the combined market capitalization of the so-called Magnificent Seven stocks climbing to $18.4 trillion.
Bond market jitters persisted as 30-year Treasury yields touched 5%, though equity markets largely shrugged off the move.
The U.S. dollar strengthened 0.4%. Commodities rallied, driven by a 1.6% rise in oil prices to above $67 per barrel, while platinum hit its highest level since August 2014.
In cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) held steady around $118,870. Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) rose 1.3%, extending its winning streak to nine gains in the last 10 sessions.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Performance In Major U.S. Indices, ETFs</h2>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>% chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,253.82</td>
<td>1.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>23,104.30</td>
<td>0.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>6,297.76</td>
<td>0.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>44,475.55</td>
<td>0.5%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated by 12:10 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?utm_source=BZprocontent&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The&nbsp;Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOO#NYSE">VOO</a>) rose 0.5% to $576.76.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) rose 0.5% to $444.72.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>)&nbsp;rallied 0.8% to $561.85.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) soared 1.2% to $223.68.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;Technology&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLK#NYSE">XLK</a>) outperformed, up 0.9%; the&nbsp;Health Care&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLV#NYSE">XLV</a>) lagged, down 0.8%.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h2>
PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) shares climbed over 6% after the beverage giant reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped analyst expectations.
United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAL#NASDAQ">UAL</a>) rose 5.7% earlier in the day, despite issuing a muted full-year earnings outlook. The company noted that its financial trajectory has become more predictable compared to the volatile first half of the year.
Earnings-driven stock moves included:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABT#NYSE">ABT</a>), down 8%</li>
<li>GE Aerospace (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GE#NYSE">GE</a>), down 2.2%</li>
<li>Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ELV#NYSE">ELV</a>), down 11%</li>
<li>Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>), up 2.7%</li>
<li>U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USB#NYSE">USB</a>), down 1.4%</li>
<li>The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRV#NYSE">TRV</a>), up 2.8%</li>
<li>Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CFG#NYSE">CFG</a>), up 3.5%</li>
</ul>
Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LCID#NASDAQ">LCID</a>) soared more than 40% after unveiling a partnership with Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) and autonomous vehicle startup Nuro to launch a robotaxi program. The initiative will deploy 20,000 autonomous vehicles, backed by a $300 million investment from Uber.
Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) is scheduled to report its earnings after the closing bell.
Read Now:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/piero-cingari">Defense Stocks Head Into Earnings At Record Highs — Is The Boom Just Beginning? </a></li>
</ul>
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Nasdaq 100 Sets New Records, Small Caps Outperform: What's Moving Markets Thursday?

U.S. stocks traded higher this morning, with the Dow Jones index gaining more than 100 points on Thursday.
Following the market opening Thursday, the Dow traded up 0.32% to 44,398.39 while the NASDAQ rose 0.42% to 20,817.71. The S&amp;P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.27% to 6,280.57.
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/07/46465973/top-2-defensive-stocks-that-are-ticking-portfolio-bombs-2">Top 2 Defensive Stocks That Are Ticking Portfolio Bombs</a>
Leading and Lagging Sectors Industrials shares jumped by 0.8% on Thursday.
In trading on Thursday, health care stocks dipped by 1.3%.
Top Headline
PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) reported better-than-expected second-quarter results.
The company registered second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $2.12, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $2.03.
Quarterly sales of $22.726 billion (+1% year over year) outpaced the Street view of $22.292 billion.
PepsiCo raised its full-year 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) guidance from $7.92 to $8.04, exceeding the Street estimate of $7.88.
Equities Trading UP &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Volcon, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VLCN#NASDAQ">VLCN</a>) shares shot up 286% to $35.59 after the company announced a $500 million private placement and said it plans to use at least 95% of the proceeds to acquire Bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset.</li>
<li>Shares of Windtree Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WINT#NASDAQ">WINT</a>) got a boost, surging 56% to $1.4001. Windtree recently entered a securities purchase agreement to support its BNB crypto treasury strategy.</li>
<li>Marker Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRKR#NASDAQ">MRKR</a>) shares were also up, gaining 74% to $2.78.</li>
</ul>
Equities Trading DOWN
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>LQR House Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/YHC#NASDAQ">YHC</a>) shares dropped 40% to $6.47 amid reports that the company and its board were named in a lawsuit regarding the breach of fiduciary duty.</li>
<li>Shares of CareDx, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CDNA#NASDAQ">CDNA</a>) were down 35% to $12.53.</li>
<li>GameSquare Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GAME#NASDAQ">GAME</a>) was down, falling 31% to $1.6050 after the company announced a $70 million public offering.</li>
</ul>
Commodities In commodity news, oil traded up 03% to $66.56 while gold traded down 1.1% at $3,323.50.
Silver traded down 0.4% to $37.955 on Thursday, while copper fell 0.8% to $5.4830.
Euro zone
European shares were higher today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 climbed 0.9%, while Spain's IBEX 35 Index rose 0.7%. London's FTSE 100 rose 0.6%, Germany's DAX 40 gained 1.2% and France's CAC 40 gained 1.3% during the session.
Asia Pacific Markets
Asian markets closed mixed on Thursday, with Japan's Nikkei gaining 0.60%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng falling 0.08%, China's Shanghai Composite gaining 0.37% and India's BSE Sensex falling 0.45%.
Economics
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index rose to 33 in July from 32 in the previous month, matching market estimates.</li>
<li>U.S. business inventories came in unchanged month-over-month for May.</li>
<li>The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index climbed to 15.9 in July, hitting its highest level since February.</li>
<li>U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 7,000 from the previous week to 221,000 in the recent week, compared to market expectations of 235,000.</li>
<li>U.S. retail sales rose 0.6% month-over-month in June, topping market expectations of a 0.1% increase.</li>
<li>U.S. export prices increased 0.5% month-over-month in June, while import prices rose 0.1% in June.</li>
</ul>
Now Read This: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/downgrades/25/07/46466206/this-starbucks-analyst-turns-bearish-here-are-top-5-downgrades-for-thursday">This Starbucks Analyst Turns Bearish; Here Are Top 5 Downgrades For Thursday</a> </li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

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Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
02:12 PMJul 25, 2025	CALL	$140.00	Jan 16, 2026	169	2042	2000	45	4587	TRADE	BEARISH
11:14 AMJul 24, 2025	CALL	$150.00	Jan 16, 2026	169	2021	2000	37	5410	TRADE	NEUTRAL

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