NEW YORK, Jan 20, 2026, 14:53 EST — Regular session
PepsiCo Inc (PEP) climbed roughly 0.4% to $146.94 Tuesday afternoon, standing out in a market where the S&P 500 slipped nearly 2%. The stock fluctuated between $144.43 and $147.11 during the session, as consumer staples saw modest gains.
Investors shifted toward safety after President Donald Trump’s fresh tariff threats on several European nations sparked a quick retreat from riskier assets. Charlie Ripley, senior investment strategist at Allianz Investment Management, described the move as “more of a contained version of what we saw around Liberation Day.” 1
In this environment, even modest shifts in major consumer stocks catch attention. PepsiCo’s uptick may be slight, but the shares are acting like a safe haven whenever headlines take a sudden turn.
Other staples held strong as well: Coca-Cola climbed around 1.6%, Mondelez added about 1.4%, and Keurig Dr Pepper jumped roughly 2.2%.
PepsiCo grabbed attention after a trade outlet revealed the company’s pilot of “digital twins”—real-time virtual models of its factories and warehouses—developed with Nvidia and Siemens. CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company is “embedding AI throughout our operations.” Nvidia’s Jensen Huang added the initiative leverages digital twins and AI to overhaul how PepsiCo designs and manages its operations. Early results suggest up to a 20% boost in throughput and capital expenditure cuts as high as 15%. 2
PepsiCo offloaded an 81,200-square-foot warehouse in San Fernando, California, fetching $31.7 million. The buyer, BLT Enterprises, was identified via Yardi Matrix data referenced by Commercial Property Executive. The outlet noted BLT Enterprises hadn’t clarified if this was a sale-leaseback deal, where the seller remains as tenant post-sale. 3
In December, PepsiCo announced plans for 2026 that focus on sharper everyday value, boosting productivity, and cutting back its U.S. product lineup. The company said it would slash nearly 20% of SKUs by early next year and has already shuttered three plants. It also provided a preliminary outlook forecasting 2% to 4% organic revenue growth in 2026, along with at least 100 basis points of core operating margin expansion over the next three fiscal years. 4
That defensive appeal could reverse quickly. If tariff tensions ease or investors shift back to growth names, staples like PepsiCo could lose ground fast. The company also needs to prove that its pricing and product strategies won’t eat into its margins.
PepsiCo’s next big date is Feb. 3, when it will release its Q4 and full-year 2025 results along with its 10-K filing at 6:00 a.m. EST. CEO Laguarta and CFO Steve Schmitt will then host a live Q&A at 8:15 a.m. On Feb. 18, the company is scheduled to provide more details on its 2026 plan during a presentation at the CAGNY conference. 5
