New York, Jan 31, 2026, 06:05 EST — Market closed.
- PepsiCo shares climbed 3.3% on Friday, outperforming a wider market downturn.
- The company will report its quarterly and full-year results on Feb. 3.
- Pepsi grabbed attention with its Super Bowl LX campaign, while CEO Ramon Laguarta’s new board appointment also made waves.
PepsiCo shares closed Friday up 3.32% at $153.63, then slipped roughly 0.25% in after-hours trading, a session that occurs outside regular U.S. market hours.
Investors shifted into defensive consumer staples amid a risk-off mood. The S&P 500 and Dow fell following Donald Trump’s announcement of Kevin Warsh as Jerome Powell’s successor at the Federal Reserve, coupled with inflation data coming in hotter than expected. “Markets are calibrating” to the Fed appointment, noted Michael Hans of Citizens Wealth. Reuters
PepsiCo’s next major checkpoint comes quickly. The company plans to release its Q4 and full-year earnings on Tuesday, Feb. 3. A press release and Form 10-K will drop around 6:00 a.m. EST, with CEO Ramon Laguarta and CFO Steve Schmitt hosting a live Q&A at 8:15 a.m. Back in December, PepsiCo outlined a preliminary 2026 forecast: organic revenue growth of 2% to 4% and core EPS rising 5% to 7%. The plan also includes cost-cutting measures and slashing roughly 20% of U.S. SKUs.
Friday’s rally saw heavier volume, with about 12.6 million PepsiCo shares traded—above its 50-day average. The stock now sits roughly 4% below its 52-week high, according to MarketWatch data. PepsiCo outperformed peers, with Coca-Cola up 1.88% and Mondelez International gaining 2.02%, while Starbucks dropped 2.06%.
Late Friday, IBM announced it has appointed Ramon Laguarta to its board, effective March 1, per an SEC filing.
Pepsi’s marketing team unveiled the details of its Super Bowl LX ad, “The Choice,” directed by Taika Waititi. The commercial shows a blind taste test where a polar bear opts for Pepsi Zero Sugar over Coke Zero Sugar. According to Pepsi, 66% of participants in a 2025 “Pepsi Challenge” favored Pepsi Zero Sugar, which saw 30.8% growth that year. “For decades, Pepsi has embraced being the challenger,” said Gustavo Reyna. PepsiCo
For investors, the Super Bowl ad is more about flair than fuel for the stock. Still, it highlights a broader trend: major soda brands are doubling down on zero-sugar options to secure shelf space and attract younger consumers.
That said, the stock’s rebound could vanish fast if demand slips again—especially in North American snacks—or if rising input costs and currency shifts put pressure on margins. Investors are watching guidance more closely than the quarter itself.
Traders are watching closely for shifts in PepsiCo’s stance on pricing and promotions, looking to see if its cost-cutting moves are driving quicker volume growth, rather than just improving the numbers on paper.
PepsiCo shares will resume trading Monday, Feb. 2, ahead of the company’s earnings report and analyst call scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 3 — the key event of the week.
