NEW YORK, December 29, 2025, 21:45 ET — Market closed
- PepsiCo shares finished higher even as U.S. stocks drifted lower in holiday-thinned trading.
- Consumer staples held up better than tech, with Coca-Cola and Mondelez also closing higher.
- Investors are looking ahead to PepsiCo’s next results and updates on its North America turnaround efforts.
PepsiCo shares ended up 0.3% at $144.24 on Monday, bucking a weaker U.S. market as investors moved toward defensive names into the final week of the year.
U.S. stocks finished lower in a holiday-shortened week, with the S&P 500 down 0.35% and the Nasdaq off 0.50% as a broad selloff in risk assets weighed on the tape. “In light volume trading, we’re seeing a reversal of what we saw over the last couple of days,” said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. Reuters
That rotation matters now because it signals how investors are positioning into year-end: trimming higher-beta trades while leaning on companies that sell everyday products. Consumer staples are often treated as “defensive” because demand tends to be steadier when growth worries rise.
PepsiCo’s relative strength tracked the broader staples group. The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF rose 0.1%, while Coca-Cola added 0.4% and Mondelez climbed 0.7% in the session.
Company-specific focus has also tightened on execution in North America. PepsiCo said a leadership reshuffle took effect on Dec. 28, appointing Steven Williams to a new global chief commercial officer role and naming Ram Krishnan CEO of PepsiCo North America.
The changes come as PepsiCo pushes deeper integration of its food and beverage operations, a key issue for investors watching whether the company can improve growth and profitability in its largest market. PepsiCo has also flagged supply-chain and cost actions as part of a broader effort to lift performance.
Looking ahead, PepsiCo has already put a marker down for 2026. The company said earlier this month it preliminarily expects organic revenue growth of 2% to 4% in 2026 and core constant-currency EPS growth of 4% to 6% — measures that strip out certain items and, in the case of constant currency, remove the impact of exchange-rate swings. PepsiCo said it will report fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Feb. 3, 2026, and host a live Q&A that morning, with another investor event slated for Feb. 18 at the CAGNY conference.
Between now and that earnings print, investors are likely to keep the spotlight on North America volumes versus pricing, plus margin performance as input costs and labor remain key swing factors. Any commentary on progress in simplifying operations and improving route-to-market execution will also be closely read.
Before Tuesday’s session, traders will be watching whether the late-year tilt toward defensives persists, especially if rate expectations and index positioning keep pressure on growth-heavy corners of the market. With only two sessions left in 2025, liquidity and rebalancing flows can amplify small moves.
PepsiCo’s stock is still trading in a tight band that has defined much of late December. On Monday it ranged between $143.60 and $145.05, leaving near-term support in the low $140s and resistance around the mid-$140s for traders watching technical levels into year-end.
