Zacks cut PepsiCo earnings estimate: PepsiCo stock gains 1.75 percent

Published on 10/20/2026 at 11:09 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Revenue rose 5.6 percent to USD 25.27 billion in third-quarter 2026. PepsiCo stock sits at EUR 120.06 on October 20, 2026, 1.75 percent above Xetra close.

Forecast reset and operating test

Zacks Research cut its fiscal 2026 earnings estimate to USD 8.40 from USD 8.56 on October 16, 2026.
PepsiCo reported third-quarter revenue of USD 25.274 billion, up 5.6 percent, on October 8, 2026.
PepsiCo stock trades at EUR 120.06 at 11:04 a.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026, 1.75 percent above the Xetra close of October 19, 2026.

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PepsiCo stock (ISIN US7134481081) trades at EUR 120.06 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 11:04 a.m. CEST, up 1.75 percent versus the Xetra close of October 19, 2026 at EUR 118.00. The latest analyst revision came from Zacks Research, which cut its fiscal 2026 earnings estimate to USD 8.40 from USD 8.56 in a note dated October 16, 2026, as reported by MarketBeat.

PepsiCo delivered a mixed quarter

PepsiCo reported third-quarter 2026 net revenue of USD 25.274 billion on October 8, 2026, an increase of 5.6 percent from the prior-year quarter. Adjusted earnings per share reached USD 2.34, compared with USD 2.29 expected, while revenue exceeded the USD 24.96 billion estimate, according to CNBC.

The report also showed the pressure behind the estimate cut. Core operating margin contracted 35 basis points to 16.9 percent in the third quarter, even as GAAP operating profit rose 19 percent to USD 4.260 billion. The company attributed the reported profit increase partly to acquisition and divestiture-related effects and commodity-derivative gains.

What changed in the forecast?

PepsiCo's fiscal 2026 outlook now calls for core earnings per share growth of 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent, compared with the previous range of 5 percent to 7 percent. The company also expects net revenue growth of 6 percent, up from its previous range of 4 percent to 6 percent, according to the company's October 8 release carried in the StockTitan filing page.

Three forecast milestones

On October 8, 2026, PepsiCo reported third-quarter revenue of USD 25.274 billion. On October 16, 2026, Zacks Research reduced its fiscal 2026 estimate from USD 8.56 to USD 8.40. On October 19, 2026, MarketBeat published the estimate revision and cited a USD 145.50 average analyst target.

For investors, the tension is visible in the comparison between sales and profitability. Revenue grew 5.6 percent in the third quarter, while core operating margin fell 35 basis points, leaving execution in North America as the central operating test.

Stock holds above the Xetra close

PepsiCo's primary listing is on Nasdaq under ticker PEP. The finance snapshot puts its market capitalization at USD 182.0 billion as of October 19, 2026. At Lang & Schwarz, PepsiCo stock was trading at EUR 120.06 on October 20, 2026 at 11:04 a.m. CEST, 1.75 percent above the Xetra close of October 19, 2026 at EUR 118.00. The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of PepsiCo stock.