Posts for Ticker ‘PEP’

The 100 Hardest Working Brands In The World

hersheyThere are a number of ways to rank brand values. One of the most important is the level at which a brand contributes to the market value of a public company.

24/7 Wall St. asked Corebrand, the brand research and consulting firm, to look at the top 100 brands based their contribution to market capitalizaton. Using this method, the hardest working brand was Hershey (NYSE:HSY), followed  by Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) and Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG)

Corebrand described the process briefly to 24/7 Wall. St.

24/7 Wall St.: Corebard often refers to the brands on this list as the”hardest working brands”. How did you come to that description?

Corebrand: There are a lot of people measuring and examining the “strongest brands” or the “most valuable brands”.  Our opinion is that examining one without the other is somewhat meaningless.  How “strong” a brand is nice to know but not very relevant unless you understand how that strength benefits business.  Similarly, “value” is little more than a measure of corporate size unless you understand the drivers of that value and how to influence it. By examining the strength of the brand and it’s contribution to total market value, we can help companies and their leadership manage that strength and value over time.

24/7 Wall St.: Is there any advantage or disadvantage to having a brand value be a very large percentage of market cap in the present and as an indication of a company’s future performance?

Corebrand: The brand will need to be in balance with the rest of the company’s assets.  A company should strive to have it’s brand strong enough to fend off competitors or changing market conditions but not so strong that it becomes overly dependent on the brand as a single driver of value.  If a company can achieve and maintain its appropriate maximum strength without becoming over-dependent, it will see greater returns in bull markets and retain greater value in bear markets.

The list: Read More »

Posted on: October 20, 2009 – 5:06 pm in Research, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Media Digest 10/14/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg

newspaperReuters:   Aggressive trading in gold in China may be pushing the price of the metal up.

Reuters:   Blackstone’s (NYSE:BX) CEO says the worst of the crisis is over.

Reuters:   The House has begun to create a financial regulation bill. Read More »

Posted on: October 14, 2009 – 4:03 am in Press Digest, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Investor Taste Challenge: Pepsi vs. Coke (PEP, KO, PBG, PAS)

Pepsi LogoCoke LogoPepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP) is trading down after the company’s quarterly earnings report from this morning.  PepsiCo’s earnings were $1.08 EPS on a 1.5% drop in revenues to $11.08 billion, versus Thomson Reuters estimates of $1.03 EPS and $11.25 billion in revenues.  Pepsi did manage to beat estimates, but the amount of the beat appears to be the result of a lower effective tax rate and on some of the cost cutting measures as we have seen at so many firms.  The strength of PepsiCo’s snack food unit could actually highlight a potential weakness at Coca-Cola.  What is interesting is that rival The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is down a fraction of what has been in seen in PepsiCo shares.
Read More »

Posted on: October 8, 2009 – 2:29 pm in Earnings, Food, , , ,

Top Analyst Downgrade/Cautious Calls (AIG, ARRS, CHK, DVN, IGT, PEP, RIMM)

These are Tuesday’s top pre-market analyst downgrades or cautious research calls seen out of Wall Street:

American International Group (NYSE: AIG) Resumed as Neutral at UBS, so technically not a downgrade.
Arris (NASDAQ: ARRS) Cut to Underperform at Jefferies.
Chesapeake (NYSE: CHK) Cut to Underperform at Credit Suisse.
Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN) Cut to Underperform at Credit Suisse.
International Game Tech (NYSE: IGT) Cut to Buy from Conviction Buy List at Goldman Sachs.
Pepsico (NYSE: PEP) removed from the Focus List at Credit Suisse.
Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) Started as Underperform at Bernstein.

You can join our open email distribution list which goes out several times per week for reminders of top day trader alerts, top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPO’s, key secondary offerings, guru investor data on Buffett and others, mergers, and more.

JON C. OGG
OCTOBER 6, 2009

Posted on: October 6, 2009 – 8:00 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , ,

52-Week High Club

Pepsi Bottling Group (NYSE: PBG) hit a yearly high of $37.37 today after PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) filed a proxy indicating it would complete its acquisition of Pepsi Bottling Group regardless of market conditions.

Garrett W. McIntyre

Posted on: October 2, 2009 – 4:29 pm in Food, ,

Defensive Stocks Offering No Haven (WMT, PEP, KO, TAP, KFT, CAG, CPB, HRL, MCD, MO, VGR, RAI, PG, CL, MRK, JNJ, NVO)

Burning Money PicWasn’t it just last week that we were up eight days in a row on the DJIA?  And now we have a sell-the-news reaction to the recent growth numbers.  Maybe it is because we ran too far too fast and because we started pricing in robust growth rather than muted growth.  But generally when equities have stayed hot and then start to sell off in profit taking or in case things got too heated, you at least see a migration into some of the defensive stocks.  That is not the case.  In our normal 16 Defensive Go-To Stocks, only ONE was up.  If you throw in Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) as the ultimate defensive stock like we usually do, then you have only TWO of 17 trading up on the day….

PEPSICO INC (NYSE: PEP) $56.1805.. Down $0.4895; -0.86%
COCA COLA CO (NYSE: KO) $48.58.. Down $0.19; -0.39%
MOLSON COORS CO. (NYSE: TAP) $47.01.. Down $0.37; -0.78%
KRAFT FOODS INC. (NYSE: KFT) $28.08..  Down $0.27; -0.95%
CONAGRA FOOD INC. (NYSE: CAG) $20.13.. Down $0.40; -1.95%
CAMPBELL SOUP CO. (NYSE: CPB) $30.86.. Down $0.50; -1.59%
HORMEL FOODS CORP. (NYSE: HRL) $37.00..    Up 0.05; +0.14%
MCDONALDS CORP. (NYSE: MCD) $55.72.. Down $0.51; -0.92%
ALTRIA GROUP INC. (NYSE: MO) $18.13.. Down $0.16; -0.83%
VECTOR GROUP LTD. (NYSE: VGR) $15.71.. Down $0.07; -0.44%
REYNOLDS AMERICAN (NYSE: RAI) $45.17.. Down $0.54; -1.18%
PROCTER GAMBLE CO. (NYSE: PG) $53.05.. Down $1.06; -1.96%
COLGATE PALMOLIVE (NYSE: CL) $71.82.. Down $0.89; -1.21%
MERCK CO INC. (NYSE: MRK) $31.79.. Down $0.64; -1.97%
JOHNSON & JOHNSON (NYSE: JNJ) $59.88.. Down $0.56; -0.92%
NOVO NORDISK (NYSE: NVO) $60.024.. Down $0.986; -1.62%

Oddly enough, Wal-Mart is the ONLY one of the DJIA 30 components trading higher this afternoon.

JON C. OGG
SEPTEMBER 1, 2009

Posted on: September 1, 2009 – 2:31 pm in Defensive Stocks, Trading Alert, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tracking The Value Of The World’s Major Brands

apple
Several companies run annual brand valuations. It is a good business for advertising and marketing firms to be viewed as experts on brands. Brand values are based on the cash flow they create, and there are a number of ways to measure that. The mathematical parts of the formulas are relatively easy. The part that is hard, because it requires skilled forecasting, is what the reputation and value of a brand is likely to be three or four years from the date the values are set. It would have been hard half a decade ago to predict that AIG (AIG), the brand of the world’s largest insurance company, would be virtually worthless today, or that Facebook would be an extremely valuable brand. There is both art and science to determining the future of brands. Read More »

Posted on: August 12, 2009 – 3:21 pm in Accounting, Banking, China, Consumer Electronics, Consumer Goods, Editor's Picks, Financial Stocks, Hardware, PC Companies, Research, Software, Telecom, Tobacco, Wireless, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Media Digest 8/5/2009

newspaperReuters:   GM’s new board endorsed the company’s new plans.

Reuters:   The Senate will probably approve “cash for clunkers” aid.

Reuters:   Sony (SNE) will enter the market with an e-reader to compete with Amazon (AMZN).

Reuters:   Disarray in the Administration is hurting plans for changes in financial regulation. Read More »

Posted on: August 5, 2009 – 4:06 am in Press Digest, , , , , ,

Suddenly All Is Well In Bottling Mergers (PEP, PBG, PAS, COKE, CCE, KOF, CCH, KO)

money-stack-imageThis morning we caught the news on a volume alert, but there was no confirmation of the news.  Now, we have the formal release from PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP).  Pepsi has capitulated and decided to offer more for its acquisitions of The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. (NYSE: PBG) and PepsiAmericas, Inc. (NYSE: PAS).  Both bottlers agreed and signed definitive merger pacts with PepsiCo.

Interestingly enough, this could have traders (and investment bankers) looking toward Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (NASDAQ: COKE), Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: CCE), Coca-Cola FEMSA S.A.B de CV (NYSE: KOF), and Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company S.A. (NYSE: CCH)… all of which are tied to The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO).
Read More »

Posted on: August 4, 2009 – 9:28 am in Food, Mergers and Buy Outs, , , , , , , ,

Top Day Trader Alerts (HGSI, CTSH, STEC, PBG, PEP)

It is actually slow in pre-market trading today.  These are today’s top volume alert stocks for day traders and active traders.  More detailed volume and price analysis and data is available on links through to each stock at VSInvestor.com:

Human Genome Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: HGSI) is up more than you’d expect on an analyst upgrade.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: CTSH) is one of today’s big tech winners on earnings.

STEC, Inc. (NASDAQ: STEC) is down on insider selling despite solid earnings.

Pepsi Bottling Group (NYSE: PBG) is getting significant pre-market volume on reports that Pepsico (NYSE: PEP) has made a higher buyout offer.

-The 24/7 Wall St. Team

Posted on: August 4, 2009 – 8:53 am in Pre-Market Activity, Trading Alert, , , , ,

CoTweet, Major Brand Twitter-Platform Gets VC Funding (WFMI, SBUX, MSFT, JBLU, F, PEP, S, KO)

Money Stack ImageNo one knows how to value social media’s dominant players.  The real value for Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace is elusive (and less than before).  Twitter is one of these businesses which suddenly has all the buzz, yet find someone who can tell you what the ultimate monetary value of Twitter is.  Many older internet users are hardly familiar with the term ‘blogging’… let alone microblogging.  But today a company operating as a Twitter platform operator and brand manager has received venture backing.

CoTweet is a web-based collaboration platform that helps companies reach and engage customers in real-time using Twitter for brand management. The product is already said to be used by Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI), Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU), Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), Sprint (NYSE: S), and The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO)
Read More »

Posted on: July 9, 2009 – 2:44 pm in Business Services, Internet, Private Equity, , , , , , , ,

Media Digest 7/7/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg

newspaperReuters:   Japanes Topix index is expect to rise to 1,000.

Reuters:   The US may need a second stimulus package.

Reuters:   Hospitals have agreed to contribute $155 billion over ten years to help with the healthcare package.

Reuters:   Treasury is ready to push Wall St. on starting a consumer protection agency.

Reuters:   Lear filed for bankruptcy. Read More »

Posted on: July 7, 2009 – 2:55 am in Autos, Banking, Earnings, Healthcare, Luxury, Mergers and Buy Outs, Pharmaceuticals, Press Digest, Wireless, , , , , , , ,

The Death Of Brands: Passing Up Advil For Aspirin

bucksWho needs Advil when it is more expensive than aspirin and probably does no better at reducing pain? Who needs Starbucks (SBUX) when Maxwell House has just as much caffeine?

A new survey of purchasing data from 23,000 stores conducted by the Pointer Media Network  shows that many shoppers are simply walking away from their favorite brands because they can’t afford them due to high prices during a recession. Read More »

Posted on: June 22, 2009 – 4:04 am in Autos, Consumer Goods, Economy, , , , , , ,

Imminent Change to DJIA 30 (GM, F, CSCO, ORCL, AAPL, GOOG, CL, HON, PEP, TGT, AMZN, MDT, ABT, GS, BRK-A)

Word is out that the Dow Jones Indexes team is set to release the name of the replacement for General Motors (NYSE: GM) in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.  We have heard that the new candidate will be announced today and also heard that the change may be announced early Monday. We have a list of stocks we believe are the most likely candidates, and a list of exclusions for several reasons.  Again, this pertains to replacing GM, so if there are a series of index changes then some of the others could make it in that we feel are not as likely.  Because the index is price-weighted rather than market capitalization-weighted, some of the would-be hopeful stocks are probably not really under consideration as members of the DJIA.
Read More »

Posted on: May 29, 2009 – 2:15 pm in Buffett, Index, Rumors, Trading Alert, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

DJIA Component Replacement Candidates for GM (GM, F, CSCO, ORCL, GOOG, AAPL, CL, HON, PEP, TGT, MDT, ABT, GS, BRK-A)

The bets are on that General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) is done as far as the current stock is concerned.  While it seems that the equity holders of today will keep 1% of the “New Co.,” this is far from fitting into parameters of being one of the thirty components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.  We have speculated on this with other companies moving in and out, but we have compiled a list of companies which we think could be replacements.  We have also listed some of the companies we think will not be included that many traders and investors might be hoping could be up for inclusion.
Read More »

Posted on: May 27, 2009 – 11:05 am in Autos, Buffett, Conglomerates, Index, Infrastructure, Large Cap Stocks, Trading Alert, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pepsi Deal Twist, Pepsi Bottling Group Makes Its Own Acquisition (PEP, PBG, PAS)

Pepsi LogoThere is a new twist in the Pepsico, Inc. (NYSE: PEP) ‘hopeful’ acquisition of Pepsi Bottling Group Inc. (NYSE: PBG). Pepsi Bottling Group Inc. has decided to make an acquisition of its own.  It could even possibly have ramifications for the proposed PepsiAmericas Inc. (NYSE: PAS) buyout, although that may be a stretch on a one-off basis.
Read More »

Posted on: May 14, 2009 – 9:21 am in Food, Mergers and Buy Outs, , ,

Defensive Stocks Refuse To Participate In Rally (PEP, KO, TAP, KFT, CAG, CPB, HRL, MCD, MO, PG, CL, MRK, JNJ)

Investors flock to defensive stocks in times of trouble and and when they worry, assuming they look to stay in the market when they are worried.  But if the trend here continues, this may be one of the worst times for defensive stocks compared to the overall market.  Our universe of 13 large-cap go-to defensive stocks looks awful in relative performance and it looks like only 1 stock of the 13 has actually outperformed the overall market.

Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT), ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), and Hormel Foods Corp. (NYSE: HRL) have performed close to the overall markets, but that is almost it.  Forget about Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB) as that has been the worst of the lot.  Pepsico, Inc. (NYSE: PEP) and The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) are up double digits from recent lows, but are way behind the market index readings.  Even the high and mighty McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) has greatly underperformed.
Read More »

Posted on: May 7, 2009 – 5:31 am in Defensive Stocks, HI/LOW, Index, Technical Analysis, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pepsi’s Dividend Hike Signals Twist in Bottling Mergers (PEP, PBG, PAS)

pepsi-logoPepsico, Inc. (NYSE: PEP) has just come out and announced it was going to hike its dividend by some 6%.  The $1.70 annualized dividend will now be $1.80 on an annual basis that is paid out quarterly.  Normally, these announcements are a blip on the radar, but this could actually signal that it has the capital to pay more for that proposed Pepsi Bottling Group Inc. (NYSE: PBG) acquisition.  It may even have an ultimate impact on PepsiAmericas Inc. (NYSE: PAS).
Read More »

Posted on: May 5, 2009 – 6:05 pm in Dividend, Food, Mergers and Buy Outs, Water, , ,

Media Digest 5/5/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg

newspaper7According to Reuters, changes at Yahoo! (YHOO) are getting mixed reviews from employees.

Reuters reports that ten banks could could have to raise new money after stress tests.

Reuters reports that two top Fed officials think the recession will end this year.

Reuters writes that Chrysler’s bankruptcy has brought many of its dealers to the brink of closing.

Reuters reports that AIG (AIG) will post a loss for the last quarter but will not need more government money.

Reuters reports that UBS (UBS) had a first quarter loss and remains cautious.

Reuters writes that “So many U.S. banks are failing that three government bank watchdogs want the law changed to force a review only when a bank failure costs the federal insurance fund $300 million or more.”

Reuters reports that US retailers may have gained some strength in April.

Reuters reports that the FTC will look at ties between the Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG) boards.

Reuters reports that Bank of America (BAC) said it does not need to raise new funds.

Reuters reports that Chinese exporters are having to try to sell their goods within their country.

The Wall Street Journal reports that stress tests will force several banks to raise money including Citigroup (C), Wells Fargo (WFC), and Bank of America (BAC).

The Wall Street Journal reports that “A government program to unfreeze the credit markets got a boost as companies rushed to issue nearly $10 billion of bonds and as credit markets rode the same wave of optimism that sent stocks soaring.”

The Wall Street Journal writes that fewer banks are tightening lending standards compared to a few months ago.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) lost money.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Chrysler expects a profit in 2012.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the new Amazon (AMZN) Kindle will be aimed at the education market.

The Wall Street Journal reports that business is upset about plans to tax overseas profits.

The Wall Street Journal reports that more consumers are making coffee at home.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the rally has sent stocks into the black for 2009.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Sprint’s (S) loss widened as it lost more customers.

The Wall Street Journal reports that banks are facing hits on real estate loans.

The Wall Street Journal writes that CEO pay fell as bonuses dropped.

The Wall Street Journal reports that a lack of cost information has slowed the overhaul of healthcare.

The Wall Street Journal reports that a bounce in manufacturing in Asia needs help from US demand.

The Wall Street Journal reports that one bottler has rejected a buyout from Pepsi (PEP).

The Wall Street Journal reports that Roger Penske may be a buyer of the Saturn unit of GM (GM).

The Wall Street Journal reports that a Fiat plan to buy Opel may mean big job cuts.

The Wall Street Journal reports that MGM (MGM) earnings fell 10%.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the RIM (RIMM) Blackberry Curve outsold the Apple (AAPL) iPhone last quarter.

The Wall Street Journal reports that The New York Times (NYT) is near a deal to keep The Boston Globe open.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the pace at which advertising is falling quickened to 9.2%.

The New York Times reports that growth in India is slowing due to lack of investment.

The New York Times reports that Germany may help Fiat with a bid for Opel.

The New York Times reports that the EU is forecasting a deepening recession.

The FT writes that the wealth management arm of UBS may suffer 10,000 job cuts.

Bloomberg reports that Chrysler non-TARP lenders are opposing the sale of its assets.

Douglas A. McIntyre

Posted on: May 5, 2009 – 2:59 am in Autos, Banking, China, Corporate Governance, Economy, Internet, Media, Press Digest, Technology Companies, Wireless, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If Coke Follows Pepsi’s Bottling Roll-Up (PEP, PAS, PBG, KO, COKE, CCE, KOF, CCH

pepsi-logoThis morning’s news of Pepsico Inc. (NYSE: PEP) offering to acquire bottling affiliates PepsiAmericas Inc. (NYSE: PAS) and Pepsi Bottling Group Inc. (NYSE: PBG) may be a surprise to some, but it is far from a shock.  Having multiple companies processing different parts of the same business may not be the most efficient model under certain circumstances.  Interestingly enough, The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) has a similar structure with affiliated entities that are outside publicly traded stocks.

coke-logoCoca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (COKE), Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: CCE), Coca-Cola FEMSA S.A.B de CV (NYSE: KOF), and Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company S.A. (NYSE: CCH) are all affiliated companies.
Read More »

Posted on: April 20, 2009 – 10:32 am in Food, Mergers and Buy Outs, Water, , , , , , , ,