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PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2018 results, wherein both earnings and sales topped estimates. Notably, this marked the tenth consecutive quarter of positive earnings surprise. Further, sales beat after a miss in the preceding quarter. With this, the company has reported sales beat in five of the last seven quarters.
The improvement in earnings can be mainly attributed to strong performances in its international divisions, driven by solid revenue growth in developing and emerging markets. Additionally, strong net revenues and operating profit growth at Frito-Lay North America, along with another quarter of sequential revenue growth in North America Beverages segment aided results.
PepsiCo’s third-quarter core earnings per share (EPS) of $1.59 beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.56 per share by 1.9% and increased 7.4% year over year. In constant-currency terms, adjusted earnings improved 9% from the year-ago period.
Core earnings exclude restructuring and impairment charges, and commodity mark-to-market net impact. The company’s reported earnings of $1.75 per share reflected an increase of 17.4% year over year. Foreign exchange translation had a negative impact of 2 percentage points on reported EPS.
Sales
Net revenues of $16,485 million increased 1.5% from the year-ago level and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16,378 million. Backed by the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar, foreign exchange (Fx) had a 2-percentage point negative impact on revenue growth. Excluding the impact of Fx and acquisitions, structural and other changes, revenues increased 4.9% on an organic basis.
This was primarily driven by strength in the majority of the company’s businesses, particularly international divisions that gained from persistent growth in emerging and developing markets. Among these, Latin America; Asia, Middle East and North Africa (AMENA); Europe Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA); North America Beverages (NAB) and Frito-Lay North America (FLNA) segments reported organic revenue growth in the third quarter.
Total volume grew 2% in the reported quarter, up from 1% growth witnessed in the prior quarter. While organic snacks/food volume increased 3% (an increase from 1% growth witnessed in the second quarter), beverage volume rose 2.5% (up from 0.5% increase in the second quarter).
Segment Details
Revenues declined 2% at both AMENA and QFNA segments. Meanwhile, net revenues improved 2% in NAB and ESSA segments, and 3% in FLNA. However, Latin America reported flat revenues for the quarter.
Operating profits (on a reported basis) decreased 14% for NAB and 1.5% for QFNA segments. However, the same grew 3% for ESSA, 3.5% for FLNA and 17% for AMENA segments. Meanwhile, operating profit remained unchanged for the Latin America division.
Margins
Overall, reported gross margin contracted 30 basis points (bps), with 10 bps contraction in core gross margin. Reported operating margin declined 75 bps while core operating margin contracted 25 bps.
Financials
The company ended third-quarter 2018 with cash and cash equivalents of $11,991 million, long-term debt of $30,643 million and shareholders’ equity of $10,286 million.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $4,732 million as of Sep 8, 2018, compared with $6,087 million in the year-ago period.
2018 Guidance
Driven by the strong year-to-date performance, PepsiCo raised its organic revenue growth guidance for 2018. Further, the company adjusted its full-year earnings per share projections to reflect the anticipated unfavorable impact from foreign exchange due to the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar.
PepsiCo now expects full-year organic revenue growth (excluding headwinds from currency and structural changes) to be at least 3%, compared with the prior guidance of approximately 2.3% growth. Currency is projected to have nearly 1 percentage point negative impact on both top and bottom lines.
Including the negative currency impact, PepsiCo now expects core EPS of $5.65, reflecting an 8% increase from earnings of $5.23 per share in 2017. Earlier, the company had anticipated core EPS of $5.70, indicating 9% growth. The company continues to estimate core constant-currency EPS growth of 9%.
Further, management plans to return $7 billion to shareholders through dividends worth $5 billion and share repurchases worth $2 billion. Free cash flow is estimated at around $6 billion. Operating cash flow is expected to be nearly $9 billion, with net capital spending now estimated to be $3.3 billion ($3.6 billion spending expected earlier).
Upcoming Peer Releases
The Coca-Cola Company (KO - Free Report) is scheduled to report quarterly results on Oct 30.
Keurig Dr. Pepper Inc. (KDP - Free Report) is expected to report quarterly results on Oct 24.
Monster Beverage Corp. (MNST - Free Report) is expected to report quarterly results on Nov 14.
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PepsiCo (PEP) Q3 Earnings & Sales Top, Organic Sales View Up
PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2018 results, wherein both earnings and sales topped estimates. Notably, this marked the tenth consecutive quarter of positive earnings surprise. Further, sales beat after a miss in the preceding quarter. With this, the company has reported sales beat in five of the last seven quarters.
The improvement in earnings can be mainly attributed to strong performances in its international divisions, driven by solid revenue growth in developing and emerging markets. Additionally, strong net revenues and operating profit growth at Frito-Lay North America, along with another quarter of sequential revenue growth in North America Beverages segment aided results.
PepsiCo’s shares did not show much reaction to the solid third-quarter results. However, shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have declined 1.2% in the past month, against the industry’s 1.4% growth. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Earnings
PepsiCo’s third-quarter core earnings per share (EPS) of $1.59 beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.56 per share by 1.9% and increased 7.4% year over year. In constant-currency terms, adjusted earnings improved 9% from the year-ago period.
Pepsico, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Pepsico, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Pepsico, Inc. Quote
Core earnings exclude restructuring and impairment charges, and commodity mark-to-market net impact. The company’s reported earnings of $1.75 per share reflected an increase of 17.4% year over year. Foreign exchange translation had a negative impact of 2 percentage points on reported EPS.
Sales
Net revenues of $16,485 million increased 1.5% from the year-ago level and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16,378 million. Backed by the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar, foreign exchange (Fx) had a 2-percentage point negative impact on revenue growth. Excluding the impact of Fx and acquisitions, structural and other changes, revenues increased 4.9% on an organic basis.
This was primarily driven by strength in the majority of the company’s businesses, particularly international divisions that gained from persistent growth in emerging and developing markets. Among these, Latin America; Asia, Middle East and North Africa (AMENA); Europe Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA); North America Beverages (NAB) and Frito-Lay North America (FLNA) segments reported organic revenue growth in the third quarter.
Total volume grew 2% in the reported quarter, up from 1% growth witnessed in the prior quarter. While organic snacks/food volume increased 3% (an increase from 1% growth witnessed in the second quarter), beverage volume rose 2.5% (up from 0.5% increase in the second quarter).
Segment Details
Revenues declined 2% at both AMENA and QFNA segments. Meanwhile, net revenues improved 2% in NAB and ESSA segments, and 3% in FLNA. However, Latin America reported flat revenues for the quarter.
Operating profits (on a reported basis) decreased 14% for NAB and 1.5% for QFNA segments. However, the same grew 3% for ESSA, 3.5% for FLNA and 17% for AMENA segments. Meanwhile, operating profit remained unchanged for the Latin America division.
Margins
Overall, reported gross margin contracted 30 basis points (bps), with 10 bps contraction in core gross margin. Reported operating margin declined 75 bps while core operating margin contracted 25 bps.
Financials
The company ended third-quarter 2018 with cash and cash equivalents of $11,991 million, long-term debt of $30,643 million and shareholders’ equity of $10,286 million.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $4,732 million as of Sep 8, 2018, compared with $6,087 million in the year-ago period.
2018 Guidance
Driven by the strong year-to-date performance, PepsiCo raised its organic revenue growth guidance for 2018. Further, the company adjusted its full-year earnings per share projections to reflect the anticipated unfavorable impact from foreign exchange due to the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar.
PepsiCo now expects full-year organic revenue growth (excluding headwinds from currency and structural changes) to be at least 3%, compared with the prior guidance of approximately 2.3% growth. Currency is projected to have nearly 1 percentage point negative impact on both top and bottom lines.
Including the negative currency impact, PepsiCo now expects core EPS of $5.65, reflecting an 8% increase from earnings of $5.23 per share in 2017. Earlier, the company had anticipated core EPS of $5.70, indicating 9% growth. The company continues to estimate core constant-currency EPS growth of 9%.
Further, management plans to return $7 billion to shareholders through dividends worth $5 billion and share repurchases worth $2 billion. Free cash flow is estimated at around $6 billion. Operating cash flow is expected to be nearly $9 billion, with net capital spending now estimated to be $3.3 billion ($3.6 billion spending expected earlier).
Upcoming Peer Releases
The Coca-Cola Company (KO - Free Report) is scheduled to report quarterly results on Oct 30.
Keurig Dr. Pepper Inc. (KDP - Free Report) is expected to report quarterly results on Oct 24.
Monster Beverage Corp. (MNST - Free Report) is expected to report quarterly results on Nov 14.
Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?
Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.
Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.
See the pot trades we're targeting>>