PepsiCo, Inc. - PEP STOCK NEWS

PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP) has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.355 per share, representing a 7% increase from the previous year. This aligns with the company's earlier announcement of raising its annualized dividend to $5.42 per share from $5.06. The dividend is payable on September 30, 2024, to shareholders of record as of September 6, 2024. This marks PepsiCo's 52nd consecutive annual dividend increase, highlighting its commitment to shareholder returns. The company has maintained a consistent track record of paying quarterly cash dividends since 1965, demonstrating its financial stability and dedication to rewarding investors.

The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Sports 4 Life program with a historic $500,000 grant pool distributed to 50 organizations across 22 states and Washington, D.C. This initiative, co-founded by ESPN and supported by Gatorade, aims to empower Black, African-American, Hispanic, and Native American girls through sports.

The program has funded 254 organizations since its inception, providing $2.8 million in grants to nearly 90,000 girls participating in over 40 sports. This year's milestone was amplified by a special donation from WNBA legend Sue Bird in partnership with CarMax. The grants cover a wide range of sports, including figure skating, flag football, and skateboarding.

According to WSF's research, Sports 4 Life has had a significant impact on participants, with 97% of girls agreeing they would persist in reaching their goals and 92% reporting improved grades. The program continues to expand its reach, with 35 of the 50 community organizations being new recipients this year.

PepsiCo Foods North America has launched the Planting Pathways Initiative to expand opportunities in the agriculture sector. This initiative aims to address the aging farmer population and promote diversity in the industry. Key components include:

1. Partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa to support underrepresented and beginning farmers with business plans, coaching, capital, and training.

2. Collaboration with Farm Foundation to create the Field to Future program, offering college students career development support, mentorships, and internships within PepsiCo.

The initiative aligns with PepsiCo's pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) transformation, supporting its Positive Agriculture agenda to create a more resilient and inclusive food system.

On July 11, 2024, Gatorade announced Sadie Engelhardt and Cooper Flagg as the 2023-24 Gatorade Best Female and Male Players of the Year at the ESPYs. The awards recognize the nation's top high school athletes. Engelhardt, a standout in track and field, set multiple national records and maintains a 4.59 GPA, while Flagg, the top basketball recruit, led his team to a perfect season and boasts a 4.10 GPA. Both athletes participated in community service, receiving Spotlight Grants for their chosen organizations. The awards highlight Gatorade’s ongoing commitment to youth sports, equity, and community support, reflected by over $4.9 million in grants awarded to date.

PepsiCo announced the eight finalists for the second year of the Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos Edition. This program focuses on enhancing high-potential food and beverage brands inspired by Hispanic flavors. Each finalist will receive $20,000 and join a five-month mentorship program, with the chance to win an additional $100,000. The selected startups include JAS, JaziLupini, Mayawell, Nemi, Paktli Foods, Pricklee, TOAST-IT, and ¡Ya Oaxaca!. These companies will work on innovative business solutions, guided by experts in various fields. The program aims to drive sustainable growth and industry innovation.

PepsiCo has released its 2023 ESG Summary, showcasing progress and challenges within its pep+ initiative aimed at enhancing long-term business performance and value.

Key achievements include:

• A 13% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and a 5% reduction in total Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
• A 4% decrease in virgin plastic use from non-renewable sources.
• Doubling its global regenerative farming footprint to over 1.8 million acres.
• A 25% improvement in water-use efficiency at high-risk locations compared to a 2015 baseline, achieving this goal two years early.
• Helping over 10 million people gain access to safe water.
• Introducing new goals to reduce sodium and deliver diverse ingredients, with 36% of foods meeting sodium targets and 75 billion portions of diverse ingredients supplied.

Despite these successes, challenges remain, particularly in packaging. The complete ESG Reporting Suite is available for further details.

Cracker Jack has launched the Cracker Jill Spotlight Squad to highlight women athletes led by legendary sprinter Allyson Felix. This initiative is part of the third-year Cracker Jill campaign, which aims to elevate women athletes' visibility. The campaign includes a social media contest where fans spotlight women athletes with selected participants receiving donations in their name. Cracker Jack’s survey found low visibility for women athletes among US teenagers, with significant gender disparities in sports participation and continuity. In addition to the campaign, Cracker Jack is donating $200,000 to the Women's Sports Foundation, bringing their total support to $600,000, impacting over 29,000 girls and women in sports.

MTN DEW, a product of PepsiCo, announces the launch of three new -time flavors to celebrate summer: MTN DEW STAR SPANGLED SPLASH™, MTN DEW FREEDOM FUSION™, and MTN DEW LIBERTY CHILL™. These flavors will be available in 20 oz bottles and 12 oz cans nationwide. To promote these new offerings, MTN DEW is hosting its first 'MTN DEW Cooler Quest' on June 20, featuring 50 backpack coolers filled with the new flavors and a $250 gift card, hidden in popular parks nationwide. Fans can start searching by checking GPS coordinates on the official website.

This initiative aligns with the brand’s strategy to encourage outdoor activities, continuing the earlier launched MTN DEW Outdoor Gear rewards program. PepsiCo, with products like Lay's, Doritos, and Gatorade, generated over $91 billion in revenue in 2023.

Gatorade has announced the return of its iconic 'Is It In You?' tagline with the largest campaign in its history. The campaign aims to inspire the next generation of athletes by focusing on their inner drive amid growing external pressures. The relaunch features a 60-second film narrated by Michael Jordan, showcasing stories from athletes like Josh Allen and Caitlin Clark. The campaign coincides with Gatorade's strong market position and continued expansion into new product categories like equipment and enhanced water.