12 Best Long-Term Dividend Stocks to Invest in Right Now

5. PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 58

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) is an American food, snack, and beverage company, headquartered in New York. The company stands out particularly in the salty snack market, with its Frito-Lay division being the leading player in the snack industry. Much like its beverage business, Frito-Lay benefits from PepsiCo’s scale, distribution network, marketing expertise, and innovation, driving both business and profit growth. in addition, the company’s Quaker Oats division, which produces packaged food products, plays a significant role in the consumer food sector. While PepsiCo faces competition from other large companies in this space, it remains one of the most vital partners for retailers globally, including grocery and convenience stores.

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) delivered solid earnings in the third quarter of 2024, generating revenues exceeding $23.3 billion. Despite facing challenges such as weaker performance in North America, ongoing issues from product recalls at Quaker Foods North America, and disruptions due to increasing geopolitical tensions in some international markets, the company remained resilient. Effective cost management helped maintain profitability, while the company continued to make strategic investments to strengthen its position in the market.

Given these ongoing challenges, PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) now anticipates a modest, low-single-digit rise in organic revenue, a reduction from its earlier projection of around 4% growth. Despite these setbacks, the company remains focused on its commitment to shareholders, aiming to return $8.2 billion to investors through dividends and share buybacks in 2024.

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) is one of the best dividend stocks on our list as the company has been growing its payouts for 52 consecutive years. The company’s quarterly dividend currently comes in at $1.355 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.46%, as of December 11.

According to Insider Monkey’s database of Q3 2024, 58 hedge funds held stakes in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP), compared with 65 in the previous quarter. The consolidated value of these stakes is more than $4.44 billion.