PepsiCo Inc has beaten third-quarter profit estimates and forecast upbeat revenue growth for 2019 as aggressive advertising and a focus on healthier products spurred demand for its beverages and snacks in North America.
The company said that it expects to meet or exceed its fiscal 2019 organic revenue growth target of 4%.
Since taking the helm last October, CEO Ramon Laguarta has carved out a multi-billion dollar strategy that includes partnering with celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen and ramping up manufacturing capacity for smaller cans to boost demand for out-of-favour sugary sodas.
New Ads
The company has splurged on new ads for its trademark Pepsi colas, as well as Mountain Dew and Gatorade beverages, rounding off with a campaign centring around the National Football League's 100th anniversary.
Advertising and marketing expenditure has increased 12% so far this year, the company said.
Sales
Gatorade sales have benefited from new low sugar and organic options, and the company said that a sugar-less version of the sports drink surpassed half a billion dollars in retail sales since its launch in May last year.
Overall beverage sales in North America rose 3.4% in the third quarter to $5.64 billion, also supported by new flavours of its bubly sparkling water brand.
PepsiCo chief financial officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters that he expects bubly to become its next billion-dollar brand, with sales rising "dramatically" after a Super Bowl ad earlier this year.
Snack Brands
The company's major snack brands, Doritos and Cheetos, also got a boost from the marketing push, even as calorie-counting Americans increasingly shift toward healthier options.
On-the-go lifestyles are helping snack sales, Johnston said.
"With busier lifestyles, [there] comes a desire to eat more conveniently, which is a strong tailwind for our business, " he said.
Net Revenue
Net revenue rose 4.3% to $17.19 billion in the three months that ended on September 7, beating analysts' estimates of $16.93 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
However, the higher investments have been a drag on profit.
Full-Year Core Earnings Per Share Forecast
The company left its full-year core earnings per share forecast unchanged, which Wells Fargo analyst Bonnie Herzog said was a sign that the cost of achieving top line growth was rising.
Attributable Net Income And Earnings Per Share
PepsiCo's attributable net income fell to $2.10 billion, or $1.49 per share in the quarter, from $2.50 billion, or $1.75 per share, a year earlier.
Excluding one-time items, the company earned $1.56 per share, beating the average estimate of $1.50.
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