CCEP vs PEP

For growth investors, PepsiCo, Inc.

(PEP) is the stronger pick with 2. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 8% for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP). Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP) offers the better valuation at 19. 8x trailing P/E (21. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP) a "Buy" — based on 28 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP) is the cheapest at 19.

8x versus PepsiCo, Inc. at 26. 0x. On forward P/E, PepsiCo, Inc. is actually cheaper at 18. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC wins at 0. 69x versus PepsiCo, Inc. 's 5. 52x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP) delivered a total return of +85.

0%, compared to +24. 4% for PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CCEP returned +130. 4% versus PEP's +89. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), PepsiCo, Inc.

(PEP) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 03β versus Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC's 0. 13β — meaning CCEP is approximately 297% more volatile than PEP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 135% versus 2% for PepsiCo, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), PepsiCo, Inc.

(PEP) is pulling ahead at 2. 3% versus -1. 8% for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC grew EPS 32. 8% year-over-year, compared to -13. 7% for PepsiCo, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, CCEP leads at 5. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

3% net margin versus 8. 8% for PepsiCo, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CCEP leads at 12. 9% versus 12. 2% for PEP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PEP leads at 54. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 69x versus PepsiCo, Inc. 's 5. 52x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) trades at 18. 0x forward P/E versus 21. 0x for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC — 3. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CCEP: 16. 3% to $110. 60.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) offers the highest yield at 3. 6%, versus 2. 4% for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP).

For long-horizon retirement investors, PepsiCo, Inc.

(PEP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 03), 3. 6% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PEP: +89. 5%, CCEP: +130. 4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: CCEP is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; PEP is a large-cap income-oriented stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.