Coca-Cola and PepsiCo offer investors two different approaches to consumer-staples income. Both are Dividend Kings, but Coca-Cola has raised its dividend for 64 consecutive years, compared with 54 years for PepsiCo.
The businesses are not identical. That broader mix gives PepsiCo exposure to both snacks and drinks, and its latest results showed growth in international businesses and improving North American convenient-foods trends. The company said North American snack volume and volume market share improved sequentially, although lower effective net pricing offset some of the benefit.
The company’s third-quarter release said rising input-cost inflation remained a factor, and its results reflected productivity savings, pricing and higher advertising and marketing expenses. Those details make the higher yield attractive, but they also show the operating pressures that investors are weighing alongside the payout.
Coca-Cola’s latest results presented a stronger growth profile.
Coca-Cola raised its full-year 2026 outlook after the quarter.
PepsiCo’s higher yield supplies more income at the prices reviewed, while Coca-Cola combines a longer dividend-increase record with stronger recent revenue, volume and earnings growth. Coca-Cola shares were reported up nearly 33% over the preceding 12 months, while PepsiCo shares had declined around 10%; that difference means a higher dividend yield does not automatically produce the better total return. Analysis: the verified figures support Coca-Cola as the stronger recent growth-and-income candidate, while PepsiCo remains the higher-current-yield choice for investors willing to accept greater evidence of operating pressure.