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BUD or PEP or UL
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) vs. PepsiCo (PEP) vs. Unilever (UL) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- BUD shows solid YTD gains of 5.60% and 1-year returns around 12%, bolstered by Q4 2025 earnings beats and focus on premiumization and digital platforms like BEES.
- PEP leads YTD performance at 10.24% with strong Q4 revenue growth of 5.6%, though recent monthly volatility reflects broader consumer staples trends.
- UL delivered 3.5% underlying sales growth in 2025 with margin expansion to 20%, but faces short-term pressure from potential food unit spin-off talks with McCormick.
- All three exhibit defensive traits in consumer staples, with low betas (BUD ~0.5, PEP 0.38, UL 0.26) and attractive PE ratios (20-26x), amid sector YTD gains.
- PEP edges in market cap ($214B) and YTD momentum, while BUD and UL offer value in beverages and diversified goods.
Introduction
This comparison examines BUD (Anheuser-Busch InBev), PEP (PepsiCo), and UL (Unilever), three consumer staples giants navigating shifting demand, premiumization trends, and portfolio optimizations. These stocks appeal to traders seeking relative stability in volatile markets and investors eyeing defensive growth with dividends. Recent earnings beats and strategic moves highlight their resilience, offering insights into sector positioning, momentum, and valuation trade-offs amid economic uncertainties.
BUD Overview and Recent Performance
Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), the world's largest brewer, produces beers like Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois, alongside non-alcoholic beverages and digital platforms such as BEES for B2B commerce. In recent market activity, BUD traded around $68, with YTD returns of 5.60% and 1-year gains near 12%, outperforming some benchmarks. Q4 2025 results exceeded expectations, with revenue up 4.8% to $15.55B and EPS of $0.95 topping forecasts; full-year EBITDA grew 4.9% with 101bps margin expansion despite soft volumes. Sentiment has been supported by premiumization strategies, beyond-beer diversification, and digital expansion, though currency headwinds and volume pressures in key regions tempered gains. Trading at a PE of 20.13 with market cap of $133B, BUD reflects steady recovery.
PEP Overview and Recent Performance
PepsiCo (PEP) is a diversified food and beverage leader with brands like Pepsi, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Quaker Oats, operating across North America, Europe, and emerging markets. Shares recently hovered near $157, posting top YTD returns of 10.24% among peers, though 1-year at 9.27% shows some lag amid monthly dips. Q4 2025 net revenue rose 5.6% to $29.34B, beating estimates, with EPS of $2.26 surpassing forecasts; full-year revenue hit $93.93B. Performance reflects strength in international segments and organic growth of 2.1%, offset by North American challenges. Factors influencing sentiment include sustainability initiatives, dividend hikes (54th consecutive), and insider activity, with a PE of 26.09 and $214B market cap underscoring its scale in a resilient sector.
UL Overview and Recent Performance
Unilever (UL) spans beauty, personal care, home care, and foods with icons like Dove, Hellmann's, and Knorr, emphasizing Power Brands (78% of sales). The stock traded around $60, with YTD returns of 7.59% and 1-year at 7.54%, showing stability. Full-year 2025 underlying sales grew 3.5% (1.5% volume), turnover at €50.5B despite FX/disposals drag; operating margin hit 20.0% (up 60bps), EPS €3.08. Recent buzz centers on advanced talks to spin/merge its $16B food unit with McCormick, potentially creating a $60B giant and sharpening focus. This, alongside Q4 USG of 4.2%, drives mixed sentiment; PE at 20.06 and $131B market cap position UL as a value play amid transformation.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
BUD, PEP, and UL anchor consumer staples, blending beverages/foods with defensive moats. Business models differ: BUD focuses on beer premiumization/digital (BEES), PEP on snacks/beverages diversification, and UL on multi-category Power Brands amid portfolio streamlining. Growth drivers include PEP's international revenue and UL's 4.3% Power Brand USG, versus BUD's EBITDA margins. Recent momentum favors PEP (10% YTD), with BUD/UL stable at 5-8%; risks span volume softness (BUD), regional pressures (PEP), and M&A uncertainty (UL spin-off). Sector exposure overlaps staples but varies: alcohol (BUD), non-alc/snacks (PEP), FMCG (UL). Valuations are comparable (PE 20-26x), sensitive to margins/growth; sentiment tilts positive on earnings beats but cautious on consumer spending.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors PEP for its superior YTD momentum, Q4 beats, and diversified stability in beverages/snacks, with consistent international catalysts and low beta positioning it well relative to peers. While BUD offers value via margins/digital and UL transformation potential, PEP's trend consistency suggests higher probability of near-term outperformance in staples.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full Disclaimers and Limitations.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
BUD’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green whilePEP’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s), and UL’s FA Score reflects 0 green FA rating(s).
- BUD’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- PEP’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- UL’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
BUD’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while PEP’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s), and UL’s TA Score reflects 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- BUD’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- PEP’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
- UL’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
BUD (@Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy) experienced а +0.04% price change this week, while PEP (@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic) price change was +0.39% , and UL (@Household/Personal Care) price fluctuated +0.33% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy industry was -0.04%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +2.93%, and the average quarterly price growth was +5.62%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Beverages: Non-Alcoholic industry was -0.77%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -1.88%, and the average quarterly price growth was +2073.90%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Household/Personal Care industry was +0.96%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +3.95%, and the average quarterly price growth was -8.44%.
Reported Earning Dates
BUD is expected to report earnings on May 05, 2026.
PEP is expected to report earnings on Jul 14, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy (-0.04% weekly)The meat, fish, and dairy food industry processes livestock, fish and milk products for consumer consumption. Some companies also process dairy byproducts. Tyson Foods, Inc., Hormel Foods Corporation and Pilgrims Pride Corp. are some of the biggest producers in this industry. Many of these companies are recipients of American farm subsidies. On the other hand, new-age food innovation like plant-based meat substitutes (which are designed to simulate chicken, beef, and pork sausage) could potentially augur disruptions and/or create new competition in this space.
@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (-0.77% weekly)Non-alcoholic drinks include traces of alcohol or low alcohol content or without alcohol or alcohol removed. Functional Beverages, Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs), Sports Drinks, Fruit Beverages, and Bottled Water are some common types of non-alcoholic beverages. The largest segment in this market is soft drinks (think Pepsi and Coke). Many established companies in this space have also been stepping up production of low to zero-calorie varieties in recent years, to cater to a rising number of health-conscious consumers. Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico Inc, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. and Monster Beverage Corporation are some major non-alcoholic beverage makers.
@Household/Personal Care (+0.96% weekly)Household/Personal Care companies sell products for home cleaning and/or personal hygiene and grooming purposes. Products of this industry include detergents, shampoos, soaps, cosmetics, fabric conditioners and infant care fragrances. Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Estee Lauder and Colgate-Palmolive are some of the biggest names in the business. A lot of the products become a necessary part of people’s daily routine, and therefore the industry is relatively less vulnerable to macroeconomic downturns. At the same time, product quality, consumer safety, and ease of use are extremely critical factors for a company to survive competition and earn recognition in this industry.
| BUD | PEP | UL | |
| Capitalization | 147B | 216B | 125B |
| EBITDA | 21B | 15.5B | 11.3B |
| Gain YTD | 18.301 | 10.840 | -9.822 |
| P/E Ratio | 22.35 | 24.75 | 19.14 |
| Revenue | 59.3B | 93.9B | 59.8B |
| Total Cash | 11.8B | 9.53B | N/A |
| Total Debt | 73B | 49.9B | N/A |
BUD | PEP | UL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 12 | 55 | 51 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 50 Fair valued | 26 Undervalued | 39 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 69 | 59 | 81 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 75 | 21 | 97 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 47 | 34 | 81 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 65 | 42 | 83 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 32 | 50 | 75 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
PEP's Valuation (26) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is in the same range as UL (39) in the Household Or Personal Care industry, and is in the same range as BUD (50) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry. This means that PEP's stock grew similarly to UL’s and similarly to BUD’s over the last 12 months.
PEP's Profit vs Risk Rating (59) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is in the same range as BUD (69) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is in the same range as UL (81) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that PEP's stock grew similarly to BUD’s and similarly to UL’s over the last 12 months.
PEP's SMR Rating (21) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is somewhat better than the same rating for BUD (75) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for UL (97) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that PEP's stock grew somewhat faster than BUD’s and significantly faster than UL’s over the last 12 months.
PEP's Price Growth Rating (34) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is in the same range as BUD (47) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for UL (81) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that PEP's stock grew similarly to BUD’s and somewhat faster than UL’s over the last 12 months.
PEP's P/E Growth Rating (42) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is in the same range as BUD (65) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for UL (83) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that PEP's stock grew similarly to BUD’s and somewhat faster than UL’s over the last 12 months.
| BUD | PEP | UL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 34% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 44% | 2 days ago 39% | 2 days ago 58% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 60% | 2 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 37% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 58% | 2 days ago 43% | 2 days ago 38% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 42% | 2 days ago 40% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 52% | 2 days ago 44% | 2 days ago 46% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 54% | 10 days ago 39% | 10 days ago 42% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 56% | 4 days ago 44% | 5 days ago 42% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 52% | N/A |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 48% | 2 days ago 35% | 2 days ago 40% |
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UL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, UL has been loosely correlated with PG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 62% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if UL jumps, then PG could also see price increases.