PepsiCo sees healthier profits

Article Excerpt

PEPSICO INC. $66 (New York symbol PEP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.6 billion; Market cap: $105.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.4; Dividend yield: 2.7%; WSSF Rating: Above Average) is developing a new type of salt that contains less sodium than regular salt. That will help it achieve its goal of cutting the sodium in its potato chips by 25% over the next five years. PepsiCo also aims to use less sugar in its soft drinks. Healthier products should help PepsiCo offset slowing sales in North America, particularly as baby boomers consume fewer soft drinks and snack foods as they grow older. PepsiCo is a buy. buy…