Updating your Conservative stocks: PepsiCo, International Business Machines & Sony Group

Article Excerpt

PEPSICO INC. $170 (www.pepsico.com) is still a hold. The company is the world’s second-largest soft-drink maker after Coca-Cola. The stock has moved down lately on speculation that Burger King fast-food outlets in India (about 390 stores) will end their 10-year alliance with PepsiCo in favour of a new deal with Coca-Cola. However, the company remains the exclusive soft drink supplier to the KFC and Pizza Hut chains in India. PepsiCo is a hold. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP. $143 (www.ibm.com) is a buy. The company has agreed to sell its weather business to private equity firm Francisco Partners for an undisclosed sum. The deal includes The Weather Company’s consumer-focused assets such as Weather.com and Storm Radar. However, IBM will retain its sustainability software business which helps clients curate, measure, report and act on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) data for decision making. IBM is a buy. SONY GROUP CORP. ADRs $83 (www.sony.com) is a hold. The company’s movie and TV studio business will benefit from the recent agreement to end a 5-month strike by…