The takeaway
PepsiCo Inc shows a moderate seasonal pattern over 10 years of data — strongest in July (+2.8%) and softest in September (−2.2%).
Right now
In July, the stock has risen 90% of years, averaging +2.8%, about +0.7 pts better than the S&P 500.
The full picture
PepsiCo Inc's most dependable month has been July, higher in 9 of 10 years; September has been its least reliable, up just 40% of the time.
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Month by month
The stock's clearest edge over the S&P 500 lands in June (+1.4 pts); it has trailed the market most in September (−2.1 pts).
“vs S&P” is PepsiCo Inc’s average for a month minus the S&P 500’s average for that same month — isolating PepsiCo Inc’s own seasonal edge from broad market drift.
Reality check
Over the last 5 years, July has closed higher 100% of the time versus 90% across the last 10 years — the pattern is holding.
Figures are the typical (median) July return and how often it rose — the last 5 years versus the last 10(the heatmap’s default window). This verdict stays anchored to that 10-year window even if you zoom the chart, so it never disagrees with the badges above.
In plain English
Dependability is the through-line here. July stands out, higher in 9 of 10 Julys, but it heads a clutch of months that pull the year reliably upward.
Its average (+2.8%) and median (+3.2%) land within a hair of each other — the tell of steady, year-after-year gains rather than one outlier doing the work. It is among its calmest months, too, its returns swinging least from year to year (a 2.6% spread). Crucially, the gain is the stock's own rather than a rising tide's: July has cleared the S&P 500 by +0.7 points above the index. That consistency sets it apart from the field, where the average stock manages July only about 61% of the time.
A few other months pull their weight: January, March, and April have also closed higher more often than not. At the other end of the calendar, September has been the soft spot — the weakest of 2 months that average a loss (−2.2%), and the edge isn't year-round — the stock has trailed the S&P 500 in September, February, and May. Its roughest month on record was a −12.1% March in 2020 — a reminder of how hard even a seasonal name can fall.
July has now closed higher 6 years running. Reassuringly, the tendency has held its shape: the recent five years still track the years behind them.
The takeaway is less about when to buy than what to expect: July aside, the stock's months offer little reliable tilt.
Short answers on the stock's best month (July), its worst (September), and whether it really trades seasonally.
Yes, to a moderate degree. Since 2016 its best month (July, +2.8%) has run well ahead of its worst (September, −2.2%) — the heatmap above shows how steady that gap has been year to year.
July has been the strongest, averaging +2.8% and closing higher in 9 of 10 years since 2016.
It's the weakest, averaging −2.2% — historically a soft spot, though it still varies from year to year.
Explore
These names have the strongest July track records on record — a starting point for comparison.
Before you trade