Coca-Cola Crushes PepsiCo as $10k Bet Grows into $9,012 Gap

The investment gap between Coca-Cola and PepsiCo has grown significantly over five years, from October 1, 2017 to October 1, 2022. The two companies started with a $10,000 investment each, but by the end of the period, Coca-Cola had turned its stake into $18,689 while PepsiCo left investors with only $9,677. This means that the original investment in PepsiCo is still underwater after five years.

The stocks moved in tandem at first, but soon diverged as Coca-Cola climbed and PepsiCo slid. The prolonged decline erased all of PepsiCo's gains and more, resulting in a total return of negative 3.2%. For investors seeking stable returns, the significant gap between these two consumer staples is a worrying sign.