PepsiCo's Q4 & FY 2016 results - Preview

On Wednesday, PepsiCo will release its results for the fourth quarter - and full year - of 2016. Here, just-drinks takes a closer look at the company's performance in the three months to the end of December:

• At the start of October, PepsiCo attacked a lawsuit alleging its Naked Juice range misleads consumers over the type of fruit and vegetables the product contains.
• Later in the month, the company produced a new sustainability agenda in which it outlined plans to cut more calories from its global beverage portfolio. 
• In November, PepsiCo said it had closed its only bottling operation in Greece to adapt to challenging market conditions in the country.
• By the end of the month, the company had confirmed the purchase of US probiotic and kombucha drinks producer KeVita for an undisclosed sum.
• In December, an analyst said PepsiCo was well placed to ride out concerns over a "demonetisation" policy in India.
• In the same month, the company rolled out a new water brand in the US, Lifewtr.
• In mid-December, PepsiCo announced that its CEO Indra Nooyi was to join an advisory panel for new US president Donald Trump.

YTD and Q3 highlights

• Pepsi North America Beverages YTD net sales rose by 2.3% to US$14.77bn
• Operating profits in nine months to 5 September jumped by 15.7% to $2.15bn
• Third-quarter sales for North America Beverages unit were up by 4.1% to $5.36bn
• Group YTD operating profits fell by 19% to $6.11bn
• Total sales rose in organic terms by 7.4%, but slipped by 4.8% in reported terms, to $44.47bn

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