PepsiCo Looking to Close U.K. Factory, Threatening Almost 400 Jobs

Snack and beverage maker PepsiCo is considering closing its Walkers Crisp factory in northern England, Reuters reports, threatening 380 jobs. “The changes we are proposing present significant productivity and efficiency savings crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainable growth of our business in the U.K.,” PepsiCo U.K. manufacturing director Tracey Foster told Reuters.

Coke Says it Supports WHO’s Sugar Guidelines

Coke says it supports the World Health Organization’s guidelines for limiting added sugar, as the company works on repairing its image in public health circles and reshaping its business. Incoming CEO James Quincey also said the company has “outgrown” its namesake cola and is focusing on becoming a “total beverage company.”

Pepsi Beats Profit Expectations, Boosted By Beverage Sales

PepsiCo Inc. reported Wednesday fourth-quarter earnings that slipped to $1.40 billion, or 97 cents a share, from $1.72 billion, or $1.17 a share, in the same period a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items, the beverage and snack giant’s adjusted earnings per share came to $1.20, beating the FactSet consensus of $1.16.

Pepsi Blows It Out of the Water, but …

PepsiCo notched some impressive wins during the fourth quarter, but initial profit guidance for 2017 may leave some bulls thirsty for more. The soda and snacks giant reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.20 a share on Wednesday, solidly beating analysts’ forecasts of $1.16.

Jim Cramer — PepsiCo Is Much Different Than Coca-Cola

Earlier this week, Coca-Cola reported in-line earnings per share results that investors weren’t too impressed with. While the company is admittedly in a turnaround — something Cramer took a closer look at as well — PepsiCo investors want to know if they have something better to look forward to on Wednesday when the company reports before the open .

Diageo Expands Guinness Brand With Maryland Brewery

Diageo is betting Americans will put down their pale beer and opt for the dark stuff as it plans a brewery in Maryland to make its iconic Guinness stout. Diageo is betting that Americans will put down their pale beer and opt for the dark stuff as it plans to open a brewery in Maryland that will make its iconic Guinness stout.

Budweiser focus on immigration in Super Bowl spot

But this year’s Budweiser ad released Tuesday featuring an immigrant’s travel to the U.S. became suddenly more topical than Anheuser-Busch executives were probably expecting, released days after President Donald Trump’s executive order Friday temporarily banning refugees and nearly all citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. The 60-second ad called “Born the Hard Way,” shows Anheuser-Busch co-founder Adolphus Busch traveling by boat from Germany to the U.S. in 1850s.

Constellation, Maker of Corona Beer, Slips on Report of Possible Trump Border Tariff

Constellation Brands shares fell about 2.7% to $149.97 after White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Thursday that President Trump’s proposed wall on the border with Mexico will be financed with a 20% tax on imported goods from Mexico. Constellation, maker of Corona and Modelo beers, both brewed in Mexico, sold $3.44 billion worth of beer in the U.S. in 2016, according to the company’s fiscal 2016 year-end report, which came out in February.

UnitedHealth Group: Jim Cramer’s Top Takeaways

No one know what will happen with health care once Donald Trump takes office, Jim Cramer told his “Mad Money” viewers Wednesday night, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to make money in health-care stocks. For months now, the mantra has been “repeal and replace” when it comes to Obama’s Affordable Care Act.

Coke and Pepsi Justifiably Lost Their Fizz

Ten months ago I wrote an article comparing the prospects for Coca-Cola and PepsiCo . My title was “What’ll You Have Coke, Pepsi or Neither?” The conclusion was that both looked pricey but, if I had to choose one, I’d go with Pepsi.

UnitedHealth Branches Out With $2.3 Billion Surgical Care Deal

The U.S.’s biggest health insurer, UnitedHealth Group Inc., will buy Surgical Care Affiliates Inc. for about $2.3 billion, adding an outpatient surgery chain to its growing health care-delivery business. UnitedHealth will pay $57 a share, with with 51 percent to 80 percent of that in stock and the rest in cash, the companies said in a statement.

Banks, Oil Stocks Hinder Dow’s Pursuit of 20,000

Declines in bank and energy companies weighed on Wall Street on Monday, distancing the Dow from the 20,000 mark, while gains in technology stocks pushed the Nasdaq to a record intraday high. Two-thirds of the 30 Dow components were lower, with Goldman Sachs’s 0.7 percent decline weighing the most.

UnitedHealth Agrees to Buy Surgical Care for $2.3 Billion

UnitedHealth Group Inc. agreed to buy Surgical Care Affiliates Inc. for about $2.3 billion in cash and stock to add an outpatient surgery chain that will help the biggest U.S. health insurer diversify its business. UnitedHealth is paying $57 a share, with 51 percent to 80 percent of that in stock and the rest in cash, the companies said in a statement Monday.

Altria Group Inc.’s Biggest Win in 2016

A host of challenges continues to face Altria, including ongoing pressure from regulators, consumer advocates, and plaintiffs’ attorneys seeking to cause difficulties for the tobacco giant. Yet even though some favorable moves with its core business were noteworthy in 2016, Altria’s biggest win came in avoiding an even bigger hassle from the IRS.

3 Things to Watch in the Stock Market This Week

Stocks fell by almost a full percentage point last week, but that wasn’t enough to derail an impressive 2016 for both the Dow Jones Industrial Average . After the worst start to a year on record, and having touched double-digit declines at one point, the Dow ended up with a 13.5% annual gain as the S&P added 9.6%.

How Coca-Cola Can Increase Its Value in 2017

Its drive to refranchise nearly all of its North American bottling operations by the end of 2017 appears to be on track.This initiative will leave Coca-Cola as an asset-light business focused on concentrates and the marketing of its 500-plus global brands. And in May of next year, Chief Operating Officer James Quincey will succeed Muhtar Kent as CEO, with Kent continuing as Chairman of the company’s board of directors.

UnitedHealth Is on the Sidelines

Year to date, shares of UnitedHealth are up 39% after the stock rallied on the back of a Trump victory. After the election, the stock rallied sharply as investors piled into the stock anticipating the end of Obamacare and major tax reform.