Stocks
October 22, 2026
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- PepsiCo stock gained 10.47% in the October comparison, beating McDonald and turning $1,000 into $1,104.72
- McDonald’s rebounded roughly 10% from its October low, closing October 22 at $252.63
- Robert Pohlad’s $23.7 million PepsiCo transaction involved a cash-for-shares exchange between trusts, rather than an open-market purchase
McDonald’s (MCD) stock has climbed roughly 10% from its October low, but PepsiCo (PEP) stock has delivered the better return for investors who started the month holding either company. Both have recovered ground after a difficult stretch, while a $23.7 million transaction involving PepsiCo director Robert Pohlad has drawn fresh attention. The comparison gets more interesting beyond the headline numbers. This is when the starting dates and the details of that insider transaction come into view.
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PepsiCo Stock Edges McDonald’s in October Returns
A $1,000 investment makes the difference easier to see. Using MarketCapOf’s comparison tool with October 1–23 selected, that investment would have reached $1,104.72 in PepsiCo, compared with $1,089.49 in McDonald’s.
This translates into gains of 10.47% for PEP stock and 8.95% for MCD stock, putting PepsiCo ahead by approximately 1.52 percentage points. In dollar terms, the gap is $15.23 on the same initial investment.
McDonald’s notable10% rebound measures something slightly different. It focuses on recovery from the month’s lowest price. Shares closed October 22 at $252.42, up 2.59% that day and approximately 10.22% above their October 5 low of $229.20.
The rebound also leaves considerable ground to recover. McDonald’s remained about 26% below its 52-week high, showing how a strong few weeks can sit within a much weaker longer-term performance.
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What PepsiCo Stock’s $23.7 Million Insider Transaction Shows
Pohlad’s transaction adds another detail worth examining. His SEC Form 4 lists four acquisitions totaling 184,646 shares on October 14 at $128.28 each, giving them a combined value of approximately $23.69 million.
It should be noted that he acquired the shares from irrevocable trusts he had set up, paying through a revocable trust he controls. This trust exchanged cash for shares of equal value.
So while the filing labels the transaction a purchase, Pohlad wasn’t buying shares on the open market. Calling it a “record insider buy” gives the transaction more weight than it deserves as a bullish signal.
PepsiCo still leads McDonald’s in the October comparison. But the $23.7 million transfer offers little evidence of a new bet on the stock.
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