PEP vs SCHD Stock Comparison
SCHD currently leads PEP in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 68 vs 56. The clearest difference is risk resilience.
What is the main difference between PEP and SCHD?
SCHD leads the current stock comparison as Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, with the clearest separation coming from risk resilience and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
PepsiCo, Inc. vs Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
SCHD leads
SCHD leads by 12 AIQ points, primarily on Risk Resilience and Momentum.
Competitive: 3 of 4 evidence groups support SCHD, and its current signal state is conflicted.
PepsiCo, Inc.
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors SCHD over PEP, 68 versus 56 as of Oct 21, 2026. SCHD's advantage is driven primarily by stronger risk resilience and momentum. SCHD also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor SCHD today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. SCHD lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 12 points over 30 sessions.
Compare PepsiCo, Inc. and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare PEP and SCHD against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Risk Resilience49 vs 71SCHD +22
- Momentum61 vs 79SCHD +18
- Quality64 vs 76SCHD +12
- Value48 vs 51Even
3 of 4 evidence groups favor SCHD. SCHD’s edge is concentrated in risk resilience and momentum.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +6
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 5 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Risk Resilience -1
New signals
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
SCHD's lead narrowed by 2 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — PEP and SCHD both carry a full feed there.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
SCHDSCHD on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
EvenGrowth figures are not covered for both names.
Value
EvenThe two are level on Value.
Momentum
SCHDSCHD on the Momentum factor, by 18 points.
Lower downside
SCHDSCHD on Risk Resilience, by 22 points.
Analyst upside
EvenAnalyst targets are level or not covered for both names.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | PEP | SCHD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +11.6% | — | Level |
| Target dispersion | +33.9% | — | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | — | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 13 | — | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor SCHD. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | SCHD | 56 vs 68 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | Even | Value 48 vs 51 |
| Technicals | SCHD | Price vs 50-day 0.3% vs 1.9%; vs 200-day -8.3% vs 8.2% |
| Risk Resilience | SCHD | Risk Resilience 49 vs 71 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of PEP and SCHD and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is wide at 12 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on SCHD.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20SCHD lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 12 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- SCHD +12
- 56 vs 68
- 7 sessions ago
- SCHD +16
- 52 vs 68
- 30 sessions ago
- SCHD +11
- 46 vs 57
- 90 sessions ago
- SCHD +19
- 47 vs 66
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted
Only PEP
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (8.88%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
6 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only SCHD
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (6.05%)
- ATR Contraction - Coiling — neutral, volatility, short horizon (0.97%)
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (1.7%)
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
Both carry 3 more signals that do not separate them: BB Upper Band Breach, Keltner Channel Breakout, MACD Bullish Crossover.
SCHD leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.51%, AIQ +1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.09%, AIQ -1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1PEP closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 22 points behind, the largest single contributor to SCHD's edge.
- 2PEP's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3SCHD's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 6 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
Split| Metric | PEP | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 4.5% | — |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 2.3% | — |
| Gross margin | 54.2% | — |
| Operating margin | 15.3% | — |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 50.7% | — |
| Debt to equity | 2.33 | — |
Performance
SCHD leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | PEP | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 5.3% | 4% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 2.2% | 2.8% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -1.2% | 5.4% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -13.5% | 12% |
| Year to date | -6.6% | 26.5% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -12.2% | 29.4% |
Technicals
SCHD has the stronger structure| Metric | PEP | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 67.8 | 86 |
| ADX (14) | 27.2 | 30.4 |
| Price vs 50-day | 0.3% | 1.9% |
| Price vs 200-day | -8.3% | 8.2% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 22.4% | 12.6% |
Risk
SCHD is the more resilient| Metric | PEP | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | -0.17 | 0.22 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.74 | 2.02 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.26 | 3.82 |
| Max drawdown | -27.4% | -7.6% |
| Current drawdown | -21.4% | -1.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 20.9% | 11.3% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.1% | -1% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, PEP or SCHD?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, SCHD is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 68 against PEP's 56. The edge comes from risk resilience and momentum. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is PEP or SCHD the better buy right now?
SCHD carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 3 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor SCHD over PEP?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. SCHD leads Risk Resilience by 22 points; SCHD leads Momentum by 18 points; SCHD leads Quality by 12 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, PEP or SCHD?
Analyst price targets imply +11.6% upside for PEP and not covered for SCHD. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, PEP or SCHD?
Neither name separates on the peer-relative Value factor. The two are level on Value. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, PEP or SCHD?
Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, PEP or SCHD?
SCHD on the Momentum factor, by 18 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, PEP or SCHD?
SCHD is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. SCHD on Risk Resilience, by 22 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is PEP more profitable than SCHD?
Margin data is not comparable for both names in the current snapshot.
Is SCHD's lead over PEP getting stronger or weaker?
SCHD lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 12 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the PEP vs SCHD verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: PEP closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 22 points behind, the largest single contributor to SCHD's edge; PEP's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; SCHD's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 6 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about PEP and SCHD?
PEP: 2 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted. SCHD: 6 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on PEP is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On SCHD it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.