Coca Cola or PepsiCo shares

Any

I am a fan of fizzy drinks (you can tell given the subject) and I believe these 2 companies are high up on the stability list.
I believe they go with time and invest in research to accommodate even health scared consumers (investment in stevia research/use for example) and their current concentration on emerging markets as I believe they can also get in there and expand sales.

I am considering buying shares in one of those companies (or perhaps both).

Any counter arguments? What is your opinion please?

Linton

What other investments do you hold? What % of your total savings are you proposing to invest?

Buying a single share with a significant % of your wealth is high risk. Buying a foreign share is higher risk as you have the danger of adverse currency fluctuations.

I cant see any point in UK amateur investors buying individual US shares unless they have detailed knowledge of the company and the market in which it operates. If you really want to invest in large US companies I believe you would be better advised to buy a tracker fund.

Jegersmart

Fizzy drinks are bad for your health, Coca Cola was recently forced to change the colouring they use to avoid having to put a carcinogen warning on their products. I don't normally allow ethics to get in the way - but even I would balk at investing in these parasites, along with psychopaths like Monsanto. Tobacco companies are at least (forced to be) open about the health-risks, this other lot are different breed and should be shut down altogether. Sustenance should be sacred and free from risks imho.

J

JohnRo

Does a free market not provide the healthy alternatives and let those who choose to profit from death and those who choose to empower them, do so?

Jegersmart

JohnRo wrote: »

Does a free market not provide the healthy alternatives and let those who choose to profit from death and those who choose to empower them, do so?

No.

The reason I say that is because there is no *informed* choice in certain areas of the market. Not many are aware of the Coca Cola issue, the Aspartame issues and the problems and health risks with GMO's. If these companies were forced (like tobacco companies) to display health warnings related to sweeteners, colouring agents and GMO foods (and all the other stuff) then I would be happy to go along with your statement. If this was implemented, it would of course result in health warnings on most food products which would not be good for business. Just check out the companies who lobbied against GMO labelling, and consider the scope of food products they produce.....

A very bad state of affairs imho.

J

Any

Linton wrote: »

What other investments do you hold? What % of your total savings are you proposing to invest?

Buying a single share with a significant % of your wealth is high risk. Buying a foreign share is higher risk as you have the danger of adverse currency fluctuations.

I cant see any point in UK amateur investors buying individual US shares unless they have detailed knowledge of the company and the market in which it operates. If you really want to invest in large US companies I believe you would be better advised to buy a tracker fund.

Thanks for the comment.
I don't hold any other shares, I hold funds currently and they are quite diversified. US is amongst them.
I am only starting out in shares.

Any

Jegersmart wrote: »

No.

The reason I say that is because there is no *informed* choice in certain areas of the market. Not many are aware of the Coca Cola issue, the Aspartame issues and the problems and health risks with GMO's. If these companies were forced (like tobacco companies) to display health warnings related to sweeteners, colouring agents and GMO foods (and all the other stuff) then I would be happy to go along with your statement. If this was implemented, it would of course result in health warnings on most food products which would not be good for business. Just check out the companies who lobbied against GMO labelling, and consider the scope of food products they produce.....

A very bad state of affairs imho.

J

Only a person that does not read papers or puts TV on would be completely unaware of the issues and the risks.
While I do have certain ethics, this does not qualify. I am fairly inteligent person (I think) and I am aware of those issues, I am just not hysterical about them. Everything has certain risks, it is just about limiting them.
All things you like are bad for you in some way. Sugar, coca cola, chips, beer... I am trying to balance the bad with good.
This investment does not fall into my ethical stance.

JohnRo

I'll concede that the GM industry is distasteful, no pun intended. I'm uncomfortable with the seed monopolization and cartel like behaviour in developing countries which along with political corruption are a major obstacle to proper free markets.

I watched a two part RT documentary about the GM industry (in part) a while ago and do agree that profit overrides every other consideration for these companies but ultimately they're providing something that someone else is willing to pay for.

Jegersmart

Any wrote: »

Only a person that does not read papers or puts TV on would be completely unaware of the issues and the risks.
While I do have certain ethics, this does not qualify. I am fairly inteligent person (I think) and I am aware of those issues, I am just not hysterical about them. Everything has certain risks, it is just about limiting them.
All things you like are bad for you in some way. Sugar, coca cola, chips, beer... I am trying to balance the bad with good.
This investment does not fall into my ethical stance.

Yep, fair enough. If you think they can grow substantially from here then they could be a buy. The health issues (and future ones) surrounding Coca Cola and Diet Coke etc. make these a bit risky for me, and perhaps also you should consider that the equities cycle may be a bit extended to the upside at the current time depending on your own view ofc.

Good luck

J

Jegersmart

JohnRo wrote: »

I'll concede that the GM industry is distasteful, no pun intended. I'm uncomfortable with the seed monopolization and cartel like behaviour in developing countries which along with political corruption are a major obstacle to proper free markets.

I watched a two part RT documentary about the GM industry (in part) a while ago and do agree that profit overrides every other consideration for these companies but ultimately they're providing something that someone else is willing to pay for.

Nice pun - even if not intended.

Yes, the financial fraud that is being committed by Monsanto and similar is one thing - and potentially more widely known - but I am also extremely concerned about the long term health risks of GMO usage. We cannot stop greed in a monetary system which allows Monsanto to commit fraud, but we could at least try to inform the consumer...?

J

Any

Jegersmart wrote: »

Yep, fair enough. If you think they can grow substantially from here then they could be a buy. The health issues (and future ones) surrounding Coca Cola and Diet Coke etc. make these a bit risky for me, and perhaps also you should consider that the equities cycle may be a bit extended to the upside at the current time depending on your own view ofc.

Good luck

J

Thank you.
I thought they could be buy mainly because they are trying to deal with the health issues and as I said, investing into Stevia (natural sweetener) etc.
But Linton have tapped a point of it being american shares.. There is a currency exchange risk..
Do you think it is substantial? We are printing money, they are printing money... could it go more then 15% either way, realisticaly? Given what we know now?