Hershey Company (The) (HSY) Stock Price, Fundamentals & Analysis

What HSY does

Hershey Company (The) (HSY) is a US stock in the Consumer Defensive sector, specifically the Confectioners industry. The company manufactures and sells confectionery products and pantry items in the United States and internationally, operating through three segments: North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International. Its portfolio includes chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery, gum and mint refreshment products, protein bars, baking ingredients, toppings, beverages, sundae syrups, and snack items such as spreads, bars, snack bites, mixes, popcorn, and pretzels. Products are sold under well-known brands including Hershey's, Reese's, Kisses, Kit Kat, Twizzlers, and others, as well as international brands like Pelon Pelo Rico and Sofit.

Key numbers explained

• 168.45 USD is the current share price, representing the latest trading value of one share of Hershey Company (The) (HSY).
• The trailing P/E ratio of 23 shows how much investors pay per dollar of the company's last 12 months of earnings; a higher number can suggest higher growth expectations or a richer valuation.
• The forward P/E ratio of 17.1 uses expected future earnings, offering a view of valuation based on what analysts anticipate.
• Earnings per share, trailing 12 months of 7.33 USD indicates the portion of the company's profit allocated to each outstanding share over the past year.
• The dividend yield of 3.45% represents the annual dividend payment as a percentage of the current share price, a common measure for income-focused investors.
• Dividend yield is the annual dividend payment expressed as a percentage of the share price, while the ex-dividend date of Aug 14, 2026 is the cutoff date to own the stock and receive the next dividend payment.
• Beta of 0.1 suggests the stock has historically been much less volatile than the overall market.
• Market capitalisation of 33.85B USD reflects the total market value of all outstanding shares.
• Revenue, trailing 12 months of 12.16B USD with 6.6% year-over-year growth shows the top-line scale and recent expansion pace.
• Profit margin of 12.2% and operating margin of 23.1% measure how much of each revenue dollar remains as profit after costs and operating expenses, respectively.
• Return on equity of 32.8% indicates how effectively the company generates profit from shareholders' equity.
• The debt-to-equity ratio of 129.8% means the company carries more debt than equity, which is common in large consumer firms but worth monitoring.
• The 52-week price range of 161.43 – 239.48 USD shows the lowest and highest traded prices over the past year, with the current price near the lower end of that range.
• Price change over the last 52 weeks of -11.8% indicates the stock has declined from its level a year ago.
• Hershey Company (The) (HSY) is part of the S&P 500, a broad US equity index.

Recent news

Recent headlines include a piece on three high-yield stocks near their 52-week lows that dividend income investors may be overlooking, a report that the Hershey Trust sold 20,000 shares for $3.4 million, and a comparison of Hershey's Q2 performance against other shelf-stable food stocks. Additional stories cover a lawsuit over blank Reese's pumpkins that was dismissed again, a note that Hershey's stock dipped while the broader market gained, and a sector update highlighting late-afternoon advances in consumer stocks.

What to watch

Investors tracking Hershey Company (The) (HSY) may monitor consumer spending trends, commodity costs for ingredients and packaging, and competitive dynamics within the Confectioners industry. The company's position among peers such as PepsiCo (PEP), Walmart (WMT), Sysco (SYY), Kraft Heinz (KHC), Kroger (KR), Brown–Forman (BF.B), and Estée Lauder Companies (The) (EL) can provide context for relative performance. Broader factors like interest rates, inflation, and currency movements in international markets also tend to influence this type of consumer defensive stock.