Wells Fargo & Company Issues Positive Forecast for Hershey (NYSE:HSY) Stock Price

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) had its price objective upped by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $182.00 to $220.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company‘s target price indicates a potential downside of 4.64% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on the company. Bank of America upped their price target on Hershey from $200.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, December 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Hershey from $187.00 to $189.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Evercore ISI reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Hershey in a research note on Friday. TD Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Hershey in a report on Friday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Hershey from $185.00 to $207.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating and sixteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $213.11.

Hershey Price Performance

Shares of NYSE HSY traded up $6.33 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $230.71. 948,431 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,015,168. The company has a current ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $188.83 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $185.53. The company has a market cap of $46.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.47 and a beta of 0.18. Hershey has a 12-month low of $150.04 and a 12-month high of $234.43.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.40 by $0.31. The firm had revenue of $3.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.97 billion. Hershey had a net margin of 11.84% and a return on equity of 32.08%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.69 EPS. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.520 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Hershey will post 6.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Hershey

In other news, CEO Kirk Tanner bought 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 21st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $185.46 per share, for a total transaction of $370,920.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 47,860 shares in the company, valued at $8,876,115.60. This trade represents a 4.36% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $198.67, for a total transaction of $298,005.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 52,319 shares in the company, valued at $10,394,215.73. This represents a 2.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 6,000 shares of company stock valued at $1,119,450. Corporate insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. increased its stake in shares of Hershey by 1,537.5% during the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 131 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 123 shares during the period. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Hershey during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Hershey during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH acquired a new position in shares of Hershey during the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Hershey during the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 57.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Hershey News

Here are the key news stories impacting Hershey this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and raised FY‑2026 outlook — Hershey reported $1.71 EPS and $3.09B revenue (both above estimates) and set FY‑2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $8.20–8.52 with revenue guidance above consensus, supporting a stronger growth/earnings trajectory. Hershey Reports Q4 and Full-Year Results (Press Release)
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend increase signals management confidence — Board declared a $1.452 quarterly dividend (6% raise), with an upcoming ex‑dividend date that likely attracted income-focused buying. Hershey Declares Quarterly Dividends
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts bump targets — Evercore raised its price target to $250 (from $215) and other firms raised targets after the print, providing further tactical support for the rally. Evercore Raises Hershey Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Some analysts remain on the sidelines — Several firms reiterated Hold/Neutral ratings even as they nudged targets higher, reflecting mixed views on demand vs. cost recovery. TipRanks: Hold Ratings and Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Commodity/tariff pressure still a headwind — Management flagged higher cocoa costs and tariffs that compressed margins in Q4; Cocoa volatility remains a key downside risk to margin recovery. Reuters: Hershey Sees Strong 2026 Even as Cocoa Costs Weigh
• Negative Sentiment: Input-costs: cocoa futures jumped after the outlook — Cocoa prices settled sharply higher, which could increase raw‑material costs and pressure margins if prices persist. Cocoa Prices Settle Sharply Higher

About Hershey

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is a leading North American chocolatier and snack manufacturer headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The company develops, produces and markets a wide range of confectionery and snack products for retail, foodservice and international customers. Hershey’s business spans manufacturing, branded product marketing, packaging and distribution across grocery, convenience, mass merchant and e-commerce channels.

Hershey’s product portfolio centers on chocolate and sugar confectionery, including core brands such as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses and Twizzlers, alongside non-chocolate snacks and confectionery brands.