Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY) Receives $208.28 Consensus Price Target from Analysts

Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY) has received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the twenty-three research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $204.0556.

Several research firms have recently commented on HSY. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $191.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of Hershey from $247.00 to $227.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on Hershey from $215.00 to $180.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Hershey from $200.00 to $190.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Finally, Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Hershey from $220.00 to $208.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st.

Hershey Trading Up 0.2%

Hershey stock opened at $175.46 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $179.16 and its 200 day moving average is $196.72. Hershey has a one year low of $161.43 and a one year high of $239.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $35.59 billion, a PE ratio of 23.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.18 and a quick ratio of 0.66.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.90 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.43 by $0.47. The firm had revenue of $2.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.63 billion. Hershey had a net margin of 12.24% and a return on equity of 31.92%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.21 earnings per share. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.360-8.520 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Hershey will post 8.46 EPS for the current year.

Hershey Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 14th will be paid a dividend of $1.452 per share. This represents a $5.81 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. Hershey’s payout ratio is presently 79.37%.

More Hershey News

Here are the key news stories impacting Hershey this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Hershey reported second-quarter revenue of $2.79 billion, up 6.6% year over year and ahead of the $2.63 billion consensus estimate. Adjusted EPS of $1.90 exceeded expectations of $1.43 and rose sharply from $1.21 a year earlier, helped by pricing, margin recovery and supply-chain improvements. Hershey Reports Second-Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management tightened its 2026 outlook and raised the lower end of its expectations, forecasting revenue of approximately $12.2 billion to $12.3 billion and EPS of $8.36 to $8.52. Stronger salty-snack sales, including LesserEvil, and steady demand for Reese’s and Dot’s Pretzels supported the improved outlook. Hershey Reports Higher Q2 Sales and Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: The board maintained Hershey’s quarterly dividend at $1.452 per common share, supporting an annualized yield of roughly 3.3% at the recent share price. Hershey Declares Quarterly Dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target from $191 to $193 but retained a Neutral rating, implying limited conviction despite potential upside from current levels. Brokerages overall continue to carry a consensus “Hold” recommendation.
• Negative Sentiment: Growth was driven largely by a reported 12% increase in prices, while volumes fell approximately 8%. Investors are concerned that continued pricing could weaken consumer demand and limit future growth, particularly in North American confectionery. Hershey Stock Drops as Earnings Beat Overshadows Volume Slide
• Negative Sentiment: Cocoa-cost volatility, supply-chain challenges in salty snacks and a cautious consumer environment remain risks. The company’s valuation also remains elevated relative to its recent earnings profile, increasing sensitivity to signs of weakening demand.

Insider Buying and Selling at Hershey

In other Hershey news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total value of $255,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 53,195 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,043,150. This represents a 2.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.08% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Hershey

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Boston Trust Walden Corp increased its holdings in shares of Hershey by 0.6% in the second quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 30,553 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,361,000 after purchasing an additional 187 shares during the period. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Hershey by 39.6% during the second quarter. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,484 shares of the company’s stock worth $962,000 after purchasing an additional 1,557 shares in the last quarter. Silver Coast Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Hershey by 19.5% in the second quarter. Silver Coast Investments LLC now owns 4,171 shares of the company’s stock valued at $732,000 after acquiring an additional 680 shares in the last quarter. Greenwood Gearhart LLC acquired a new stake in Hershey during the 2nd quarter worth $240,000. Finally, Benjamin Edwards Inc. raised its holdings in Hershey by 9.9% in the 2nd quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 38,869 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,821,000 after acquiring an additional 3,493 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.96% of the company’s stock.

Hershey Company Profile

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.