Hershey (NYSE:HSY) Shares Gap Up on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY) gapped up prior to trading on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $205.79, but opened at $218.85. Hershey shares last traded at $220.9270, with a volume of 1,561,223 shares.

The company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.40 by $0.31. Hershey had a return on equity of 32.08% and a net margin of 11.84%.The firm had revenue of $3.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.97 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.69 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.520 EPS.

More Hershey News

Here are the key news stories impacting Hershey this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company raised FY‑2026 guidance well above Street expectations — EPS guidance of 8.200–8.520 vs. consensus ~7.08, and revenue guidance above estimates; this signals confidence in demand and margin recovery which likely drove buying interest. Hershey sees strong 2026 even as cocoa costs weigh
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat consensus: EPS $1.71 vs. ~$1.40 estimate and revenue $3.09B vs. ~$2.97B; revenue grew ~7% y/y — the beat supports the raised outlook despite yoy EPS decline. Hershey (HSY) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Board declared quarterly dividends ($1.452 common / $1.320 Class B) — supports income investor appeal and signals confidence in cash flow. Hershey Declares Quarterly Dividends
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher price targets ahead of/after results (reported upgrades and bullish notes) have supported upside momentum. Jefferies Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Hershey
• Neutral Sentiment: Previews and industry commentary highlighted Hershey among staples to watch, underscoring investor focus on pricing power and margin resilience — informative but not market-moving by itself. Earnings Outlook For Hershey
• Negative Sentiment: Cost headwinds persist — high cocoa prices and tariff-related costs reduced Q4 profit and pressured margins, tempering enthusiasm and creating execution risk if costs persist. Hershey Profit Dragged Down by Tariffs, Cocoa Costs
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts maintained cautious ratings or set price targets below current levels (e.g., RBC sector perform with a ~$185 target), which could cap upside if more firms echo that view. Hershey Earns “Sector Perform” Rating from Royal Bank Of Canada

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on HSY shares. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and set a $185.00 target price on shares of Hershey in a research note on Tuesday. DA Davidson boosted their target price on Hershey from $185.00 to $207.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on Hershey from $185.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Piper Sandler set a $213.00 price target on Hershey and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Evercore ISI reissued a “positive” rating on shares of Hershey in a research note on Friday, October 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and fifteen have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $197.56.

Insider Activity at Hershey

In other Hershey news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $198.67, for a total transaction of $298,005.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 52,319 shares in the company, valued at $10,394,215.73. This trade represents a 2.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Stacy Taffet acquired 200 shares of Hershey stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 21st. The stock was purchased at an average price of $186.19 per share, with a total value of $37,238.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider directly owned 9,371 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,744,786.49. The trade was a 2.18% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have 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

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. increased its stake in shares of Hershey by 1,537.5% in the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 131 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares during the period. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Hershey in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Hershey during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH acquired a new stake in shares of Hershey in the second quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Hershey during the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.96% of the company’s stock.

Hershey Stock Up 6.8%

The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $188.12 and its 200-day simple moving average is $185.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.36. The company has a market capitalization of $44.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.95 and a beta of 0.18.

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.