Hershey (NYSE:HSY) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 8.200-8.520 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 7.080. The company issued revenue guidance of $12.2 billion-$12.3 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $12.0 billion.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

HSY has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Hershey in a research note on Friday. TD Cowen cut their target price on shares of Hershey from $204.00 to $200.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 31st. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and set a $185.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a report on Tuesday. Barclays set a $240.00 price objective on shares of Hershey in a report on Friday. Finally, DA Davidson boosted their target price on shares of Hershey from $185.00 to $207.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating and sixteen have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Hershey currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $204.56.

Hershey Price Performance

Shares of HSY stock traded up $6.47 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $230.85. 550,210 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,994,911. The company’s 50 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 $46.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.53 and a beta of 0.18. Hershey has a 12 month low of $150.04 and a 12 month high of $234.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.36.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.40 by $0.31. The business 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% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.69 earnings per share. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.520 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Hershey will post 6.12 earnings per share for the current year.

Hershey Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be paid a dividend of $1.452 per share. This is an increase from Hershey’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.37. This represents a $5.81 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 17th. Hershey’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 81.91%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Hershey news, CEO Kirk Tanner purchased 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 21st. The stock was bought at an average cost of $185.46 per share, with a total value of $370,920.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 47,860 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,876,115.60. The trade was a 4.36% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Stacy Taffet acquired 200 shares of Hershey stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 21st. The shares were acquired at an average price of $186.19 per share, with a total value of $37,238.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 9,371 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,744,786.49. This represents a 2.18% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 6,000 shares of company stock worth $1,119,450. 0.34% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Hershey

Here are the key news stories impacting Hershey this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and upgraded FY2026 guidance — HSY reported $1.71 EPS on $3.09B revenue (above consensus) and issued FY2026 EPS guidance of $8.20–$8.52 vs. Street ~7.08; management cited resilient demand and price realization driving the outlook. Hershey Reports Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Financial Results; Provides 2026 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend hike signals confidence — Board raised the quarterly dividend to $1.452 (6% increase), supporting income-focused investor interest heading into the ex-dividend date. Hershey Declares Quarterly Dividends
• Positive Sentiment: Short-term technical/flow boost — Shares reached a 52-week high as investors rotated into HSY ahead of the dividend and after the upbeat outlook. This buying likely contributed to the intraday strength. The Hershey Company (HSY) Climbs to 52-Week High Ahead of Dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts incremental but cautious — Several firms (Bank of America, TD Cowen, others) kept Hold/neutral ratings while raising price targets after the results; that suggests the beat helped sentiment but did not convert skeptics to strong buys. Hershey: Strong Earnings Momentum and Margin Recovery Potential Offset by Cocoa Volatility and Cost Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Cocoa volatility and rising cocoa futures — Hershey’s optimistic outlook helped lift cocoa futures as traders covered shorts, which increases the risk of higher commodity costs ahead and could pressure margins if prices stay elevated. Cocoa Prices Settle Sharply Higher as Demand Fears Ease
• Negative Sentiment: Tariffs and commodity costs still weigh on profitability — Coverage notes and the WSJ report highlight that tariffs and high cocoa costs trimmed Q4 profits; sustained cost pressure could limit margin recovery despite price increases. Hershey Profit Dragged Down by Tariffs, Cocoa Costs

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hershey

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of HSY. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Hershey during the third quarter worth $26,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new stake in Hershey during the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new stake in Hershey during the second quarter valued at about $72,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Hershey by 20.2% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 697 shares of the company’s stock worth $116,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Hershey by 13.6% in the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 1,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $187,000 after buying an additional 120 shares during the period. 57.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.