Russell Investments Group Ltd. Buys 12,241 Shares of Hershey Company (The) $HSY

Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY) by 9.0% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 148,389 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 12,241 shares during the quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd.’s holdings in Hershey were worth $27,736,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in HSY. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Hershey by 1,537.5% in the 3rd 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 last quarter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Hershey during the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its holdings in Hershey by 46.3% during the 2nd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 199 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Hershey in the second quarter valued at about $36,000. Finally, Park Place Capital Corp acquired a new position in Hershey in the third quarter valued at about $41,000. 57.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Hershey Price Performance

Shares of HSY stock opened at $215.38 on Friday. Hershey Company has a 1 year low of $150.04 and a 1 year high of $239.48. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $210.01 and its 200-day moving average is $193.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $43.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.63, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.14.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $1.71 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.40 by $0.31. Hershey had a net margin of 7.55% and a return on equity of 27.90%. The business had revenue of $3.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.97 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.69 earnings per share. Hershey’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.520 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Hershey Company will post 6.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hershey Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be paid a $1.452 dividend. This is an increase from Hershey’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.37. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 17th. This represents a $5.81 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. Hershey’s payout ratio is 133.87%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and set a $250.00 price objective on shares of Hershey in a report on Friday, February 6th. Mizuho boosted their target price on Hershey from $165.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Zacks Research upgraded Hershey from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $188.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Stephens boosted their price objective on Hershey from $200.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and sixteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $222.21.

Hershey News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Hershey this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgrades HSY to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), citing improved earnings prospects and optimism around the company’s outlook — this upgrade is likely the main driver of today’s buying interest. Hershey (HSY) Upgraded to Strong Buy: Here’s Why
• Positive Sentiment: HSY was added to Zacks’ momentum and income Rank #1 (Strong Buy) lists (momentum and income-focused buy lists can attract both growth and dividend-oriented flows). Best Momentum Stocks to Buy for March 12th
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also ran a positive feature calling HSY an “incredible growth stock,” highlighting structural growth drivers that could support a higher multiple over time. Hershey (HSY) is an Incredible Growth Stock: 3 Reasons Why
• Neutral Sentiment: Thematic note: a Seeking Alpha piece on “moat” stocks during a tech pullback suggests defensive/consumer staples names like Hershey may outperform in rotations, but it’s a broader market theme rather than company-specific news. Defense Lifts Moat Stocks As Tech Stumbles
• Negative Sentiment: Sector headwind: Campbell’s (CPB) missed results and a drop in snacks demand underscore potential demand pressure across the snacks category, which could weigh on Hershey’s near-term volume and margins. Campbell’s Q2 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates, Sales Down 5% Y/Y
• Negative Sentiment: Recent relative weakness: coverage noting HSY’s underperformance versus peers may signal profit-taking or rotation out of the name despite upgrades, contributing to today’s downward pressure. Hershey Co. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors

Insider Transactions at Hershey

In other news, SVP Jason Reiman sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total transaction of $452,140.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 41,036 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,277,008.52. This represents a 4.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Rohit Grover sold 3,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total value of $791,245.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 34,568 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,814,787.76. This represents a 9.19% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 10,000 shares of company stock worth $2,153,645 over the last 90 days. 0.34% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.