Hershey Company (The) $HSY Shares Sold by Fifth Third Bancorp

Fifth Third Bancorp trimmed its holdings in Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY) by 8.3% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 37,198 shares of the company’s stock after selling 3,350 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp’s holdings in Hershey were worth $6,769,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of HSY. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. lifted its stake in 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 in the last quarter. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Hershey in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Hershey in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new position in Hershey in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, Park Place Capital Corp purchased a new position in Hershey in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $41,000. 57.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Hershey

In other Hershey news, SVP Jason Reiman sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total value of $452,140.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 41,036 shares in the company, valued at $9,277,008.52. This represents a 4.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Rohit Grover sold 3,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total transaction of $791,245.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 34,568 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $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 10,000 shares of company stock worth $2,189,090 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.08% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on HSY shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of Hershey from $211.00 to $204.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Zacks Research lowered shares of Hershey from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price target on shares of Hershey from $212.00 to $200.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 30th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Hershey from $230.00 to $215.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and set a $250.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $220.56.

Trending Headlines about Hershey

Here are the key news stories impacting Hershey this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results topped estimates: Hershey reported stronger-than-expected revenue and adjusted EPS, driven by pricing and cost pass-through, which supports near-term top-line durability. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: GLP‑1 tailwind for mints/gum: Management said rising use of GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs is boosting demand for mints and gum (Ice Breakers), a growing, higher‑margin category offsetting some snack weakness. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend increase/confirmation: Hershey declared its quarterly dividend ($1.452/share), supporting income investors and signaling confidence in cash flow. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings-call color — innovation and seasonal help: Management cited strong Easter sales and innovation/premiumization gains (luxury chocolate initiatives), which support medium‑term brand momentum but are not immediate growth guarantees. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure from higher input and freight costs: Several coverage pieces and the company commentary highlight rising costs that compressed margins despite the beat — a key reason investors are less enthused. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Softer guidance focus: Although Hershey reaffirmed 2026 guidance, investors fixated on slightly softer near‑term wording and demand uncertainty, which trimmed sentiment after the print. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst reactions trimmed optimism: Multiple firms kept neutral/hold stances or lowered price targets (Barclays, JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, BTIG maintained/adjusted coverage), reflecting concerns about near‑term demand elasticity and a premium valuation — adding selling pressure. Read More. Read More. Read More.

Hershey Stock Performance

NYSE:HSY opened at $182.32 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $210.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $196.74. The company has a market cap of $36.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99. Hershey Company has a 52 week low of $150.04 and a 52 week high of $239.48.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $2.35 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.04 by $0.31. The business had revenue of $3.10 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.03 billion. Hershey had a net margin of 9.12% and a return on equity of 28.98%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.09 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Hershey Company will post 8.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hershey Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a $1.452 dividend. This represents a $5.81 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. Hershey’s dividend payout ratio is currently 133.87%.

Hershey 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.