Hershey (NYSE:HSY) Price Target Raised to $193.00 at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) had its price objective hoisted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $191.00 to $193.00 in a research report report published on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the stock.

HSY has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $201.00 target price on shares of Hershey in a research note on Friday. Evercore set a $225.00 price target on Hershey in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. UBS Group decreased their price target on Hershey from $200.00 to $190.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of Hershey from $247.00 to $227.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Finally, Mizuho dropped their price objective on shares of Hershey from $195.00 to $185.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Hershey has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $204.06.

Hershey Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of Hershey stock opened at $175.46 on Friday. Hershey has a twelve month low of $161.43 and a twelve month high of $239.48. The stock has a market cap of $35.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.11. The company has a current ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $179.16 and a 200 day moving average price of $196.70.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.90 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.43 by $0.47. The company had revenue of $2.79 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.63 billion. Hershey had a return on equity of 31.92% and a net margin of 12.24%.The firm’s revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.21 earnings per share. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.360-8.520 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Hershey will post 8.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hershey Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th will be given a dividend of $1.452 per share. This represents a $5.81 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. Hershey’s payout ratio is presently 79.23%.

Insider Activity at Hershey

In related news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 in the company, valued at approximately $9,043,150. The trade was a 2.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 0.08% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hershey

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of HSY. PBU The Pension Fund of Early Childhood & Youth Educators acquired a new stake in Hershey in the fourth quarter valued at $9,633,000. Prudential PLC grew its holdings in Hershey by 237.3% during the 4th quarter. Prudential PLC now owns 7,988 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,454,000 after acquiring an additional 5,620 shares in the last quarter. Friedenthal Financial increased its position in shares of Hershey by 38,266.7% in the 4th quarter. Friedenthal Financial now owns 5,755 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,047,000 after purchasing an additional 5,740 shares during the last quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Hershey in the 4th quarter worth about $2,744,000. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp raised its stake in shares of Hershey by 126.4% in the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 84,215 shares of the company’s stock valued at $17,508,000 after purchasing an additional 47,017 shares in the last quarter. 57.96% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Hershey

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.

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.