UBS Group Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Hershey (NYSE:HSY) Stock

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) had its price objective lifted by research analysts at UBS Group from $190.00 to $198.00 in a research report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. UBS Group’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 12.85% from the company’s previous close.

HSY has been the topic of several other reports. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $240.00 target price on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday, May 1st. DA Davidson set a $190.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Hershey from $200.00 to $190.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Hershey from $191.00 to $193.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, TD Cowen raised shares of Hershey from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $210.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $204.06.

Hershey Trading Down 1.0%

Shares of NYSE:HSY traded down $1.77 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $175.46. The company had a trading volume of 2,173,856 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,033,123. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 1.24. Hershey has a 1-year low of $161.43 and a 1-year high of $239.48. The firm has a market cap of $35.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.11. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $179.54 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $196.85.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.90 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.43 by $0.47. The firm had revenue of $2.79 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.63 billion. Hershey had a return on equity of 28.98% and a net margin of 9.12%.Hershey’s revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.21 EPS. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.360-8.520 EPS. Research analysts predict that Hershey will post 8.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total transaction of $255,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 53,195 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,043,150. This trade represents a 2.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.08% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its position in Hershey by 6.5% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 15,310 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,618,000 after buying an additional 937 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Hershey by 20.2% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 697 shares of the company’s stock valued at $116,000 after acquiring an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL purchased a new position in shares of Hershey during the 2nd quarter valued at $267,000. Bank of Nova Scotia increased its stake in shares of Hershey by 4.5% in the second quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 17,927 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,975,000 after acquiring an additional 769 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Hershey by 5.4% in the second quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 22,247 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,692,000 after acquiring an additional 1,149 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.96% of the company’s stock.

Key Hershey News

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.

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.