Key facts, as of
As of October 9, 2026, Hershey Company (HSY) trades at $162.54, down 16.9% over the past year. Its 52-week range runs from $156.16 to $239.48; the price is 32.1% below that high. It is 41.3% below its all-time high of $276.88, reached in May 2023. Over the 10 years to the end of September 2026, with dividends reinvested, it returned +110.0%, against +312.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY). It sits 14.6% below its 200-day average of $190.39, the usual sign of a long-term downtrend. Its 30-day volatility is 16.3% annualized, which we rate medium risk. It has a trailing P/E of 22.2 and a dividend yield of 3.57%.
Cite: Portfolio Terminal, "Hershey Company (HSY) stock analysis", 2026-10-09. https://portfolio-terminal.com/analyse/hsy
Where it trades today
trading 8% of the way up its 52-week range
How the price has moved
How far it is from its record
Hershey Company (HSY) is 41.3% below its all-time high of $276.88, reached in May 2023. Over the 10 years to the end of September 2026, with dividends reinvested, it returned +110.0%, against +312.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY).
What to weigh before acting
What Matters Now
- The key question is whether steady demand and pricing discipline can protect margins even if growth stays modest.
- HSY is valued near its sector range at 22.2x earnings versus 21.0x for peers, so the next move likely needs a real earnings or guidance catalyst.
- HSY carries a beta of 0.09, which means the stock should be judged on how it affects total portfolio swings, not just on standalone upside.
- HSY remains in a bearish short-term trend and sits 32.1% below its high, which raises the bar for any thesis that depends on fast multiple expansion.
Portfolio Use Case
- HSY is more relevant for investors who want some income support alongside price appreciation, not just pure growth exposure.
- The beta profile suggests it can fit a quality or lower-volatility sleeve more naturally than a high-octane tactical basket.
- This page is most useful for deciding whether the stock deserves a permanent slot in the portfolio or just a place on the watchlist.
What Would Change the View
- A reset in earnings expectations or a faster peer catch-up could compress the premium valuation currently embedded in HSY.
- A recovery in price alone would not be enough to improve the view; the thesis needs confirmation from improving business or valuation signals.
- The view would need revisiting if peers such as PG, KO, PEP start winning the marginal flow or posting cleaner operating momentum.
Methodology
- Price, market cap, beta, yield, and liquidity fields for HSY come from Yahoo Finance quote and summary data.
- 30-day volatility is calculated from recent daily returns and annualized using a 252-trading-day convention.
- Sector context uses stored benchmark averages for Consumer Defensive so each page compares the ticker against a stable peer baseline rather than against the whole market.
- Peer comparisons use the Portfolio Terminal coverage set and highlight nearby listed alternatives such as PG, KO, PEP.
Sources
- Yahoo Finance quote dataopen →
Live quote, valuation, beta, yield, and volume fields used for HSY. Last refresh: Oct 9, 2026, 11:00 AM.
- Portfolio Terminal methodologyopen →
Explains how analytics, refresh cadence, and portfolio interpretation work across the product.
- Peer set and coverage context
Comparative context for this page is anchored around nearby tracked names such as PG, KO, PEP.
What Hershey Company does
The Hershey Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of confectionery products and pantry items in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International. The company offers chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products; gum and mint refreshment products, including mints, chewing gums, and bubble gums; protein bars; pantry items, such as baking ingredients, toppings, beverages, and sundae syrups; and snack items comprising spreads, bars, snack bites, mixes, popcorn, and pretzels. It provides its products primarily under the Hershey's, Reese's, Kisses, Jolly…
What analysts expect
HSY carries a buy consensus from 21 analysts, with an average price target of $203.14 versus $162.54 today (+25.0%). Targets are estimates and can move quickly after earnings.
Consensus aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Targets are estimates, not forecasts.
How the business is doing
HSY generated $12.16B in trailing revenue (6.6% year over year), with a 12.2% net margin, and $1.74B of free cash flow, against $5.13B of net debt.
The numbers, year by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Gross profit | Operating income | Net income | EPS | Free cash flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11.69B | $3.92B | $1.46B | $883.26M | $4.46 | $1.75B |
| 2024 | $11.20B | $5.30B | $2.93B | $2.22B | $11.22 | $1.93B |
| 2023 | $11.16B | $5.00B | $2.56B | $1.86B | $9.31 | $1.55B |
| 2022 | $10.42B | $4.50B | $2.26B | $1.64B | $8.22 | $1.81B |
When it reports next
Estimates aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Dates move and estimates change until the report lands.
Which ETFs hold it
HSY is in 8 of the 30 ETFs we track. It weighs most in XLP: 1.58% of the fund, holding #19 of 33.
How it sits in consumer defensive
Stable sector with essential products like food, beverages, and household goods.
The companies it competes with
HSY beside the consumer defensive names it is usually measured against.
What the chart is saying
In a downtrend, below both moving averages.
downtrend- Price is 6.9% below its 50-day average and 14.6% below its 200-day.
- The 50-day crossed below the 200-day on 2026-06-05 (a “death cross”).
- RSI at 38 is neither stretched nor washed out.
- The nearest ceiling is $168.26 (+3.5%).
A description of the chart, not advice. Indicators describe what the price has done; none of them knows what it does next.
Questions people ask about it
Is HSY a good investment in 2026?
Hershey Company trades at a P/E ratio of 22.2, with medium volatility (16.3% annualized). Recent trend shows weakness.
What is the risk level of HSY?
Based on 30-day volatility of 16.3%, HSY has MEDIUM risk. Beta of 0.09 indicates lower sensitivity to market movements than average.
Does HSY pay dividends?
Yes, Hershey Company has a dividend yield of 3.57%.
How far is HSY from its all-time high?
Hershey Company is 41.3% below its all-time high of $276.88, reached in May 2023. Over the 10 years to the end of September 2026, with dividends reinvested, it returned +110.0%, against +312.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY).
Which ETFs hold HSY?
8 of the 30 popular ETFs we track hold Hershey Company. The largest weights: XLP (1.58%), SCHD (0.62%), VYM (0.10%), VTV (0.10%) and VOO (0.04%). Measured on each issuer's full holdings file, dated August 31 to September 24, 2026.
How much of VOO is HSY?
0.04%, as of August 31, 2026: HSY is holding #340 of 505 in Vanguard's file for VOO. $1,000 in VOO puts about $0.39 in Hershey Company.
What is the analyst price target for HSY?
The average analyst price target for Hershey Company (HSY) is $203.14 based on 21 analyst estimates, about 25.0% above the current price of $162.54. The published range runs from $170.00 to $250.00.
How much revenue does HSY generate?
Hershey Company reported $12.16B in trailing twelve-month revenue. Revenue growth is running at 6.6% year over year. Net margin sits at 12.2%. Figures are aggregated from company filings by Yahoo Finance and refresh on an hourly cadence.
Compare HSY with anything
Five years side by side: what $10,000 became, how far each fell, whether they move together.