The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Decreases Stake in Hershey Company (The) $HSY

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lessened its holdings in shares of Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY) by 4.9% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 86,919 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,431 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company’s holdings in Hershey were worth $18,070,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Hershey in the fourth quarter worth about $272,506,000. Marshall Wace LLP grew its stake in Hershey by 546.6% during the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,057,476 shares of the company’s stock valued at $192,439,000 after acquiring an additional 893,940 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP raised its holdings in Hershey by 315.4% in the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,083,675 shares of the company’s stock valued at $225,285,000 after acquiring an additional 822,772 shares during the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. lifted its stake in Hershey by 150.1% in the 4th quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 1,278,881 shares of the company’s stock worth $232,731,000 after purchasing an additional 767,478 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Hershey by 4,478.5% in the fourth quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 586,141 shares of the company’s stock valued at $106,666,000 after purchasing an additional 573,339 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.96% of the company’s stock.

Hershey News Summary

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.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently commented on HSY shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Hershey from $191.00 to $193.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday. Bank of America dropped their target price on Hershey from $220.00 to $200.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, June 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $240.00 target price on Hershey in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Hershey from $200.00 to $190.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Finally, DA Davidson set a $190.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $204.06.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total value of $255,000.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 53,195 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,043,150. The trade was a 2.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.08% of the company’s stock.

Hershey Trading Down 1.0%

HSY opened at $175.46 on Friday. Hershey Company has a one year low of $161.43 and a one year high of $239.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $35.59 billion, a PE ratio of 23.97, a P/E/G ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.11. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $179.16 and its 200 day moving average price is $196.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 1.18.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.43 by $0.47. Hershey had a return on equity of 31.92% and a net margin of 12.24%.The company had revenue of $2.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.63 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.21 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.360-8.520 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Hershey Company will post 8.46 EPS for the current year.

Hershey Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Investors 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 dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 79.37%.

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.