Baypointe Partners LLC Cuts Stake in Hershey Company (The) $HSY

Key Points

• Baypointe Partners cut its Hershey stake by 74.9% in Q4, selling 65,561 shares and leaving 21,939 shares worth $3,992,000 (Hershey is 8.4% of Baypointe’s portfolio and its 4th largest holding).
• Hershey beat Q1 estimates with EPS of $2.35 vs. $2.04 and revenue of $3.10B vs. $3.03B, and management highlighted a GLP‑1-driven tailwind for mints/gum while declaring a quarterly dividend of $1.452 (annual $5.81, ~3.2% yield).
• Market and analyst reaction is mixed — the stock’s consensus rating is "Hold" with an average target of $220.56, as margin pressures, slightly softer near‑term guidance and recent insider sales have tempered sentiment.

Baypointe Partners LLC lowered its holdings in shares of Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY - Free Report) by 74.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,939 shares of the company's stock after selling 65,561 shares during the quarter. Hershey comprises about 8.4% of Baypointe Partners LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest position. Baypointe Partners LLC's holdings in Hershey were worth $3,992,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of HSY. First Trust Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of Hershey by 240.0% during the 3rd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,262,671 shares of the company's stock valued at $236,183,000 after purchasing an additional 891,287 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Hershey by 121.2% during the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,104,299 shares of the company's stock valued at $206,559,000 after purchasing an additional 605,048 shares in the last quarter. Candlestick Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Hershey during the 3rd quarter valued at $64,469,000. Clark Capital Management Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Hershey during the 3rd quarter valued at $44,464,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Hershey by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 19,067,235 shares of the company's stock worth $3,469,855,000 after acquiring an additional 191,671 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 57.96% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on HSY shares. Stephens lifted their target price on shares of Hershey from $200.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Hershey in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on shares of Hershey from $230.00 to $215.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. TD Cowen upgraded shares of Hershey from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $210.00 target price on the stock in a report on Friday. Finally, Piper Sandler reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $249.00 target price on shares of Hershey in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target 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.

Insider Activity at Hershey

In related news, insider Rohit Grover sold 3,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total value of $791,245.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 34,568 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,814,787.76. The trade was a 9.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $194.10, for a total transaction of $291,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 57,695 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,198,599.50. The trade was a 2.53% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 10,000 shares of company stock valued at $2,189,090 over the last quarter. 0.08% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hershey Stock Performance

NYSE:HSY opened at $182.32 on Monday. The firm's 50-day moving average is $210.21 and its 200-day moving average is $196.79. Hershey Company has a 52-week low of $150.04 and a 52-week high of $239.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 1.24. The company has a market cap of $36.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.95, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.07.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $2.35 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.04 by $0.31. The business had revenue of $3.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.03 billion. Hershey had a net margin of 9.12% and a return on equity of 28.98%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 10.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.09 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Hershey Company will post 8.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Hershey Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a $1.452 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $5.81 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.2%. Hershey's payout ratio is presently 108.01%.

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.

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