Hershey Company (The) $HSY Shares Acquired by Empowered Funds LLC

Key Points

• Empowered Funds increased its Hershey position by 29.8% in the first quarter, owning 33,268 shares valued at approximately $6.9 million. Hedge funds and institutional investors collectively own 57.96% of HSY.
• Hershey reported second-quarter revenue of $2.79 billion and adjusted EPS of $1.90, both exceeding analyst expectations, while raising the lower end of its 2026 outlook to $12.2–$12.3 billion in revenue and $8.36–$8.52 in EPS.
• Despite the earnings beat, analysts maintain a consensus “Hold” rating with a $204.06 price target. Investors remain concerned that 12% price increases contributed to an 8% volume decline, alongside cocoa-cost volatility and supply-chain risks.

Empowered Funds LLC grew its position in shares of Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY - Free Report) by 29.8% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 33,268 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 7,634 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC's holdings in Hershey were worth $6,916,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Bard Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Reflection Asset Management purchased a new position in Hershey in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Hershey in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Hershey during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Manchester Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Hershey by 123.0% during the 4th quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC now owns 165 shares of the company's stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. 57.96% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the company'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 completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 53,195 shares of the company's stock, valued at $9,043,150. This represents a 2.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available 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 insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. BTIG Research started coverage on Hershey in a research report on Monday, April 13th. They issued a "neutral" rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target 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. Zacks Research lowered shares of Hershey from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. DA Davidson set a $190.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a report on Friday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on shares of Hershey from $215.00 to $180.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Hershey currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $204.06.

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 Price Performance

Shares of HSY opened at $175.46 on Friday. Hershey Company has a 12 month low of $161.43 and a 12 month high of $239.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.18 and a quick ratio of 0.77. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $179.16 and a 200 day moving average price of $196.70. The company has a market cap of $35.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.97, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.11.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.43 by $0.47. Hershey had a net margin of 12.24% and a return on equity of 31.92%. The firm had revenue of $2.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.63 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.21 EPS. Hershey's revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.360-8.520 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Hershey Company will post 8.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Hershey Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Investors of record on Friday, August 14th will be paid 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 is Friday, August 14th. Hershey's payout ratio is currently 79.23%.

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.

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