Hershey Company (The) $HSY Shares Purchased by Legal & General Group Plc

Key Points

• Legal & General Group Plc increased its stake in Hershey by 2.5% to 1,024,635 shares—about 0.51% of the company—worth roughly $191.7 million.
• Hershey beat quarterly estimates (EPS $1.71 vs. $1.40; revenue $3.09B vs. $2.97B), set FY2026 guidance of $8.200–8.520 EPS, and raised its quarterly dividend to $1.452 (annualized $5.81, 2.7% yield).
• Analyst sentiment is mixed: the MarketBeat consensus is a "Hold" with a $222.21 target, while some firms raised targets (Barclays $240, Morgan Stanley $238) and Zacks upgraded the stock to a Strong Buy.

Legal & General Group Plc boosted its stake in shares of Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY - Free Report) by 2.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,024,635 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 24,589 shares during the quarter. Legal & General Group Plc owned approximately 0.51% of Hershey worth $191,658,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of HSY. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. grew its position in shares of Hershey by 1,537.5% during the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 131 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 123 shares in the last quarter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey during the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC raised its holdings in Hershey by 46.3% in the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 199 shares of the company's stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Hershey in the second quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Park Place Capital Corp purchased a new position in Hershey in the third quarter worth approximately $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.96% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

HSY has been the subject of several analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of Hershey from $185.00 to $207.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Morgan Stanley set a $238.00 target price on shares of Hershey in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Barclays increased their target price on Hershey from $210.00 to $240.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Hershey in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and sixteen have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $222.21.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Rohit Grover sold 3,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total value of $791,245.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 34,568 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,814,787.76. The trade was a 9.19% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $219.66, for a total value of $329,490.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 50,819 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $11,162,901.54. This trade represents a 2.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 10,000 shares of company stock valued at $2,153,645. 0.34% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Hershey

Here are the key news stories impacting Hershey this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgrades HSY to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), citing improved earnings prospects and optimism around the company’s outlook — this upgrade is likely the main driver of today’s buying interest. Hershey (HSY) Upgraded to Strong Buy: Here's Why
• Positive Sentiment: HSY was added to Zacks’ momentum and income Rank #1 (Strong Buy) lists (momentum and income-focused buy lists can attract both growth and dividend-oriented flows). Best Momentum Stocks to Buy for March 12th
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also ran a positive feature calling HSY an “incredible growth stock,” highlighting structural growth drivers that could support a higher multiple over time. Hershey (HSY) is an Incredible Growth Stock: 3 Reasons Why
• Neutral Sentiment: Thematic note: a Seeking Alpha piece on “moat” stocks during a tech pullback suggests defensive/consumer staples names like Hershey may outperform in rotations, but it’s a broader market theme rather than company-specific news. Defense Lifts Moat Stocks As Tech Stumbles
• Negative Sentiment: Sector headwind: Campbell’s (CPB) missed results and a drop in snacks demand underscore potential demand pressure across the snacks category, which could weigh on Hershey’s near-term volume and margins. Campbell's Q2 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates, Sales Down 5% Y/Y
• Negative Sentiment: Recent relative weakness: coverage noting HSY’s underperformance versus peers may signal profit-taking or rotation out of the name despite upgrades, contributing to today’s downward pressure. Hershey Co. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors

Hershey Stock Down 1.1%

HSY stock opened at $215.38 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $43.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.63, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01. Hershey Company has a twelve month low of $150.04 and a twelve month high of $239.48. The company's 50 day moving average is $210.01 and its two-hundred day moving average is $193.01.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $1.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.40 by $0.31. The business had revenue of $3.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.97 billion. Hershey had a net margin of 7.55% and a return on equity of 27.90%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.69 EPS. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.520 EPS. Research analysts expect that Hershey Company will post 6.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hershey Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be paid a $1.452 dividend. This is a boost from Hershey's previous quarterly dividend of $1.37. This represents a $5.81 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. Hershey's payout ratio is currently 133.87%.

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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