Korea Investment CORP Has $8.13 Million Position in Hershey Company (The) $HSY

Key Points

• Korea Investment CORP increased its Hershey stake 27% in Q3 to 43,482 shares worth $8.13 million, part of broader institutional activity that includes large new or increased positions from Norges Bank, First Trust and others, leaving institutions owning about 57.96% of the stock.
• Hershey beat expectations with Q results of $1.71 EPS (vs. $1.40 est.) and $3.09B revenue (+7% y/y), and raised its quarterly dividend to $1.452 (annualized $5.81, 2.7% yield) though the dividend payout ratio is a high ~133.9%.
• Market context: HSY trades at a ~49.6 P/E with a $43.7B market cap, analysts show a consensus "Hold" target of $222.21, and company insiders have recently sold shares (10,000 shares worth ~$2.15M in the last 90 days).

Korea Investment CORP raised its position in Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY - Free Report) by 27.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 43,482 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 9,235 shares during the quarter. Korea Investment CORP's holdings in Hershey were worth $8,133,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in Hershey in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $234,386,000. First Trust Advisors LP grew its holdings in Hershey by 240.0% during the 3rd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,262,671 shares of the company's stock worth $236,183,000 after acquiring an additional 891,287 shares during the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. bought a new stake in Hershey during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $125,868,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Hershey by 121.2% in the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,104,299 shares of the company's stock valued at $206,559,000 after acquiring an additional 605,048 shares during the period. Finally, Holocene Advisors LP increased its position in Hershey by 44.7% in the 2nd quarter. Holocene Advisors LP now owns 1,232,595 shares of the company's stock valued at $204,549,000 after acquiring an additional 380,512 shares during the period. 57.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Hershey Trading Down 1.1%

HSY opened at $215.38 on Friday. Hershey Company has a twelve month low of $150.04 and a twelve month high of $239.48. The company has a fifty day moving average of $210.01 and a 200-day moving average of $193.01. The stock has a market cap of $43.66 billion, a PE ratio of 49.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.14. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY - Get Free Report) last released 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. Hershey had a net margin of 7.55% and a return on equity of 27.90%. The business had revenue of $3.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.97 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.69 earnings per share. Hershey's revenue for the quarter was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.520 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Hershey Company will post 6.12 EPS for the current year.

Hershey Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be given a dividend of $1.452 per share. This represents a $5.81 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. This is a positive change from Hershey's previous quarterly dividend of $1.37. Hershey's dividend payout ratio is currently 133.87%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently commented on HSY. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Hershey from $182.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $267.00 target price on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a "market perform" rating and set a $250.00 target price on shares of Hershey in a report on Friday, February 6th. UBS Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $236.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a "sector perform" rating and issued a $185.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and sixteen have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $222.21.

Key Hershey News

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

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $219.66, for a total transaction of $329,490.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 50,819 shares of the company's stock, valued at $11,162,901.54. This trade represents a 2.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP Jason Reiman sold 2,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total value of $452,140.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 41,036 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,277,008.52. This trade represents a 4.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 10,000 shares of company stock valued at $2,153,645 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.34% of the company's stock.

Hershey Company 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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