PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab Invests $15.18 Million in Hershey Company (The) $HSY

Key Points

• PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab established a new Q4 position in Hershey by buying 83,307 shares worth about $15.18 million.
• Hershey beat Q1 estimates with EPS of $2.35 (vs. $2.04) and revenue of $3.10 billion (up 10.7% y/y) and announced a quarterly dividend of $1.452 per share (annualized $5.81, ~3.2% yield; ex-dividend May 15).
• Market reaction was mixed—management cited margin pressure and slightly softer near‑term wording, and analysts' actions left a consensus "Hold" rating with a $220.56 price target.

PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab bought a new position in Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 83,307 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $15,178,000.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Liberty One Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Hershey by 32.4% during the third quarter. Liberty One Investment Management LLC now owns 38,076 shares of the company's stock worth $7,122,000 after acquiring an additional 9,309 shares during the last quarter. Friedenthal Financial increased its stake in Hershey by 38,266.7% during the fourth quarter. Friedenthal Financial now owns 5,755 shares of the company's stock worth $1,047,000 after acquiring an additional 5,740 shares during the last quarter. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC increased its stake in Hershey by 166.8% during the third quarter. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC now owns 39,200 shares of the company's stock worth $7,332,000 after acquiring an additional 24,509 shares during the last quarter. CORDA Investment Management LLC. increased its stake in Hershey by 6.6% during the third quarter. CORDA Investment Management LLC. now owns 113,746 shares of the company's stock worth $21,276,000 after acquiring an additional 7,064 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Independent Advisor Alliance increased its stake in Hershey by 6.4% during the third quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance now owns 42,538 shares of the company's stock worth $7,957,000 after acquiring an additional 2,573 shares during the last quarter. 57.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Hershey Stock Down 0.0%

Shares of NYSE:HSY opened at $182.32 on Monday. Hershey Company has a 1 year low of $150.04 and a 1 year high of $239.48. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $210.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $196.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $36.96 billion, a PE ratio of 33.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.24 and a quick ratio of 0.77.

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

Hershey Announces Dividend

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have weighed in on HSY. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on Hershey from $185.00 to $207.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. BTIG Research began coverage on Hershey in a research note on Monday, April 13th. They set a "neutral" rating on the stock. Zacks Research cut Hershey from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Hershey from $220.00 to $200.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Hershey from $247.00 to $227.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Hershey presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $220.56.

Hershey News Roundup

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 Buying and Selling at Hershey

In other Hershey news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $194.10, for a total transaction of $291,150.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 57,695 shares in the company, valued at $11,198,599.50. The trade was a 2.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Rohit Grover sold 3,500 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 $791,245.00. Following the completion of 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 position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 10,000 shares of company stock worth $2,189,090 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.08% of the company's stock.

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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HSY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.