UBS Group Has Lowered Expectations for Hershey (NYSE:HSY) Stock Price

Key Points

• UBS cut its price target on Hershey from $215 to $200 and maintained a "neutral" rating, while several other firms trimmed targets, leaving the consensus rating at "Hold" with an average target of about $222.06.
• Hershey beat Q1 expectations (EPS $2.35 vs. $2.04; revenue $3.10B vs. $3.03B) but rising input and freight costs compressed margins and slightly softer near‑term guidance reduced investor enthusiasm.
• Shares slid to roughly $182.32, trading below the 50‑day average (~$210), as insiders sold modest stakes and institutional investors continue to own about 58% of the company.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY - Get Free Report) had its target price reduced by analysts at UBS Group from $215.00 to $200.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "neutral" rating on the stock. UBS Group's price objective would indicate a potential upside of 9.69% from the company's previous close.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Barclays reduced their price objective on Hershey from $240.00 to $225.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $267.00 price objective on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday, February 6th. DA Davidson set a $243.00 price objective on Hershey in a research report on Friday, February 6th. 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 report on Friday. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Hershey from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $222.06.

Hershey Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:HSY traded down $3.42 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $182.32. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,794,053 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,011,824. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $210.21 and its 200 day simple moving average is $196.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 1.19. The company has a market cap of $36.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 0.18. Hershey has a 12-month low of $150.04 and a 12-month high of $239.48.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $2.35 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.04 by $0.31. The firm had revenue of $3.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.03 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 10.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.09 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Hershey will post 8.4 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Hershey

In other Hershey news, SVP Jason Reiman sold 2,000 shares of Hershey stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total value of $452,140.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 41,036 shares in the company, valued at $9,277,008.52. The trade was a 4.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of Hershey stock in a transaction on Monday, April 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $194.10, for a total value of $291,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 57,695 shares in the company, valued at $11,198,599.50. This represents a 2.53% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 10,000 shares of company stock worth $2,189,090 over the last quarter. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hershey

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HSY. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. raised its stake in shares of Hershey by 1,537.5% in the 3rd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 131 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 123 shares during the period. Bard Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Reflection Asset Management purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.96% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting 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.

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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