pretickt

Is HSY a good stock to buy?

The Hershey Company · end-of-day data as of Nov 13, 2026

Hershey
HSY · $35.02B
$174.27+0.6%
Nov 13, 2026 · close
$160$180SepOctNov9:3016:003 months -5.0%Nov 13 · close
▲ 8
  • PT$196.94 +13.0%
  • P/E vs own-36.9%
  • P/E vs sector-11.1%
  • FCF yield+5.8%
  • MAs3 of 4
  • MA20×50Golden 5d ago
  • MACD0.59
  • Sector▲ +6.0%
Neutral
  • Earnings in83d
  • P/E19.7x
  • RSI55
  • Support-3.2%
  • Resistance+2.1%
  • Off 52w high-27.2%
  • Volume0.7x
  • Bollingerupper half
  • News0.00
  • ConsensusHold · 23
  • Trendsideways
  • 52w range$156–$239
  • ATR+2.8%
  • Off ATH-37.1%
▼ 1
  • Insiders-$106M

Updates with the 15-min delayed price. Not a forecast or investment advice.

Is Hershey a good stock to buy?

Hershey is strong on 2 of the 4 questions about the business. The price is about usual: 19.7 times its earnings, near its 3-year median of 21.6 (Nov 13, 2026). pretickt does not say whether to buy or sell.

  1. Demand steady
  2. Economics profits steady
  3. Execution delivers
  4. Fragility sturdy
  5. Price about usual
DemandDo people want more of what it sells?steady

HSY sales growth revenue growth

+4%a year, for the last 3 years

Hershey's sales grew 4% a year for 3 years, to $11.69B in fiscal 2025.

HSY analysts' forecast revenue estimates

+5%the sales they expect next fiscal year, on the last

Analysts expect Hershey's sales to grow 5% to $12.29B in fiscal 2026 (15 analysts).

HSY peers

pretickt analysis+7%its sales in 12 months, on a year before

Hershey's sales grew 7% in the 12 months to Sep 27, 2026, faster than Mondelez (+6%), Sysco (+4%), Archer-Daniels-Midland (+1%) and Kimberly-Clark (-8%).

EconomicsDoes it make good money?profits steady

HSY cash generated free cash flow

$2.05Bcash left after investing, last 12 months

Hershey generated $2.05B of free cash flow in the 12 months to Sep 27, 2026, more than its reported profit.

HSY profit per share

-60%in its last fiscal year

Hershey's earnings per share fell 60% in fiscal 2025, to $4.34.

ExecutionDoes it deliver what it promises?delivers

HSY earnings vs estimates

8 of 8quarters above the analysts' estimate

Hershey beat the analysts' profit estimate in each of its last 8 quarters, the latest on Oct 29, 2026.

HSY insider selling

-$309Msold, net, by its executives in 12 months

Hershey's executives and directors sold a net $309M of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($310M sold, $445K bought).

HSY number of employees

-5%fewer people in a year

Hershey had 17,550 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 5% fewer than a year before.

Fragility risksCould something break it?sturdy

HSY financial health Altman Z-score

4.5Altman Z-score, safe above 3

Hershey's Altman Z-score is 4.5 (Nov 13, 2026), above 3, where the safe zone starts.

HSY biggest customers

27%of sales from its biggest customer

McLane Company made 27% of Hershey's sales in fiscal 2025.

HSY shareholders institutional ownership

pretickt analysis
  • Vanguard8.5% ▲
  • BlackRock6.6% ▲
  • State Street3.6% ▼
1,457institutions hold it; the largest added shares

1,457 institutions hold 68% of Hershey's shares (Jun 30, 2026); Vanguard and BlackRock added shares that quarter, State Street sold some.

HSY in past recessions

pretickt analysis0%its sales in the worst one

Hershey's sales did not fall in any of the last 2 US recessions (2008–09 and 2020).

Price valuationIs the price reasonable?about usual

HSY price vs profit P/E ratio

19.7×a year's earnings

Hershey's P/E ratio is 19.7 (Nov 13, 2026), near its 3-year median of 21.6.

HSY price vs peers

pretickt analysis19.7×a year's earnings, against its peers

Investors pay 19.7 times Hershey's earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Archer-Daniels-Midland (14.2) and Kimberly-Clark (11.0), less than for Mondelez (21.3) and Sysco (20.5).

HSY analysts' target price target

+13%to their average target

Analysts' average price target for Hershey is $197, 13% above the Nov 13, 2026 close of $174.27.

HSY analyst ratings, 90 days

pretickt analysis
  • TD Cowendowngrade
0 up, 1 downratings raised and cut

In the 90 days to Nov 13, 2026, TD Cowen downgraded Hershey.

HSY growth priced in fair value

pretickt analysis+5%a year, for ten years, to be worth the price

At $174.27 a share, Hershey's free cash flow must grow about 5% a year for ten years to be worth the price (Nov 13, 2026).

What is Hershey's P/E ratio?

Hershey's P/E ratio is 19.7 (Nov 13, 2026), near its 3-year median of 21.6. Investors pay 19.7 times Hershey's earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Archer-Daniels-Midland (14.2) and Kimberly-Clark (11.0), less than for Mondelez (21.3) and Sysco (20.5).

Who is dumping Hershey stock?

Hershey's executives and directors sold a net $309M of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($310M sold, $445K bought).

Who owns Hershey stock?

1,457 institutions hold 68% of Hershey's shares (Jun 30, 2026); Vanguard and BlackRock added shares that quarter, State Street sold some.

How many employees does Hershey have?

Hershey had 17,550 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 5% fewer than a year before.

Who are Hershey's biggest customers?

McLane Company made 27% of Hershey's sales in fiscal 2025.

From the companies' statements (FMP), their filings read by pretickt, the analysts and the insiders, as of Nov 13, 2026. Each card says what a fact means for its question, never what to do with the stock: for information only, not investment advice.