Eddie Elfenbein started the Crossing Wall Street blog in 2006 by making 25 top stock picks and holding them for 12 straight months with no changes. Then, at the end of the year, he drops five names, adds five more and repeats the process. Elfenbein has done this for 18 years. He’s been so successful that he started an ETF—the AdvisorShares Focused Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:CWS)—based on the “Buy List” in 2016.   Since 2018, the ETF has outperformed Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B) and Cathie Wood ...

In the latest trading session, Hershey (HSY) closed at $188.26, marking a -1.16% move from the previous day. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.22%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.36%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.32%.Shares of the chocolate bar and candy maker witnessed a gain of 4.35% over the previous month, beating the performance of the Consumer Staples sector with its gain of 3.22% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.61%.The upcoming earnings release of Hershey will be of great interest to inv ...

The Hershey Company (HSY) appears to be in a tight spot thanks to rising expenses. The leading snacks company’s international presence keeps it exposed to risks of unfavorable currency rates. A soft macroeconomic environment is a threat to the company.Shares of the Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) company have slumped 20.2% in the past six months compared with the industry’s 17.3% decline. The stock has underperformed the Zacks Consumer Staple sector’s 2.8% drop.  Let’s discuss this in detail.Cost Concerns StayHershey ...

Setting financial goals each year is a smart idea. Many people (myself included) aim to collect more passive income in 2024. The more passive income you generate, the more financially independent you'll become. There are many ways to earn passive income. Investing in dividend stocks is one of the easiest ways. Many companies pay their investors a portion of their profits in dividends each quarter. Food stocks can be a great way to satisfy your income craving because many companies in the sector generate lot ...

She was tricked by this treat. A Florida woman is taking on The Hershey Company, claiming it has “tricked” customers through “misleading” packaging on Reese’s seasonal-shaped chocolates. Cynthia Kelly, of Tampa, is suing the chocolate giant for $5 million because she claims the packaging and the actual contents don’t match. For example, the pumpkin-shaped chocolate does not have eyes and nose cutouts like the packaging suggests, and the football shape is like an egg, according to the lawsuit, filed in Flor ...

Chocolate giant Hershey is being sued by a disgruntled customer who said its Halloween-themed peanut butter treats didn't match the packaging.Cynthia Kelly, from Florida, argues she bought them because she liked the "artistic designs" of the holiday sweeties. She was especially fond of the "cute looking" eyes and mouth shown on the packets of the peanut butter pumpkins, prompting her to spend $4.49 (£3.52) on them at an Aldi supermarket.When she opened the bag, she found not only were the facial features mi ...

The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) Q3 2023 Earnings Conference Call October 26, 2023 8:30 AM ET Company Participants Melissa Poole - VP, IR Michele Buck - Chairman and CEO Steve Voskuil - SVP and CFO Conference Call Participants Andrew Lazar - Barclays Ken Goldman - JPMorgan Max Gumport - BNP Paribas Michael Lavery - Piper Sandler Pamela Kaufman - Morgan Stanley Bryan Spillane - Bank of America Robert Moskow - TD Cowen Chris Carey - Wells Fargo David Palmer - Evercore Alexia Howard - Bernstein Rob Dickerson - J ...

The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) Q2 2023 Earnings Conference Call July 27, 2023 8:30 AM ET Company Participants Melissa Poole - Vice President, Investor Relations Michele Buck - Chairman and CEO Steve Voskuil - Senior Vice President and CFO Conference Call Participants Andrew Lazar - Barclays Ken Goldman - JPMorgan Max Gumport - BNP Paribas Michael Lavery - Piper Sandler Pamela Kaufman - Morgan Stanley Nik Modi - RBC Capital Markets Alexia Howard - Bernstein Matt Smith - Stifel Cody Ross - UBS Jason English - ...

The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) Q1 2023 Earnings Conference Call April 27, 2023 8:30 AM ET Company Participants Melissa Poole - VP, IR Michele Buck - Chairman and CEO Steve Voskuil - SVP and CFO Conference Call Participants Andrew Lazar - Barclays Ken Goldman - JPMorgan Cody Ross - UBS Nick Modi - RBC Pamela Kaufman - Morgan Stanley David Palmer - Evercore ISI Max Gumport - BNP Paribas Bryan Spillane - Bank of America Merrill Lynch Michael Lavery - Piper Sandler Rob Dickerson - Jefferies Jonathan Feeney - Co ...

Business Segments and Operations - The company operates through three segments: North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International, with each segment focusing on specific product categories and key markets[9] - The company's sales are typically higher during the third and fourth quarters due to seasonal and holiday-related patterns[20] - The company engages in research and development activities across multiple countries to develop new products, improve existing ones, and enhance production processes[23] Acquisitions and Portfolio Expansion - In December 2021, the company completed the acquisition of Pretzels Inc. and Dot's Pretzels, LLC, enhancing its salty snacks portfolio and pretzel category expertise[10] - In June 2021, the company acquired Lily's Sweets, LLC, adding sugar-free and low-sugar confectionery products to its portfolio[11] Sales and Distribution - Approximately 28% of the company's consolidated net sales in 2022 were made to McLane Company, Inc., a major U.S. wholesale distributor[16] - The percentage of total consolidated net sales outside the United States was 12.5% for 2022, 13.0% for 2021, and 13.6% for 2020[27] Raw Materials and Supply Chain - Cocoa products are the most significant raw materials, with West Africa accounting for approximately 70% of the world's cocoa bean supply[18] - Cocoa futures contract prices decreased by 0.9% in 2022 compared to 2021, trading between $1.06 and $1.22 per pound[203] - Cocoa production in Ghana decreased by nearly 30% in 2022, while remaining stable in the rest of West Africa[203] - U.S. refined sugar prices ranged from $0.53 to $0.71 per pound in 2022, driven by tight domestic supply and strong demand[205] - Corn prices traded between $5.62 and $8.25 per bushel in 2022, influenced by global grain stock tightness due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict[206] - Fluid dairy milk prices ranged from $0.23 to $0.26 per pound in 2022, higher than 2021 due to reduced U.S. milk production and increased global demand[207] - Hard wheat prices traded between $7.72 and $13.21 per bushel in 2022, while soft wheat prices ranged from $7.40 to $12.29 per bushel, reaching historic highs[208] - Peanut prices in the U.S. ranged from $0.55 to $0.64 per pound in 2022, driven by higher competing crop prices and a smaller peanut crop[208] - Almond prices traded between $2.00 and $2.25 per pound in 2022, lower than 2021 due to large crop yields and high inventory levels[208] Environmental Commitments - The company aims to achieve a 50% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions and a 25% absolute reduction in Scope 3 GHG emissions by 2030, compared to a 2018 baseline[25] - The company has made voluntary commitments to reduce environmental impacts, including eliminating commodity-driven deforestation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions[25] Marketing and Brand Strategy - The company's marketing strategy focuses on strong brand equities, product innovation, and superior product quality, supported by promotional programs and an efficient distribution network[17] International Operations and Assets - The percentage of total long-lived assets outside the United States was 17.9% as of December 31, 2022, and 18.8% as of December 31, 2021[27] Workforce and Labor Relations - The Company employed approximately 18,075 full-time and 1,790 part-time employees worldwide as of December 31, 2022[28] - Collective bargaining agreements covered approximately 6,470 employees, or 33% of the Company's worldwide workforce[28] Financial Risk Management - A hypothetical 100 basis point increase in interest rates would have increased interest expense by approximately $4.5 million for 2022 and $2.4 million for 2021 on short-term debt[195] - A 100 basis point increase in market interest rates would decrease the fair value of fixed-rate long-term debt by approximately $187 million at December 31, 2022, and $319 million at December 31, 2021[196] - The net fair value of foreign currency forward exchange contracts was an asset of $3.9 million at December 31, 2022, and $2.8 million at December 31, 2021[199] - An unfavorable 10% change in year-end foreign currency exchange rates would have declined the fair value of foreign currency forward exchange contracts by $18.4 million at December 31, 2022, and $24.8 million at December 31, 2021[199] - The Company uses futures and options contracts to hedge price volatility for raw materials such as cocoa, sugar, corn, dairy, wheat, natural gas, and diesel fuel, typically covering 3 to 24 months[202] - Dairy futures liquidity is less developed, making it difficult to hedge dairy costs for extended periods[202] - The notional value of open commodity derivative contracts was $243.0 million as of December 31, 2022, down from $313.2 million in 2021[210] - A 10% decrease in underlying commodity prices would have increased net unrealized losses by $25.1 million in 2022, offset by reduced commodity purchase costs[210]