Market Overview - U.S. equities faced a challenging day on February 5, 2026, with significant sell-offs in technology stocks and negative job market reports impacting investor sentiment [1] - The S&P 500 fell 1.2% to close at 6,798.40, marking its sixth decline in seven trading days since reaching an all-time high [2] - The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.6% to 22,540.59, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 1.2% to 48,908.72 [2] - Bitcoin prices fell below $64,000, reaching their lowest level since October 2024, further exacerbating the downturn [2] Major Market Movers and Corporate News - Alphabet (GOOGL) saw a decline of 0.8% despite stronger-than-expected sales, as investors were concerned about projected capital expenditures for AI infrastructure, estimated at $175 billion to $185 billion for 2026, nearly double the $91.45 billion spent in 2025 [3] - Qualcomm (QCOM) experienced an 8.5% drop due to a disappointing outlook, citing a tightening global memory shortage affecting the smartphone market [4] - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) fell sharply by 17.3% on a weak outlook, contributing to the semiconductor sector's struggles [4] - Uber Technologies (UBER) declined by 5.2% after missing earnings expectations, while Amgen (AMGN) surged 8.2% on positive earnings results [5] - Eli Lilly (LLY) jumped 10.3% due to strong sales of its drugs, and McKesson (MCK) soared 16.5% after exceeding profit and revenue expectations [5] - Peloton Interactive (PTON) plummeted 28% after reporting weaker-than-expected results, while Estee Lauder (EL) and Snap (SNAP) retreated by 19% and 12%, respectively [6] Job Market Developments - Amazon (AMZN) announced plans to cut approximately 16,000 corporate roles, while UPS revealed 30,000 job cuts [7] - Dow (DOW) reduced its workforce by 4,500 jobs, with Home Depot (HD) and Nike (NKE) also making cuts [7] Economic Indicators - Initial jobless claims for the week ending January 31 rose to 231,000, exceeding economists' estimates [9] - U.S. employers announced over 108,000 layoffs in January, the highest for that month since 2009, with job openings falling to 6.5 million in December, the lowest since 2020 [9] - The Consumer Price Index rose 2.7% over the year in December, indicating persistent inflation despite potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve [10] Upcoming Market Events - Investors are awaiting the release of January U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls, Unemployment Rate, and Average Hourly Earnings data on February 6, which will provide further insights into the labor market [8]

PresentationAnoori NaughtonVice President of Investor Relations Good morning, and welcome to the prerecorded discussion of the Hershey Company's Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings Results. I'm Anoori Naughton, Vice President of Investor Relations. Joining me today are Hershey's President and CEO, Kirk Tanner, and Hershey's Senior Vice President and CFO, Steve Voskuil. In addition to these remarks, we will host an analyst Q&A-only session at 08:30 a.m. Eastern on the morning of February 5. A replay of this webcast ...

Core Viewpoint - The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) is recognized as one of the 15 Best Wide Moat Dividend Stocks to invest in, indicating strong competitive advantages and reliable dividend performance [1]. Group 1: Price Target and Ratings - Deutsche Bank has raised its price target for Hershey to $188 from $180 but maintains a Hold rating ahead of the Q4 earnings report [2]. Group 2: Marketing Strategy - Hershey has increased its marketing budget for the Hershey's brand by 20%, amounting to approximately $600 million for 2024, supporting its first new advertising campaign in eight years [2]. - The new campaign will utilize traditional television and streaming platforms, as well as expand into influencer marketing on TikTok, live events, and promotions linked to significant cultural events like the Winter Olympics and America250 celebrations [3]. Group 3: Business Performance - Stronger performance from the Hershey's brand is expected to positively impact the overall company results, as management considers it a core driver of growth [4]. - The Hershey Company operates as a global snacks company with three main segments: North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International [4].

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, with the aim of buying high and selling higher, capitalizing on established price movements [1]. Company Overview: Hershey (HSY) - Hershey currently holds a Momentum Style Score of B, indicating a favorable momentum characteristic [2]. - The company has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting strong potential for outperformance in the market [3]. Performance Metrics - Over the past week, Hershey's shares increased by 1.86%, outperforming the Zacks Food - Confectionery industry, which rose by 0.44% [5]. - In a longer timeframe, Hershey's shares have appreciated by 14.28% over the past month, compared to the industry's 4.21% [5]. - Over the last quarter, Hershey's shares have risen by 15.44%, and over the past year, they have gained 41.03%, while the S&P 500 only increased by 1.9% and 15.32%, respectively [6]. Trading Volume - Hershey's average 20-day trading volume is 1,851,394 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [7]. Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, 5 earnings estimates for Hershey have been revised upwards, while none have been lowered, leading to an increase in the consensus estimate from $5.99 to $6.01 [9]. - For the next fiscal year, 7 estimates have also moved higher, with no downward revisions during the same period [9]. Conclusion - Given the positive momentum indicators and earnings outlook, Hershey is positioned as a 2 (Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of B, making it a strong candidate for near-term investment [10].

Group 1 - U.S. stocks experienced a decline, with the Dow Jones index dropping over 350 points on Thursday [1] - Hershey Co reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.71, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $1.40 [1] - Quarterly sales for Hershey reached $3.09 billion, reflecting a 7% year-over-year increase and exceeding the expected $2.98 billion [1] Group 2 - Hershey shares increased by 7.4%, closing at $221.10 on Thursday [2]

Group 1: Jobless Claims Data - Initial Jobless Claims reached 231K, exceeding expectations of 212K and the previous week's 209K, marking the highest level of 2026 so far [2] - Continuing Claims increased to 1.844 million from a revised 1.819 million the prior week, still favorable compared to the past six months where it ranged between 1.93 and 1.97 million [3] Group 2: Earnings Reports - Bristol Myers-Squibb (BMY) reported earnings of $1.26 per share, beating the Zacks consensus of $1.15, resulting in a 9.57% earnings beat, with shares up 1.7% [4] - ConocoPhillips (COP) missed earnings estimates by 6 cents, reporting $1.02 per share, leading to a 5.6% earnings miss and a 3.3% drop in shares [5] - Ralph Lauren (RL) posted earnings of $6.22 per share, surpassing expectations of $5.80 with a 7.2% positive surprise, although shares fell 6.5% due to declining annualized revenue growth [6] - Tapestry (TPR) reported earnings of $2.69 per share, exceeding the Zacks consensus of $2.20, with shares up 5.9% [7] - Other notable earnings beats included Hershey's (HSY) at +21.28% and ArcelorMittal (MT) at +53.57%, while MasterCraft Boat (MCFT) had the largest beat at +81.25%, despite a revenue miss leading to a 1.2% drop in shares [8]

About this content About Angela Harmantas Angela Harmantas is an Editor at Proactive. She has over 15 years of experience covering the equity markets in North America, with a particular focus on junior resource stocks. Angela has reported from numerous countries around the world, including Canada, the US, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, and South Africa for leading trade publications. Previously, she worked in investor relations and led the foreign direct investment program in Canada for the Swedish government ...

Core Insights - The Hershey Company reported fourth-quarter 2025 results with both revenue and earnings exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates, although adjusted earnings per share fell 36.4% year over year [1][10] - The company provided an initial outlook for 2026, expecting sales growth of 4-5% and earnings growth of 30-35% [13][14] Financial Performance - Consolidated net sales reached $3,091 million, a 7% increase from the previous year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,002 million [2] - Adjusted earnings were $1.71 per share, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.40 [1] - Adjusted operating income declined 24% to $529.3 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 17.1%, down 700 basis points year over year [6] Sales Breakdown - North America Confectionery segment net sales were $2.48 billion, up 5.3% year over year, driven by pricing actions despite a decline in volume [7] - The North America Salty Snacks segment saw net sales of $357 million, representing a 28% year-over-year growth, aided by the LesserEvil acquisition [9] - International segment net sales were $255.6 million, a slight increase of 0.4% year over year, but reported a loss of $31.6 million compared to a profit in the prior year [11] Margin and Cost Analysis - Adjusted gross margin was 38.3%, down 650 basis points year over year due to increased cocoa and input costs, tariff expenses of approximately $30 million, and lower volumes [4] - Selling, marketing, and administrative expenses rose 12.1% year over year, driven by higher compensation and brand investment [5] Future Outlook - For 2026, Hershey anticipates net sales growth of 4-5%, with contributions from pricing actions and innovation [13] - Expected adjusted diluted earnings per share for 2026 are projected to be between $8.20 and $8.52, indicating significant growth [14] - Capital expenditures for 2026 are estimated to be between $425 million and $475 million [14]

For the quarter ended December 2025, Hershey (HSY) reported revenue of $3.09 billion, up 7.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.71, compared to $2.69 in the year-ago quarter.The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3 billion, representing a surprise of +2.98%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +21.74%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.41.While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expecta ...

The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) Q4 2025 Earnings call February 05, 2026 08:30 AM ET Company ParticipantsAnoori Naughton - VP of Investor RelationsJohn Baumgartner - Managing Director of Equity Research in Food and Healthy LivingKirk Tanner - CEOSteve Voskuil - SVP and CFOConference Call ParticipantsBingqing Zhu - Equity Research Analyst of Consumer StaplesChris Carey - Equity Analyst and Head of Consumer Staples ResearchOperatorGreetings and welcome to The Hershey Company fourth quarter 2025 question and ans ...