Core Insights - Hershey's Kisses brand is participating as a Premier Sponsor in NBC's "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" for the first time, airing live on December 3, 2025 [1] - The event celebrates 35 years of the iconic 'Holiday Bells' commercial by creating an interactive experience for families [2] - An LED musical mat will be available at Rockefeller Center from December 4 to December 7, allowing visitors to play the 'Holiday Bells' melody [3] Company Overview - Hershey's Kisses is recognized as the No. 1 candy during the holiday season, and the partnership with NBC's holiday special aims to enhance brand visibility [4] - The 'Holiday Bells' commercial, created in 1989, is noted for its simplicity and has become a significant part of American holiday marketing history [5] - Hershey's Kisses is introducing new flavors for the holiday season, including Snickerdoodle Cookie Candy, alongside seasonal favorites like Candy Cane and Hot Cocoa [6] Event Details - The musical mat will debut during the tree lighting special on December 3 and will be accessible to the public at Rockefeller Plaza from December 4 to December 7 [7] - Hershey Company operates globally with over 20,000 employees and generates more than $11.2 billion in annual revenues from its diverse brand portfolio [8]

Core Insights - The article discusses the rise of "fake weddings" in India, particularly as a marketing strategy for brands targeting Gen Z consumers, highlighting a cultural shift in how weddings are celebrated and experienced [3][8][14] Group 1: Fake Weddings as Marketing Strategy - Zepto organized a staged wedding event called 'The Great Indian Fake Shaadi' to promote 14 brands, including Britannia Industries and Hershey's, leveraging the cultural significance of weddings in India [2][3] - The event attracted young urban consumers, allowing brands to create organic social media content through influencers and creators present at the event [6][8] - Fake weddings are seen as a way for brands to connect with Gen Z, who have a significant spending potential of $2 trillion and value immersive experiences [8] Group 2: Consumer Experience and Brand Engagement - Participants enjoy the freedom of dressing as they wish and the absence of social obligations typically associated with real weddings, making it a more relaxed environment [5][10] - Brands like Britannia and Hershey's view fake weddings as an opportunity to engage with consumers in a celebratory context, enhancing their brand visibility and connection with modern gifting rituals [8][9] - The trend has expanded beyond marketing, with fake weddings being staged on college campuses and even leading to themed events like "fake divorce parties" [13] Group 3: Limitations and Challenges - While large brands benefit from fake weddings, smaller vendors may struggle to achieve sales, as attendees are more focused on the experience rather than shopping [11] - The duration of fake weddings is shorter than traditional weddings, which may limit the overall experience for participants [10] - The trend is evolving, with some events selling tickets to attendees, indicating a potential shift in how these gatherings are monetized [12]

Core Insights - The Hershey Company has completed its acquisition of LesserEvil, enhancing its presence in the better-for-you snacking market and expanding its capabilities in the salty snacks category [1][10] Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition of LesserEvil allows Hershey to broaden its range of snacking experiences, focusing on clean ingredients and modern flavor innovation [2] - LesserEvil's commitment to USDA Organic and non-GMO standards aligns with consumer demand for transparency and variety in the clean-label segment [4] - The leadership team of LesserEvil will remain in place, ensuring continuity in innovation and operations while Hershey leverages its scale for distribution [6][10] Group 2: Strategic Implications - This acquisition supports Hershey's long-term strategy to diversify its portfolio and invest in high-growth brands that align with evolving consumer preferences [2][3] - Hershey's salty snack portfolio has shown significant growth, expanding 1.5 times faster in 2024 compared to the previous three years, indicating strong consumer interest [5] - The company is focusing on disciplined cost management and strategic pricing to navigate commodity inflation while aiming for balanced, sustainable growth [9] Group 3: Future Outlook - Hershey is confident in returning to on-algorithm top and bottom-line growth by 2026 as it builds the next generation of snacking leadership [9]

Core Insights - The Hershey Company has completed the acquisition of LesserEvil, enhancing its portfolio of better-for-you snacks and expanding its manufacturing capacity [1][3][4] Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition of LesserEvil adds a high-growth brand known for organic snacks that align with consumer demand for healthier options [1][2] - LesserEvil's product line includes organic popcorn and puffs made with premium ingredients, categorized as USDA Organic and non-GMO [2][4] - The acquisition is part of Hershey's strategy to diversify its offerings and meet the growing consumer preference for better-for-you snacking [5][6] Group 2: Strategic Fit - LesserEvil complements Hershey's existing brands, including its well-known confectionery products and salty snack brands like SkinnyPop and Dot's Homestyle Pretzels [4][6] - The salty snack portfolio has shown significant growth, expanding 1.5 times faster in 2024 compared to the previous three years, indicating a strategic focus on this category [4] Group 3: Leadership and Operations - The leadership team at LesserEvil will remain in place to continue driving innovation and maintaining product quality [6] - The combined teams will focus on delivering growth and insights to ensure the right products are available to consumers at the right time [6] Group 4: Company Overview - The Hershey Company generates over $11.2 billion in annual revenues and operates in approximately 70 countries, with a diverse portfolio of iconic brands [8][9] - Hershey has a long-standing commitment to responsible operations and community support, dating back over 130 years [9]

Core Insights - The article discusses the author's investment strategy, emphasizing a focus on undervalued growth stocks and high-quality dividend growers, particularly in U.S. and European equities [1] - The author highlights the importance of sustained profitability, characterized by strong margins, stable and expanding free cash flow, and high returns on invested capital, as a more reliable driver of returns than valuation alone [1] - The author manages a public portfolio on eToro, where they have achieved the status of Popular Investor, allowing others to follow their real-time investment decisions [1] Company Insights - Hershey (HSY) is mentioned as a company where the author successfully identified a buying opportunity back in February, leading to a rally in its stock price [1] - The author expresses a positive outlook on Hershey, indicating a strong buy position based on the recent performance and market conditions [1] Investment Philosophy - The investment philosophy is rooted in a long-term perspective, aiming to balance personal financial freedom with the ability to work in fulfilling environments [1] - The author’s interdisciplinary background in Economics, Classical Philology, Philosophy, and Theology enhances their quantitative analysis and market narrative interpretation [1]

Core Viewpoint - The Hershey Company is launching a new lineup of holiday treats for the 2025 season, including innovative flavors and festive designs to enhance holiday celebrations [1][2][3]. Product Launches - New products include: - Hershey's Kisses Snickerdoodle Cookie Candy, featuring white creme with crunchy cookie pieces [3]. - KIT KAT® Peppermint Stick, which consists of crisp wafers coated in peppermint-flavored creme [3]. - Reese's Mini Trees, bite-sized treats combining milk chocolate and peanut butter [3]. - Hershey's Grinch Milk Chocolate Bar, wrapped in designs featuring characters from Dr. Seuss's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" [3]. Seasonal Favorites - Classic Hershey's Kisses holiday treats will return, including flavors like Milk Candy Cane, Kisses with Almond, and Hot Cocoa [2][3]. - The lineup also features seasonal shapes such as Reese's Mini Trees and returning KIT KAT® Santas, which are popular among consumers [4]. Gift Options - Hershey offers candy assortments that cater to various tastes, making them ideal for stocking stuffers and entertaining guests during the holiday season [5][8]. - Assortments include: - Reese's Trees & KIT KAT® Santas Snack Size Assortment - Holiday Mint Assortment with assorted mint-flavored candies - Sweets Assortment featuring Jolly Rancher and Twizzlers products [8]. Company Overview - The Hershey Company is a leading snacks company with over 20,000 employees and more than 90 brand names, generating over $11.2 billion in annual revenues [7]. - The company has a long-standing commitment to ethical and sustainable operations, focusing on community support and education initiatives [8].

Core Insights - The Hershey Company has a market capitalization of $33.6 billion and operates in various segments including North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International [1] Performance Overview - Hershey's stock has underperformed the broader market, with a decline of 5.7% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 Index gained 17.5% during the same period [2] - In 2025, Hershey's stock saw a slight increase of 31 basis points, outperforming the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund, which declined by 6.1% [3] Financial Results - In Q3, Hershey reported a 6.5% year-over-year increase in total revenue to $3.2 billion, exceeding expectations by 1.8% [4] - Organic constant currency sales rose by 6.2% compared to the previous year, although adjusted EPS fell by 44.4% year-over-year to $1.30, surpassing consensus estimates by 19.3% [4][5] Earnings Guidance - For the full fiscal year 2025, analysts project an adjusted EPS of $5.98, reflecting a 36.2% decline year-over-year [5] - Despite the positive earnings surprise history, the company did not significantly improve its full-year earnings guidance, which negatively impacted market perception [5] Analyst Ratings - The consensus rating among 22 analysts covering Hershey stock is a "Hold," with three "Strong Buys," 17 "Holds," and two "Strong Sells" [6] - This rating is more optimistic compared to two months ago, when there was only one "Strong Buy" and four "Strong Sell" ratings [7] - TD Cowen analyst Robert Moskow reiterated a "Hold" rating and lowered the price target from $204 to $200 [8]

Group 1 - The Hershey Company has faced significant struggles over the past two and a half years, largely attributed to the impact of GLP-1 weight loss drugs on the packaged food industry [1] - Despite the challenges, there is a belief that the worst may be behind Hershey, suggesting potential for recovery [1] - The company is recognized for its iconic brands, including Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat, and SkinnyPop, and offers a variety of products such as chocolates, gums, mints, and baking ingredients [2] Group 2 - While Hershey is acknowledged as a potential investment, there are opinions that certain AI stocks may present greater upside potential and lower downside risk [3]

Financial Performance - Hershey's stock experienced a significant drop, declining from $196 to $169 within three weeks [2] - Hershey's Q3 net sales reached $318 billion, a 65% year-over-year increase, surpassing Wall Street's expectation of $312 billion [7] - Organic sales grew by 62%, primarily driven by price increases, exceeding analysts' expectations of 36% [8] - Adjusted gross margin decreased by 85 basis points year-over-year to 318%, attributed to higher commodity and tariff costs [8] - Q3 earnings per share were $130, down 44% year-over-year, but above Wall Street's anticipated $107 [9] Market Dynamics and Challenges - Hershey has faced challenges in the past two and a half years, partly due to the impact of GOP-1 weight loss drugs on the packaged food industry [3] - The company has also struggled with high cocoa prices, although the situation has improved in the last 10 months [4] - Halloween season sales started slower than expected due to warmer weather and concentrated seasonal purchases [11][12] Strategic Initiatives and Outlook - Hershey appointed Kirk Tanner as the new CEO in mid-August, who previously worked at Wendy's and PepsiCo [5] - Management raised the lower end of their full-year earnings guidance by 9 cents, projecting $590 to $6 per share [10] - The company emphasizes a long-term strategy, focusing on future performance rather than short-term gains [13] - Piper Sandler upgraded Hershey's stock from underweight to neutral, citing reduced uncertainty and potential moderation in cocoa prices [16]

Core Viewpoint - Hershey's stock has experienced a significant decline, dropping from a high of $196 to around $169, with further declines following disappointing earnings reports and cautious management outlooks [2][4][10]. Financial Performance - Hershey reported net sales of $3.18 billion, a 6.5% year-over-year increase, surpassing Wall Street's expectation of $3.12 billion [7]. - Organic sales growth was 6.2%, primarily driven by price increases, exceeding the analyst expectation of 3.6% [8]. - Adjusted gross margin fell to 31.8%, down 85 basis points year-over-year, attributed to higher commodity and tariff costs [8][9]. - Earnings per share were $1.30, down 44% year-over-year but better than the anticipated $1.07 [9]. Management and Strategic Changes - A new CEO, Kirk Tanner, took over in mid-August, bringing experience from Wendy's and PepsiCo [5]. - Management raised the full-year earnings forecast slightly, increasing the low end by 9 cents, which was viewed as disappointing given the earnings beat [10][11]. - The management's cautious tone during the earnings call indicated challenges in the Halloween season and a slower-than-expected start [11][12]. Market Reaction and Analyst Sentiment - The stock has been volatile, with significant sell-offs following earnings reports, reflecting investor concerns about the company's future [14]. - Analysts have begun to upgrade the stock, citing reduced uncertainty and potential moderation in cocoa prices as 2026 approaches [16]. - Despite the current challenges, there is a belief that the stock may be close to a bottom, with potential for future growth under new leadership [19].