Hershey(US:HSY) ZACKSยท2024-07-16 23:21Company Overview - Hershey (HSY) closed at $189.97, reflecting a +0.56% change from the previous session, which is lower than the S&P 500's gain of 0.64% [1] - Over the past month, Hershey's shares increased by 3.21%, outperforming the Consumer Staples sector's gain of 0.85% but lagging behind the S&P 500's gain of 3.82% [1] Upcoming Financial Results - Hershey is set to announce its earnings on August 1, 2024, with an expected EPS of $1.44, indicating a 28.36% decline year-over-year [1] - The consensus estimate for quarterly revenue is $2.31 billion, down 7.09% from the same period last year [1] Annual Forecast - The Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $9.59 per share and revenue of $11.44 billion for the entire year, showing no change in earnings and a +2.43% increase in revenue compared to the previous year [2] Analyst Estimates and Market Sentiment - Changes in analyst estimates for Hershey are crucial as they reflect short-term business trends, with upward revisions indicating positive sentiment towards the company's operations [2] - The Zacks Rank system, which includes estimate changes, currently ranks Hershey at 4 (Sell) [3] Valuation Metrics - Hershey has a Forward P/E ratio of 19.7, which is slightly lower than the industry average of 19.92, suggesting it is trading at a discount [3] - The company has a PEG ratio of 4.23, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 3.33, indicating a higher expected earnings growth trajectory relative to its price [3] Industry Context - The Food - Confectionery industry, part of the Consumer Staples sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 226, placing it in the bottom 11% of all industries [4] - The strength of industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, with top-rated industries outperforming the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [4]