Hershey (HSY) Rises As Market Takes a Dip: Key Facts

Core Viewpoint - Hershey's stock has shown resilience with a recent increase, outperforming major indices, and upcoming earnings are anticipated to reveal a significant decline in EPS while revenue is expected to rise slightly [1][2]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Hershey closed at $194.75, marking a +2.21% increase from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's loss of 0.43% [1] - Over the last month, Hershey's shares have increased by 4.7%, surpassing the Consumer Staples sector's gain of 4.16% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.89% [1]. Group 2: Earnings Forecast - Hershey's upcoming earnings report is scheduled for February 5, 2026, with an expected EPS of $1.4, indicating a 47.96% decline compared to the same quarter last year [2]. - The consensus estimate for revenue is $2.99 billion, reflecting a 3.62% increase from the same quarter last year [2]. Group 3: Full Year Projections - For the full year, Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $6.01 per share and revenue of $11.6 billion, representing changes of -35.86% and 0% respectively from the prior year [3]. - Recent changes to analyst estimates indicate a positive outlook, with a 1.44% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate over the past month [5]. Group 4: Valuation Metrics - Hershey is currently trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 27.17, which is a premium compared to the industry average Forward P/E of 18.41 [6]. - The Food - Confectionery industry, part of the Consumer Staples sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 1, placing it in the top 1% of over 250 industries [6].