The Hershey Company posted fourth-quarter results, with both earnings and revenue beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
The chocolate maker’s adjusted earnings for the quarter grew +13.4% from the year-ago quarter to $2.10 a share, surpassing Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.69.
Consolidated net sales climbed +6.4% year-over-year to $2,326.1 million, compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,265 million. Organic net sales on constant-currency basis rose +4%.
North America Confectionery segment net sales rose +4.9% year over year to $1,982.4 million. Price realization contributed to 4.3 points of growth. Volume led to a 1.1-point headwind due to price elasticity and reduced shipping days. Acquisition of Lily's and foreign exchange added to net sales by 1.5 points and 0.2 points, respectively.
The North America Salty Snacks segment’s net sales increased +38.9% year-over-year to $158.7 million. Price realization contributed 15.9 points, and volume contributed 3.9 points. The acquisitions of Dot's and Pretzels contributed 19.1 points to sales.
International segment’s net sales rose +1.7% year-over-year to $185 million. On constant currency basis, net sales increased +2%. Price realization contributed 19.7 points to sales while volume lent a 17.7-point headwind.
The company projects net sales growth in the band of 8-10% for 2022. It expects adjusted earnings per share to increase 9-11%, and predicts reported earnings per share growth in the 7-10% range. For 2022, adjusted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $7.84-$7.98.
Moving lower for three straight days is viewed as a bearish sign. Keep an eye on this stock for future declines. Considering data from situations where HSY declined for three days, in of 296 cases, the price declined further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 7 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
HSY broke above its upper Bollinger Band on August 19, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on August 12, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on HSY as a result. In of 78 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for HSY just turned positive on July 22, 2026. Looking at past instances where HSY's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in of 47 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
HSY moved above its 50-day moving average on August 05, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for HSY crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on August 06, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In of 13 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
Following a 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where HSY advanced for three days, in of 302 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In of 222 cases where HSY Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are .
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly undervalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: HSY's P/B Ratio (8.210) is slightly higher than the industry average of (3.520). P/E Ratio (25.473) is within average values for comparable stocks, (21.500). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.055) is also within normal values, averaging (1.061). Dividend Yield (0.031) settles around the average of (0.023) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (3.118) is also within normal values, averaging (2.088).
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to consistent earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating fairly steady price growth. HSY’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. HSY’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 83, placing this stock worse than average.
The average fundamental analysis ratings, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, are as follows
a manufacturer of chocolate, candy, chewing gum, non-confectionery products and snack foods
Industry FoodSpecialtyCandy