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CL or HSY or MO
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. The Hershey Company (HSY) vs. Altria Group (MO) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- CL trades at a premium PE of 34.34 with 2.39% yield and 15% YTD gains, supported by steady consumer staples demand amid market volatility.
- HSY leads YTD performance at 21.74% and 1-year returns at 33.27%, bolstered by analyst upgrades and salty snacks expansion, though PE stands high at 50.71.
- MO offers the highest dividend yield at 6.25% with 17.17% YTD gains, trading at an attractive PE of 16.40 on robust cash flows from tobacco operations.
- Consumer staples sector provides defensive positioning, with HSY showing strongest momentum and MO excelling in income generation.
- Recent analyst actions favor HSY (Strong Buy) and MO (Buy upgrades), while CL remains stable but choppy.
Introduction
This stock comparison evaluates CL, HSY, and MO, three consumer staples leaders offering resilience in volatile markets. CL dominates oral care, HSY excels in confectionery and snacks, and MO focuses on tobacco products. Investors seeking defensive plays with dividends, traders eyeing relative performance, and portfolio diversifiers will find value in analyzing their recent momentum, valuations, and sector dynamics. Amid economic uncertainty, these stocks highlight trade-offs in growth, yield, and stability for informed positioning.
CL Overview and Recent Performance
Colgate-Palmolive (CL), a global leader in oral, personal, and home care products, maintains steady demand through essential consumer goods. Trading around $90 with a 52-week range of $74.55-$99.33, its market cap stands at $72.4B. Recent market activity shows choppy trading influenced by inflation pressures and consumer spending caution, yet YTD gains reach 15% and 1-year returns 3%. A PE ratio of 34.34 reflects premium valuation, supported by a 2.39% dividend yield. Analysts note improved sales momentum, with Barclays maintaining Equal-Weight but raising targets. Sentiment benefits from long-term stability, though volatility tempers near-term upside.
HSY Overview and Recent Performance
The Hershey Company (HSY) specializes in chocolate, confectionery, and expanding salty snacks, leveraging iconic brands amid resilient snacking trends. Shares hover near $220 in a 52-week range of $150.04-$239.48, with a $44.6B market cap. Recent performance shines with 21.74% YTD and 33.27% 1-year gains, driven by strategic partnerships like TogetherCocoa and salty snacks growth. PE at 50.71 signals elevated valuation, offset by 2.68% yield. Zacks upgraded to Strong Buy on 18.6% earnings estimate hikes; Morgan Stanley raised targets. Positive sentiment stems from diversification and momentum-screen appearances.
MO Overview and Recent Performance
Altria Group (MO), a tobacco giant with Marlboro dominance and smokeless products, generates reliable cash flows despite volume pressures. Priced around $67.56 in a 52-week range of $52.82-$70.51, market cap is $113.4B. YTD performance hits 17.17%, 1-year 22.90%, fueled by pricing power and oral nicotine expansion. Attractive PE of 16.40 pairs with top-tier 6.25% yield. UBS reaffirmed Buy, lifting targets to $74 on stabilizing volumes. Investor focus on dividend sustainability and cash flows bolsters sentiment amid sector challenges.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
CL, HSY, and MO anchor consumer staples but diverge in models: CL's hygiene essentials offer low-cyclicality growth; HSY's snacks drive indulgence-fueled momentum; MO's tobacco emphasizes yield via pricing. Growth tilts to HSY (salty expansion), while MO leads income (6.25% yield vs. 2.4-2.7%). Momentum favors HSY (33% 1-yr), MO close (23%). Risks include MO's regulatory headwinds, HSY's high PE sensitivity, CL's inflation exposure. Valuations contrast: MO cheapest (PE 16), HSY priciest. Sentiment leans bullish on HSY/MO upgrades.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI would lean toward MO in the current environment, given its low PE, unmatched yield stability, and consistent cash flows amid volatility. Strong YTD gains and analyst support signal relative strength, with fewer growth risks than HSY and better value than CL. Probabilistic edge favors income-focused positioning, though monitoring catalysts like volume trends remains key.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full Disclaimers and Limitations.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CL’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileHSY’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s), and MO’s FA Score reflects 4 green FA rating(s).
- CL’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- HSY’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- MO’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CL’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while HSY’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s), and MO’s TA Score reflects 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CL’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- HSY’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- MO’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
CL (@Household/Personal Care) experienced а +1.74% price change this week, while HSY (@Food: Specialty/Candy) price change was -4.78% , and MO (@Tobacco) price fluctuated -4.76% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Household/Personal Care industry was +0.96%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +3.95%, and the average quarterly price growth was -8.44%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food: Specialty/Candy industry was -2.68%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -2.45%, and the average quarterly price growth was +1.01%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Tobacco industry was -1.34%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -0.47%, and the average quarterly price growth was -9.25%.
Reported Earning Dates
CL is expected to report earnings on May 01, 2026.
HSY is expected to report earnings on Apr 30, 2026.
MO is expected to report earnings on Apr 30, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Household/Personal Care (+0.96% weekly)Household/Personal Care companies sell products for home cleaning and/or personal hygiene and grooming purposes. Products of this industry include detergents, shampoos, soaps, cosmetics, fabric conditioners and infant care fragrances. Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Estee Lauder and Colgate-Palmolive are some of the biggest names in the business. A lot of the products become a necessary part of people’s daily routine, and therefore the industry is relatively less vulnerable to macroeconomic downturns. At the same time, product quality, consumer safety, and ease of use are extremely critical factors for a company to survive competition and earn recognition in this industry.
@Food: Specialty/Candy (-2.68% weekly)A specialty/candy manufacturer specializes in one or more of the following: chocolate, candies, pasta, condiments, seasonings, among other items. Hershey Company, McCormick & Company and J.M. Smucker Company are some of the major firms in this segment. Demand for this industry’s products comes from both institutions/restaurants as well as households.
@Tobacco (-1.34% weekly)The industry is engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products like cigarettes. In 2017, tobacco companies spent an estimated $9.36 billion marketing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the U.S. – an amount that translates to more than $25 million each day (according to a CDC report). Philip Morris International Inc., Altria Group Inc., and British American Tobacco plc are some major cigar makers. In recent times, vaping or the use of e-cigarette (does not burn tobacco) is gaining momentum – several established cigarette makers are trying to expand their footprint in this new market.
| CL | HSY | MO | |
| Capitalization | 68.8B | 39B | 107B |
| EBITDA | 3.96B | 1.94B | 10.8B |
| Gain YTD | 9.258 | 6.547 | 13.155 |
| P/E Ratio | 32.63 | 44.38 | 15.58 |
| Revenue | 20.4B | 11.7B | 20.1B |
| Total Cash | 1.29B | 926M | N/A |
| Total Debt | 8.55B | 5.74B | 25.7B |
CL | HSY | MO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 71 | 7 | 56 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 98 Overvalued | 34 Fair valued | 8 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 65 | 71 | 14 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 5 | 46 | 9 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 57 | 59 | 34 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 43 | 7 | 15 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
MO's Valuation (8) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as HSY (34) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for CL (98) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that MO's stock grew similarly to HSY’s and significantly faster than CL’s over the last 12 months.
MO's Profit vs Risk Rating (14) in the Tobacco industry is somewhat better than the same rating for CL (65) in the Household Or Personal Care industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for HSY (71) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry. This means that MO's stock grew somewhat faster than CL’s and somewhat faster than HSY’s over the last 12 months.
CL's SMR Rating (5) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is in the same range as MO (9) in the Tobacco industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for HSY (46) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry. This means that CL's stock grew similarly to MO’s and somewhat faster than HSY’s over the last 12 months.
MO's Price Growth Rating (34) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as CL (57) in the Household Or Personal Care industry, and is in the same range as HSY (59) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry. This means that MO's stock grew similarly to CL’s and similarly to HSY’s over the last 12 months.
HSY's P/E Growth Rating (7) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry is in the same range as MO (15) in the Tobacco industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for CL (43) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that HSY's stock grew similarly to MO’s and somewhat faster than CL’s over the last 12 months.
| CL | HSY | MO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 46% | 3 days ago 53% | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 45% | 3 days ago 66% | 3 days ago 58% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 47% | N/A | 3 days ago 35% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 44% | N/A | 3 days ago 40% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 46% | 3 days ago 55% | 3 days ago 40% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 45% | 3 days ago 53% | 3 days ago 31% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 44% | 11 days ago 64% | 11 days ago 53% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 43% | 4 days ago 56% | 5 days ago 37% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 45% | 3 days ago 70% | 3 days ago 55% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 47% | 3 days ago 57% | 3 days ago 23% |
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CL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, CL has been closely correlated with PG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 70% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if CL jumps, then PG could also see price increases.
HSY and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, HSY has been loosely correlated with KHC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 58% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if HSY jumps, then KHC could also see price increases.