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HSY or KDP or KMB
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Hershey Company (HSY) vs. Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) vs. Kimberly-Clark (KMB) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- HSY leads with robust YTD gains around 20%, driven by analyst upgrades and expansion into salty snacks, though recent weeks show some pullback.
- KDP trades at an attractive valuation with ~26% analyst upside potential and 3.3% dividend yield, supported by refreshment beverages growth amid flat YTD performance.
- KMB offers the highest dividend yield at ~5.2%, appealing for income, but lags with ~1% YTD and 26% one-year decline due to growth challenges.
- In consumer staples, HSY outperforms peers YTD, while KDP and KMB provide stability amid sector rotation.
- Recent momentum favors HSY, but KDP's undervaluation signals rebound potential versus KMB's income focus.
Introduction
This comparison examines HSY (Hershey Company), KDP (Keurig Dr Pepper), and KMB (Kimberly-Clark), all consumer staples giants offering defensive exposure to essential goods like confectionery, beverages, and personal care products. These stocks appeal to traders seeking relative stability in volatile markets and investors prioritizing dividends amid economic uncertainty. With varying growth profiles and valuations, the analysis highlights recent performance, sentiment shifts, and positioning to aid informed relative performance decisions in the current environment.
HSY Overview and Recent Performance
The Hershey Company (HSY), a leading confectionery maker, has demonstrated resilience through iconic brands and diversification into salty snacks. In recent market activity, shares traded around $217, reflecting YTD gains of approximately 20% and strong one-year returns near 30%, outperforming the S&P 500. Analyst upgrades to Strong Buy, alongside 18.6% earnings estimate increases, have bolstered sentiment, though short-term pullbacks of 5% over recent weeks signal caution amid broader pressures. Strategic partnerships and portfolio expansion have countered long-term growth concerns, supporting premium valuation with P/E around 50 and 2.6% dividend yield.
KDP Overview and Recent Performance
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) spans beverages and coffee systems, with strong refreshment segment sales driving performance. Shares hover near $28, showing flat YTD returns around 0.6% but a 26% analyst-implied upside to $35+. Recent weeks featured portfolio restructuring and spin-off talks, enhancing undervaluation appeal at P/E of 18 and 3.3% yield. Q4 revenue beat estimates by 3%, with EPS up 1.9%, yet one-year declines of 16% reflect coffee pressures. Stability in core sales amid market rotation positions KDP for potential rebound.
KMB Overview and Recent Performance
Kimberly-Clark (KMB) dominates personal care and hygiene with brands like Huggies and Kleenex. Trading around $99, it posts modest YTD gains near 0.6% but a 26% one-year drop amid slowing growth and competition. High 5.2% dividend yield attracts income seekers, with P/E at 20. Recent leadership shifts and innovations aim to revive margins, though recent weeks show 6% declines. Defensive essentials provide downside protection in uncertain conditions.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
HSY, KDP, and KMB operate in consumer staples, but differ in models: HSY's premium confectionery chases indulgence growth, KDP's beverages blend pods and sodas for volume, and KMB's essentials ensure recession resistance. Recent momentum favors HSY (20% YTD) over flat KDP and KMB; risks include HSY's high P/E sensitivity, KDP's coffee volatility, and KMB's margin erosion. KMB leads yields (5.2%), KDP offers value (18x P/E), while sentiment tilts to HSY's catalysts versus peers' stability trade-offs.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors HSY for its superior trend consistency, YTD outperformance in consumer staples, and positive analyst catalysts like earnings upgrades, positioning it ahead of KDP's value play and KMB's income stability. Probabilistic edge stems from relative momentum and sector leadership, though rotation risks persist.
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 disclaimer. 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).
HSY’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileKDP’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s), and KMB’s FA Score reflects 2 green FA rating(s).
- HSY’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- KDP’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- KMB’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 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.
HSY’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while KDP’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s), and KMB’s TA Score reflects 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- HSY’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- KDP’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 3 bearish.
- KMB’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 3 bearish.
Price Growth
HSY (@Food: Specialty/Candy) experienced а -4.78% price change this week, while KDP (@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic) price change was -0.15% , and KMB (@Household/Personal Care) price fluctuated +1.60% for the same time period.
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 @Beverages: Non-Alcoholic industry was -0.77%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -1.88%, and the average quarterly price growth was +2073.90%.
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%.
Reported Earning Dates
HSY is expected to report earnings on Apr 30, 2026.
KDP is expected to report earnings on Apr 23, 2026.
KMB is expected to report earnings on Apr 28, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@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.
@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (-0.77% weekly)Non-alcoholic drinks include traces of alcohol or low alcohol content or without alcohol or alcohol removed. Functional Beverages, Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs), Sports Drinks, Fruit Beverages, and Bottled Water are some common types of non-alcoholic beverages. The largest segment in this market is soft drinks (think Pepsi and Coke). Many established companies in this space have also been stepping up production of low to zero-calorie varieties in recent years, to cater to a rising number of health-conscious consumers. Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico Inc, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. and Monster Beverage Corporation are some major non-alcoholic beverage makers.
@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.
| HSY | KDP | KMB | |
| Capitalization | 39B | 36B | 32.8B |
| EBITDA | 1.94B | 4.19B | 3.11B |
| Gain YTD | 6.547 | -3.656 | -0.822 |
| P/E Ratio | 44.38 | 17.34 | 20.34 |
| Revenue | 11.7B | 16.6B | 16.4B |
| Total Cash | 926M | N/A | 774M |
| Total Debt | 5.74B | 17.6B | 7.3B |
HSY | KDP | KMB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 5 | 8 | 60 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 34 Fair valued | 25 Undervalued | 15 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 71 | 100 | 100 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 46 | 75 | 11 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 59 | 62 | 62 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 7 | 95 | 54 | |
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.
KMB's Valuation (15) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is in the same range as KDP (25) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry, and is in the same range as HSY (34) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry. This means that KMB's stock grew similarly to KDP’s and similarly to HSY’s over the last 12 months.
HSY's Profit vs Risk Rating (71) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry is in the same range as KMB (100) in the Household Or Personal Care industry, and is in the same range as KDP (100) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that HSY's stock grew similarly to KMB’s and similarly to KDP’s over the last 12 months.
KMB's SMR Rating (11) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is somewhat better than the same rating for HSY (46) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for KDP (75) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that KMB's stock grew somewhat faster than HSY’s and somewhat faster than KDP’s over the last 12 months.
HSY's Price Growth Rating (59) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry is in the same range as KMB (62) in the Household Or Personal Care industry, and is in the same range as KDP (62) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that HSY's stock grew similarly to KMB’s and similarly to KDP’s over the last 12 months.
HSY's P/E Growth Rating (7) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry is somewhat better than the same rating for KMB (54) in the Household Or Personal Care industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for KDP (95) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that HSY's stock grew somewhat faster than KMB’s and significantly faster than KDP’s over the last 12 months.
| HSY | KDP | KMB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 61% | 2 days ago 43% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 66% | 2 days ago 43% | 2 days ago 40% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | N/A | 2 days ago 39% | 2 days ago 47% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | N/A | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 54% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 47% | 2 days ago 43% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 43% | 2 days ago 46% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 10 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 49% | 2 days ago 42% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 56% | 4 days ago 46% | 6 days ago 48% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 70% | N/A | 2 days ago 48% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 35% | 2 days ago 45% |
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| 1 Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs / NAME | Price $ | Chg $ | Chg % |
| CGRO | 25.25 | 0.96 | +3.93% |
| CoreValues Alpha Greater China Gr ETF | |||
| ASEA | 20.03 | 0.20 | +1.01% |
| Global X FTSE Southeast Asia ETF | |||
| DFP | 21.08 | 0.18 | +0.86% |
| FLAHERTY & CRUMRINE DYNAMIC PREFERRED AND Income FUND | |||
| RTRE | 25.27 | 0.11 | +0.43% |
| Rareview Total Return Bond ETF | |||
| NEAR | 50.95 | 0.10 | +0.20% |
| iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | |||
KDP and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, KDP has been loosely correlated with PEP. These tickers have moved in lockstep 48% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if KDP jumps, then PEP could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To KDP | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KDP | 100% | +1.88% | ||
| PEP - KDP | 48% Loosely correlated | -0.45% | ||
| KO - KDP | 45% Loosely correlated | +0.74% | ||
| FIZZ - KDP | 45% Loosely correlated | +1.54% | ||
| MNST - KDP | 31% Poorly correlated | +1.80% | ||
| CCEP - KDP | 26% Poorly correlated | +2.10% | ||
More | ||||
KMB and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, KMB has been loosely correlated with CL. These tickers have moved in lockstep 53% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if KMB jumps, then CL could also see price increases.