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HSY or KDP or MNST
Which Stock Would AI Choose? The Hershey Company (HSY) vs. Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) vs. Monster Beverage (MNST) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- HSY leads with strong YTD gains of approximately 18%, driven by resilient confectionery demand and strategic snacking initiatives, outperforming peers in recent market activity.
- KDP shows modest YTD return around 4%, supported by acquisition momentum with JDE Peet's, though recent share price has faced pressure amid broader beverage sector dynamics.
- MNST posts YTD gains near 7%, bolstered by record international sales exceeding $2 billion in recent quarterly results, highlighting growth in energy drinks.
- HSY trades at a premium P/E ratio (around 49x), reflecting growth expectations, while KDP (17x) appears more value-oriented and MNST (37x) balances growth and valuation concerns.
- All three exhibit relative stability in consumer staples, with one-year returns ranging from 20-29%, offering diversification for traders navigating volatile conditions.
- Sentiment favors momentum plays like HSY, tempered by input cost risks across chocolate, coffee, and aluminum exposures.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines HSY, KDP, and MNST, key players in the consumer staples sector spanning confectionery, beverages, and energy drinks. These stocks provide insights into defensive positioning amid economic shifts, with exposure to pricing power, international expansion, and innovation. Traders seeking relative performance benchmarks and investors eyeing sector rotation will find value in analyzing their recent momentum, growth drivers, and valuation trade-offs in the current market environment.
HSY Overview and Recent Performance
The Hershey Company (HSY), a leading confectioner, manufactures chocolate, snacks, and pantry items under iconic brands like Hershey's and Reese's. Operating through North America Confectionery, Salty Snacks, and International segments, it serves retailers worldwide. In recent weeks, HSY shares have hovered around $213, with YTD gains of about 18% and one-year returns near 29%, outpacing the S&P 500. Key influences include the 2026 Investor Day unveiling strategies for next-generation snacking, product launches like Shaq-A-Licious gummies, and gross margin recovery guidance. Analyst sentiment remains constructive, citing pricing resilience despite cocoa pressures, though shares retreated from 52-week highs above $239.
KDP Overview and Recent Performance
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) produces beverages and brewing systems, spanning U.S. Refreshment Beverages, Coffee, and International operations with brands like Dr Pepper, Snapple, and Green Mountain. Shares trade near $26, reflecting YTD returns around 4% and one-year gains of 20%, lagging broader indices amid sector headwinds. Recent market activity features an unconditional offer for JDE Peet's, with 96% shares tendered and settlement set for early April 2026, alongside plans for a coffee spin-off. These catalysts support brand strength, though shares have declined over 12% post-earnings, trading well below 52-week highs of $36, influenced by volume softness and competitive dynamics.
MNST Overview and Recent Performance
Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST) develops and distributes energy drinks like Monster Energy, alongside strategic and alcohol brands, emphasizing innovation in zero-sugar variants. Shares stand at about $71, with YTD performance around 7% positive and one-year returns of 23%. Recent weeks highlight record quarterly revenues over $2 billion, fueled by international demand, though valuation concerns persist with trading 18% below analyst targets. Price target adjustments, such as Wells Fargo's to $90, reflect caution on margins and competition from private labels. Shares have pulled back from peaks near $87, balancing growth momentum with profitability pressures.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
HSY, KDP, and MNST anchor consumer staples with distinct models: HSY's premium confectionery pricing contrasts KDP's diversified beverages via M&A (mergers and acquisitions), and MNST's high-growth energy innovation. Growth drivers diverge—HSY via snacking expansion, KDP through JDE integration, MNST international volume—yet all face commodity risks like cocoa, coffee, and aluminum. Recent momentum tilts to HSY (18% YTD), ahead of MNST (7%) and KDP (4%). Valuation sensitivity shows KDP's attractive 17x P/E versus MNST (37x) and HSY (49x), with market sentiment favoring stability over pure growth amid volatility.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI leans toward HSY in the current environment, citing superior trend consistency, YTD outperformance, and catalysts like Investor Day strategies amid resilient consumer demand. While MNST offers international upside and KDP value via lower multiples, HSY's relative stability and positioning suggest higher probability of near-term gains, based on observable momentum and sector flows.
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 MNST’s FA Score reflects 1 green FA rating(s).
- HSY’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- KDP’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- MNST’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 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 5 bullish TA indicator(s), and MNST’s TA Score reflects 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- HSY’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
- KDP’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- MNST’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
HSY (@Food: Specialty/Candy) experienced а -1.88% price change this week, while KDP (@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic) price change was +4.98% , and MNST (@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic) price fluctuated +4.63% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food: Specialty/Candy industry was +1.04%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -0.63%, and the average quarterly price growth was +4.29%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Beverages: Non-Alcoholic industry was +1.66%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -1.85%, and the average quarterly price growth was +164975.86%.
Reported Earning Dates
HSY is expected to report earnings on Apr 30, 2026.
KDP is expected to report earnings on Apr 23, 2026.
MNST is expected to report earnings on Apr 30, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Food: Specialty/Candy (+1.04% 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 (+1.66% 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.
| HSY | KDP | MNST | |
| Capitalization | 41B | 36.1B | 74B |
| EBITDA | 1.94B | 4.19B | 2.53B |
| Gain YTD | 11.901 | -3.511 | -1.239 |
| P/E Ratio | 46.62 | 17.37 | 39.03 |
| Revenue | 11.7B | 16.6B | 8.29B |
| Total Cash | 926M | N/A | 2.77B |
| Total Debt | 5.74B | 17.6B | 199M |
HSY | KDP | MNST | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 5 | 65 | 72 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 36 Fair valued | 25 Undervalued | 92 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 65 | 100 | 24 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 45 | 74 | 34 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 49 | 61 | 51 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 7 | 94 | 61 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 | 75 |
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.
KDP's Valuation (25) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is in the same range as HSY (36) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for MNST (92) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that KDP's stock grew similarly to HSY’s and significantly faster than MNST’s over the last 12 months.
MNST's Profit vs Risk Rating (24) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is somewhat better than the same rating for HSY (65) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for KDP (100) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that MNST's stock grew somewhat faster than HSY’s and significantly faster than KDP’s over the last 12 months.
MNST's SMR Rating (34) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is in the same range as HSY (45) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for KDP (74) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that MNST's stock grew similarly to HSY’s and somewhat faster than KDP’s over the last 12 months.
HSY's Price Growth Rating (49) in the Food Specialty Or Candy industry is in the same range as MNST (51) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry, and is in the same range as KDP (61) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that HSY's stock grew similarly to MNST’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 MNST (61) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for KDP (94) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that HSY's stock grew somewhat faster than MNST’s and significantly faster than KDP’s over the last 12 months.
| HSY | KDP | MNST | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 63% | 1 day ago 71% | 1 day ago 71% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 69% | 1 day ago 43% | 1 day ago 47% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 45% | 1 day ago 39% | 1 day ago 56% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 48% | 1 day ago 49% | 1 day ago 70% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 55% | 1 day ago 44% | 1 day ago 58% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 52% | 1 day ago 43% | 1 day ago 48% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 64% | 1 day ago 49% | 3 days ago 58% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 11 days ago 54% | 10 days ago 45% | 13 days ago 46% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 65% | 5 days ago 65% | 1 day ago 49% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 57% | 1 day ago 35% | 1 day ago 58% |
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MNST and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, MNST has been loosely correlated with CCEP. These tickers have moved in lockstep 51% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if MNST jumps, then CCEP could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To MNST | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MNST | 100% | -0.62% | ||
| CCEP - MNST | 51% Loosely correlated | -0.49% | ||
| KO - MNST | 43% Loosely correlated | -0.91% | ||
| PEP - MNST | 42% Loosely correlated | -0.27% | ||
| CELH - MNST | 39% Loosely correlated | -4.18% | ||
| KDP - MNST | 35% Loosely correlated | +0.57% | ||
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