NYSE: HSY

Hershey (HSY) Stock Analysis & Forecast

Nov 4 close

$174.50+6.96 (+4.2%)

Gekko Brief

AI summaryNov 4 close

Hershey's stock moved this week on a mix of quarterly results and channel commentary. The company reported third quarter 2026 consolidated net sales up 3% to $3.28 billion, driven by North America salty snacks growth, even as confectionery volumes declined. CEO Kirk Tanner flagged softness in the convenience store channel, with U.S. candy, gum, and mint category sales down nearly 5% in September. Alongside the results, Hershey continued product and marketing activity, including new limited-time desserts with Freddy's and a trailer for an upcoming origin-story film, while one piece noted shares trading 21% below their historical P/E.

Hershey closed at $174.50, up 4.2%, sitting between its 50-day average of $168.68 and 200-day average of $188.47. The GekkoIndex reads 53.4, placing the stock in the Neutral zone, down 9.3 points over the last five sessions. Price remains 26.2% below Gekko Fair Value of $236.39. Over the past month shares have returned 8.5%, though the three- and six-month returns stand at -4.7% and -6.4% respectively.

The next earnings report is scheduled for 4 February 2027, 91 days out, placing it outside a typical 20-trading-day holding window. Over the last 90 days, Congress recorded 1 buy and 0 sells, and one billionaire holder is noted. Seasonality from this point in the calendar has averaged a 3% gain over the next 20 trading days across 5 years, rising in 5 of them. Typical 20-day price movement runs near 4.4%, worth keeping in mind given the stock's recent volatility.

Written by AI from the Nov 4, 2026 close and checked automatically against the figures on this page.

Hershey price vs fair value

$236.39$174.50Nov ’25May ’26Nov ’26
Close $174.50200-day averageGekko Fair Value $236.39

Hershey quick facts

Market cap
$35.06B
P/E ratio
19.4
Forward P/E
17.5
EPS, TTM
$8.84
Revenue, TTM
$12.26B
Profit margin
14.6%
Dividend yield
3.46%
Beta
0.07
Volume
2.11M avg 1.70M
1-year return
+7.5%
Typical daily move
±2.9%
Typical 20-day move
±4.4%
50-day average
$168.68
200-day average
$188.47
Next earnings
Feb 4 before open
Shares outstanding
146.4M
52-week range
$156.16$239.48

Hershey swing-trade checklist

Hershey scores 4 supportive, 2 mixed and 0 headwinds across the 6 checklist items with data.

Six things swing traders check before a 20-day hold, read from the latest data.

4 supportive2 mixed0 headwinds

  • Trendmixed

    Averages disagree

    Close $174.50 sits between the 50-day ($168.68) and 200-day ($188.47) averages, or the averages disagree.

    See the chart
  • GekkoIndexmixed

    53.4, Neutral

    Reading 53.4 is in the Neutral zone.

    See the GekkoIndex
  • Fair valuesupportive

    26.2% below

    Price is 26.2% below Gekko Fair Value (more than 5% below).

    See fair value
  • Smart moneysupportive

    Leans bullish

    Last 90 days: Congress 1 buy / 0 sales.

    See smart money
  • Earnings risksupportive

    Reports in 91 days

    Next report Feb 4, 2027, 91 days away — outside a typical 20-trading-day hold.

    See earnings
  • Seasonalitysupportive

    +3.0% on average

    From this point in the calendar, the next 20 trading days averaged +3% over 5 years, rising in 5 of them.

    See seasonality

A description of current data, not a recommendation. How this page works

Hershey stock chart and price history

Hershey closed at $174.50 on Nov 4, 2026, +7.5% over the past year, inside a 52-week range of $156.16 to $239.48.

Close50-day average200-day averageVolume
Hershey share price, past year, with 50-day and 200-day moving averages and volume$160$180$200$220$240DecJan 2026FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOct174.50

Use the left and right arrow keys to read daily values.

Performance Breakdown

1 month
+8.5%
3 months
−4.7%
6 months
−6.4%
1 year
+7.5%
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About Hershey

Hershey produces and sells a broad line of candy alongside everyday pantry and snack goods, reaching shoppers in the United States and in other countries. The company is most associated with its confectionery, marketed under names like Hershey's, Reese's, Kisses, Kit Kat, Twizzlers, and Jolly Rancher, plus other candy labels including Cadbury, Rolo, and Whoppers.

Operations are grouped into three segments covering North American confections, North American salty snacks, and international business. Its catalog also spans baking items, toppings, syrups, and drinks, together with snack foods such as popcorn, jerky, spreads, bars, and pretzels sold under brands like SkinnyPop, Dot's Homestyle Pretzels, Pirates Booty, and ONE Bar. Goods move to market through grocers, mass retailers, drugstores, vending machines, club stores, convenience and discount outlets, concession stands, wholesalers, and department stores.

The company traces back to 1894 and keeps its main offices in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Its stock trades on the NYSE under the ticker HSY.

Listed
NYSE
Sector
Consumer non-durables
Industry
Food: specialty/candy
Website
thehersheycompany.com

Hershey GekkoIndex: the smart money zone

Hershey’s GekkoIndex — Gekko’s 0 to 100 smart money score — reads 53.4, in the Neutral zone, down 9.3 points over five sessions.

010053.4Neutral

Down 9.3 points over five sessions, from the Accumulation zone.

Reading for Nov 4, 2026

What followed past readings in each zone

ZoneReadings5 days10 days20 days50 days
Buying56+0.2%+1.1%+4.3%+1.7%
Accumulation244+0.1%+0.3%+0.1%−0.4%
Neutral (current zone)373−0.1%−0.4%−1.0%−0.5%
Distribution19−1.2%−1.2%−1.5%−6.3%
Selling5Too few readings yet

Average HSY share-price change over the trading days after each daily reading in its GekkoIndex history. Across every stock Gekko tracks, Neutral readings averaged +1.0% over 20 days. Past behaviour doesn’t guarantee future results.

Neutral zone: No clear directional signal. About the five zones →

See every daily GekkoIndex reading plotted over the HSY price, zone by zone.Track HSY in Gekko

Is Hershey stock overvalued? Gekko Fair Value

Hershey trades 26.2% below Gekko Fair Value of $236.39, so the shares are undervalued on Gekko’s estimate.

Gekko’s own estimate of what Hershey shares are worth, recalculated every trading day.

$236.39

Gekko Fair Value, Nov 4, 2026

26.2% Undervalued

At the end of Aug 2026 the price was 34.1% below the estimate.

Gekko Fair ValueShare price, month end
$236$168Aug 2026SepOctNov 2026

How Gekko Fair Value works →

Gekko Fair Value on every chart, with the gap to price updating daily.Open HSY in Gekko

Hershey insider and Congress trading

No open-market insider purchases were filed for Hershey, and members of Congress disclosed 1 purchase and 0 sales, in the last 90 days.

Plus buybacks, unusual options and fund positions, each dated to when it became public.

Insider buying last 90 days

No open-market insider purchases were filed for HSY in the last 90 days.

From Form 4 filings, dated to when each was filed.

Every HSY insider filing, plotted on the chart in Gekko.Open HSY in Gekko

Congress trades last 90 days

1trade disclosed: 1 purchase and 0 sales.

MemberTypeAmountDisclosed
Ro Khanna
House, CA, purchase
Purchase$1,001 - $15,000Oct 9
traded Sep 4

From congressional disclosures, which report amounts as ranges.

Buybacks

Hershey has been buying back its own shares.

Bought back, quarter ended Jun 28, 2026
$370.1M
As a share of market cap
1.06%

From company filings.

Hedge funds and billionaires quarter ended Mar 31

1of the funds Gekko tracks holds HSY.

1added0opened0trimmed1sold out
Which funds are on each side, name by name.Unlock in Gekko

Hershey earnings: next date and track record

Hershey reports on Feb 4, 2027, before the open (91 days away), and beat the EPS estimate in 7 of its last 8 reports.

7 of 8reports beat the EPS estimate
±4.2%average move across the report
2 of 8reports followed by a gain

Share-price move across each report

−0.7%Nov ’24+6.2%Feb ’25−2.3%May ’25−0.1%Jul ’25−3.2%Oct ’25+12.5%Feb ’26−3.6%Apr ’26−4.8%Jul ’26

Last earnings call, Jul 30, 2026 AI summary

What they said
Hershey's Q2 2026 live Q&A reinforced the prerecorded prepared remarks: Q2 results were impacted by seasonal Easter timing and non-measured channel growth (notably foodservice), which understated measured retail consumption. Management reported demand stronger than scanner data implied, with robust brand health and a healthy innovation pipeline (Hershey movie, Halloween, new cream bars, Dots expansion). They acknowledged supply chain and manufacturing constraints — particularly for Dots and some salty-snack throughput — that pressured operating margins and increased spot freight/logistics costs in the first half but expect most issues to be behind them with capacity and automation coming online in 2027. Cocoa deflation visibility for 2027 was highlighted as a material tailwind, supported by hedging flexibility. Management slightly lowered gross-margin guidance (now just under their prior ~400-basis-point target) reflecting elevated logistics and some salty-product optimization, while reiterating their long-term organic net-sales framework (North America confectionery 2%-4%) and the achievability of their 2027 earnings framework. International showed pockets of strength (Brazil, U.K., India) but some margin pressure due to lagged cocoa cost flow-through and freight. Management emphasized disciplined capital allocation — prioritizing organic investment and M&A over buybacks for now — and remains cautiously optimistic while maintaining prudence on macro and execution risks.
Guidance
Reiterated long-term organic net-sales growth algorithm for North America confectionery of 2%-4%. Management described the 2027 earnings framework as still achievable and cited good visibility into cocoa deflation for 2027. Slight downward revision to full-year gross-margin improvement (now slightly below the previously referenced ~400 basis points). No specific quarterly EPS guidance was given; management expects Q3 to be the strongest year-over-year earnings growth period but did not provide numeric quarterly guidance. No additional share buybacks planned for the back half (but opportunistic authorization remains).
Risks flagged
Supply chain/manufacturing constraints (notably Dots and salty-snack throughput) leading to higher spot freight and logistics costs; lingering elevated logistics costs (tail into H2); macroeconomic uncertainty affecting consumer elasticities and volume recovery; commodity price volatility (cocoa, though management expects deflationary trends); competitive intensity and price gaps in chocolate; regional macro challenges (e.g., Mexico); execution risks around large-seasonal activations and innovation rollouts.
ReportedEPSSurpriseRevenueSurpriseMove
Jul 30, 2026$1.90
est $1.45
+31.0%$2.79B
est $2.63B
+5.8%−4.8%
Apr 30, 2026$2.13
est $1.97
+8.1%$3.10B
est $3.03B
+2.5%−3.6%
Feb 5, 2026$1.71
est $1.40
+22.1%$3.09B
est $2.98B
+3.7%+12.5%
Oct 30, 2025$1.30
est $1.07
+21.5%$3.18B
est $3.12B
+2.0%−3.2%
Jul 30, 2025$1.21
est $0.99
+21.9%$2.61B
est $2.52B
+3.6%−0.1%
May 1, 2025$2.09
est $1.94
+7.7%$2.81B
est $2.79B
+0.5%−2.3%
Feb 6, 2025$2.69
est $2.40
+12.1%$2.89B
est $2.84B
+1.7%+6.2%
Nov 7, 2024$2.34
est $2.56
−8.6%$2.99B
est $3.08B
−2.9%−0.7%

“Move” is the close of the first session after the report compared with the close of the last session before it, so it reads the same whether the company reported before the open or after the close.

Hershey stock forecast and analyst price targets

Analysts’ average 12-month price target for Hershey is $181.67, +4.1% from the last close, from 13 firms rating the stock in the last 90 days.

$181.67consensus 12-month target, +4.1% from the last close
Low $160High $200
Buy1
Hold12
Sell0

Each firm’s latest rating in the last 90 days: 13 firms.

Latest analyst actions

DateFirmRatingTargetvs price
Nov 3BernsteinHold, reiterated$169−3.2%
Nov 2TD CowenHold, downgraded$173−0.9%
Nov 2BarclaysHold, maintained$171−2.0%
Oct 30Stifel NicolausHold, maintained$170−2.6%
Oct 30Evercore ISIBuy, maintained$200+14.6%
−1.0%average 20-day move after past Neutral readings
+3.0%average move over the next 20 trading days in the last 5 years
±2.9%typical daily move, from the 14-day average range

Gekko doesn’t publish price predictions. These are analyst targets and historical base rates, which don’t guarantee future results.

Hershey seasonality: the next 20 trading days

Over the next 20 trading days from Nov 4, Hershey averaged +3.0% across the last 5 years, rising in 5 of them.

Next 20 trading days, by year

+2.4%2021+1.8%2022+0.1%2023+0.3%2024+8.8%2025

Average move and hit rate

WindowAverageYears higher
Next 5 trading days+0.6%3 of 5
Next 10 trading days+2.1%3 of 5
Next 15 trading days+2.8%4 of 5
Next 20 trading days+3.0%5 of 5
Next 30 trading days+3.9%3 of 5

For scale, HSY’s typical 20-trading-day move in either direction is about 4.4%.

Hershey market cap and key statistics

Hershey’s market cap is $35.06B, with a P/E ratio of 19.4 and revenue of $12.26B over the last twelve months.

Valuation

Market cap
$35.06B
P/E ratio
19.4
Forward P/E
17.5
EPS, TTM
$8.84
Gekko Fair Value
$236.39

Trading

Volume
2.11M
Avg volume, 20 days
1.70M
52-week high
$239.48
52-week low
$156.16
Shares outstanding
146.4M

Financials

Revenue, TTM
$12.26B
Profit margin
14.6%
Return on equity
38%
Quarterly earnings growth, YoY
+111.8%

Risk and income

Beta
0.07
Typical daily move
±2.9%
Typical 20-day move
±4.4%
Dividend yield
3.46%

Hershey peers

Hershey’s 6 largest industry peers by market value, with today’s move, GekkoIndex zone and gap to Gekko Fair Value.

StockTodayGekkoIndex zonevs Fair Value
PEPPepsiCo+1.6%Neutral9.5% below
MDLZMondelez International+1.4%Neutral19.2% below
IFFInternational Flavors & Fragrances+1.4%Neutral5.0% above
SJMJ.M. Smucker+1.6%Neutral14.3% above
MKCMcCormick+2.4%Neutral12.8% below
DARDarling Ingredients−2.1%Buying33.2% below

A peer links to its own page where one exists.

In the Buying zone today

Reporting earnings this week

Popular on Gekko

More stocks in Food: specialty/candy

Hershey stock FAQ

What is Hershey’s market cap?

Hershey’s market cap is $35.06B at the Nov 4, 2026 close of $174.50, with 146.4M shares outstanding. The shares trade on a P/E ratio of 19.4.

What is the Hershey stock forecast?

The consensus analyst 12-month price target for Hershey is $181.67, +4.1% from the last close. Of the 13 firms that rated the stock in the last 90 days, 1 rate it a buy, 12 a hold and 0 a sell. Gekko doesn’t publish price predictions of its own.

Is Hershey stock overvalued or undervalued?

On Gekko’s estimate Hershey is undervalued: the Nov 4, 2026 close of $174.50 is 26.2% below Gekko Fair Value of $236.39. Gekko Fair Value is recalculated every trading day, and a gap inside 5% either way counts as about fair value.

When does Hershey report earnings next?

Hershey is expected to report on Feb 4, 2027, before the market opens (91 days away). Analysts expect earnings of $1.79 per share on revenue of $3.13B. Hershey beat the earnings estimate in 7 of its last 8 reports, moving 4.2% on average across the report.

What is Hershey’s 52-week high and low?

Hershey’s 52-week high is $239.48 and its 52-week low is $156.16; it closed at $174.50 on Nov 4, 2026, +7.5% over the past year. Over the last five years the shares peaked at $276.88 on May 1, 2023.

Is Hershey stock a buy right now?

Gekko describes the data; it does not make buy or sell recommendations. On the swing-trade checklist, 4 of the 6 items with data read as supportive (fair value, smart money, earnings risk and seasonality), 2 as mixed (trend and gekkoindex). The checklist is a description of current data, not a recommendation.

How this page works

During US trading hours the price at the top of the page is a delayed quote, refreshed every 15 minutes; everything else is rebuilt after each US market close. The GekkoIndex, Gekko Fair Value and the checklist are Gekko’s own, and the Gekko Brief is written by AI from this page’s data and checked against it before it is published. How Gekko’s data works →

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