Holocene Advisors LP Lowers Stock Holdings in Hershey Company (The) $HSY

Holocene Advisors LP cut its position in Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY) by 0.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,220,992 shares of the company’s stock after selling 11,603 shares during the quarter. Holocene Advisors LP owned 0.60% of Hershey worth $228,387,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. DoubleLine ETF Adviser LP purchased a new stake in Hershey during the third quarter worth about $1,497,000. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP lifted its position in shares of Hershey by 55.0% during the third quarter. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP now owns 3,020 shares of the company’s stock worth $565,000 after purchasing an additional 1,071 shares in the last quarter. Cannell & Spears LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hershey in the third quarter valued at approximately $284,000. Candlestick Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Hershey in the third quarter valued at approximately $64,469,000. Finally, Cinctive Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Hershey in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,049,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.96% of the company’s stock.

Hershey Price Performance

Hershey stock opened at $216.88 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $210.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $193.42. The stock has a market cap of $43.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 0.14. Hershey Company has a 12-month low of $150.04 and a 12-month high of $239.48.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.40 by $0.31. The firm had revenue of $3.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.97 billion. Hershey had a return on equity of 27.90% and a net margin of 7.55%.Hershey’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.69 earnings per share. Hershey has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.520 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Hershey Company will post 6.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hershey Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be issued a $1.452 dividend. This represents a $5.81 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. This is an increase from Hershey’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.37. Hershey’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 133.87%.

Key Headlines Impacting Hershey

Here are the key news stories impacting Hershey this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded HSY to a Strong Buy, citing improved earnings prospects and momentum that could drive further upside as analysts revise estimates and buy-side interest grows. Hershey (HSY) Upgraded to Strong Buy: Here’s Why
• Positive Sentiment: HSY was added to multiple Zacks Rank #1 lists (momentum and income), increasing visibility to model-driven and income-oriented investors who follow Zacks screeners. This can lift demand for the shares in the near term. Best Momentum Stocks to Buy for March 12th
• Positive Sentiment: Underlying fundamentals remain supportive: Hershey reported a quarterly EPS beat and raised FY guidance (FY2026 EPS range cited in filings), which underpins analyst upgrades and higher valuation multiples. (Context from company results and guidance.)
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparison piece shows how Coca‑Cola HBC and other staples are faring versus the sector; useful for relative investors but not a direct catalyst for HSY alone. Is Coca-Cola HBC (CCHGY) Outperforming Other Consumer Staples Stocks This Year?
• Neutral Sentiment: Campbell’s quarterly miss (weaker snacks demand, margin pressure) highlights category headwinds that could affect investor sentiment toward packaged‑food peers, including Hershey, if trends broaden — monitor volume/mix and cost commentary across peers. Campbell’s Q2 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates, Sales Down 5% Y/Y
• Negative Sentiment: A Yahoo Finance column lays out “3 reasons HSY is risky” and recommends an alternative stock, flagging valuation, growth sustainability, and category risk — a cautionary note that may cap some upside and prompt profit‑taking among risk‑averse holders. 3 Reasons HSY is Risky and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Hershey in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Mizuho boosted their price target on shares of Hershey from $165.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Hershey in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $185.00 price objective on shares of Hershey in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Hershey from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating and sixteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Hershey currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $222.21.

Insider Transactions at Hershey

In other Hershey news, SVP Jason Reiman sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total value of $452,140.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 41,036 shares in the company, valued at $9,277,008.52. This represents a 4.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Rohit Grover sold 3,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $226.07, for a total transaction of $791,245.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 34,568 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,814,787.76. The trade was a 9.19% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 10,000 shares of company stock valued at $2,153,645. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

About Hershey

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is a leading North American chocolatier and snack manufacturer headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The company develops, produces and markets a wide range of confectionery and snack products for retail, foodservice and international customers. Hershey’s business spans manufacturing, branded product marketing, packaging and distribution across grocery, convenience, mass merchant and e-commerce channels.

Hershey’s product portfolio centers on chocolate and sugar confectionery, including core brands such as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses and Twizzlers, alongside non-chocolate snacks and confectionery brands.