Hershey Company stock weighs 6.6 percent growth against guidance

Published on 09/28/2026 at 13:13 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Hershey Company stock closed at USD 166.37 on September 25 after a 0.31 percent decline. Q2 EPS reached USD 1.90 against USD 1.43 consensus.

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Hershey Company stock closed at USD 166.37 on the NYSE on September 25, 2026, down 0.31 percent from USD 166.88. The latest operating picture combines a second-quarter earnings beat with fiscal 2026 guidance that remains deliberately measured.

Revenue beats the consensus

According to MarketBeat on September 25, 2026, Hershey reported Q2 2026 EPS of USD 1.90 versus a USD 1.43 consensus, a USD 0.47 beat.

The same Q2 2026 report put revenue at USD 2.79 billion, up 6.6 percent year over year and above the USD 2.63 billion analyst estimate. Finance data for the quarter show revenue of USD 2.787 billion and operating profit of USD 642.6 million, producing a 23.0 percent operating margin.

Guidance stays measured

At the Barclays consumer conference on September 9, 2026, Investing.com reported that Hershey was targeting profit restoration in 2026 and 2027 while keeping its full-year outlook cautious. Management pointed to consumer pressure, fuel costs, competitive conditions and the impact of SNAP and GLP-1 trends.

Hershey's fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance is USD 8.36 to USD 8.52, compared with a USD 8.49 analyst estimate, according to MarketBeat. The narrow range leaves execution, pricing elasticity and cocoa costs as the main variables for the second half.

Analysts see recovery potential

According to MarketBeat on September 19, 2026, 22 brokerages carried a consensus Hold rating and an average 12-month target of USD 204.78. The target is USD 38.41 above the September 25 closing price, or 23.1 percent above it.

Investing.com reported on September 1, 2026, that TD Cowen reiterated a Buy rating with a USD 210.00 target, citing a five-year innovation pipeline worth USD 1.5 billion in sales. The counter-factor is market share pressure, which keeps the recovery thesis dependent on innovation and volume.

Stock remains near its yearly low

Hershey's September 25 trading range was USD 166.04 to USD 167.75, with volume of 989,290 shares. The 52-week range was USD 161.43 to USD 239.48, placing the closing price 3.1 percent above the low and 30.5 percent below the high.

Hershey Company stock closed at USD 166.37 on the NYSE on September 25, 2026. Market capitalization stood at USD 33.7 billion on that date.