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HSY · NYSE · STOCK

Hershey (HSY) Stock Analysis

Consumer Defensive Updated August 23, 2026
$186.54
52W $161.43 – $239.48
53/100
$37.82B
25.3
0.10
AI Committee Verdict
Watch
53/100
Conviction: Moderate · 60% agreement · 5 analysts
+3.6%
-3.4%
1.06:1
Moderate

Is HSY Bullish or Bearish?

Mixed. Innellis AI committee rates Hershey Company (HSY) Watch with a composite score of 53/100 , based on 5 analysts with 60% agreement. Last updated August 23, 2026.

What Would Change This View

Upgrade to Buy
Requires a committee score of 60.0 — +6.67 from today. Applies on the first day at or above the line; upgrades are never dampened.
Downgrade to Reduce
Requires the score to fall below 40.0 — -13.33 from today. The band boundary is 45.0, but a one-step downgrade must clear a further margin first. A score oscillating around the line should not change the rating every night.

Executive Summary

The committee is genuinely divided. Macro Analyst sees a compelling case. Growth Analyst remains cautious — revenue declining -12.4% yoy -- this is not a growth story right now. This disagreement is itself the signal — the setup is not clean in either direction.

Bull & Bear Case

Bull Case
  • ROE of 31.3% shows genuine earnings power backing the valuation — Value
  • 5 consecutive earnings beats -- consistent execution — Growth
  • MACD histogram positive -- bullish momentum — Technical
Bear Case
  • P/E of 31.9 is moderate-to-rich — Value
  • Price-to-book of 8.0x prices in significant intangible value — Value
  • Revenue declining -12.4% YoY -- this is not a growth story right now — Growth
  • EPS declining -33.5% YoY despite any revenue growth — Growth
  • Growth rate is decelerating quarter over quarter -- the trend line matters more than the level — Growth
Both cases are generated from quantitative data signals, not qualitative or forward-looking judgement. They summarise what the numbers say today.
Price History (6M)

AI Investment Committee

Committee Consensus As of August 23, 2026
Overall Committee Score
53/100
Agreement
60%
Analysts
5
Conviction
Moderate
Sector Rank
Top 72%
of 72 Consumer Defensive peers
Value Analyst neutral
48 / 100 · Moderate confidence
Fair value -- neither a bargain nor obviously overpriced
+ ROE of 31.3% shows genuine earnings power backing the valuation
− P/E of 31.9 is moderate-to-rich
Growth Analyst bearish
38 / 100 · High confidence
Growth story is weak, decelerating, or inconsistent
+ 5 consecutive earnings beats -- consistent execution
− Revenue declining -12.4% YoY -- this is not a growth story right now
Technical Analyst neutral
58 / 100 · High confidence
Mixed or range-bound price action
+ MACD histogram positive -- bullish momentum
Macro Analyst bullish
65 / 100 · Low confidence
Macro backdrop is supportive of risk assets generally, and this name's beta works in its favor
News Analyst neutral
58 / 100 · Low confidence
News flow is mixed or quiet -- no strong signal either way right now
Portfolio Manager neutral
45 / 100 · High confidence
Portfolio-level factors are mixed -- worth a deliberate sizing decision, not a default-size position
+ Portfolio position concentration is currently healthy
− Sector concentration is already high (HHI 3069.37)
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Investment Thesis Evolution

Committee score moved marginally from 53.3 to 53.3.

Comparing 2026-08-22 to 2026-08-23 (1 day apart).

Technical Analysis

RSI (14)
59.8
Neutral
MACD Histogram
0.618
Bullish Momentum
Trend Direction
Sideways
Weekly: Uptrend
Market Structure
Mixed
Support
$180.18
Resistance
$193.29
Bollinger %B
0.78
Inside Bands
Price vs Moving Averages
EMA 9
$185.08 Above
EMA 21
$182.43 Above
EMA 50
$181.70 Above
EMA 200
$187.42 Below

Fundamental Analysis

Valuation
53
Growth
70
Profitability
66
Financial Health
48
Cash Flow
70
Valuation
P/E Ratio 25.3×
P/B Ratio 8.12×
PEG Ratio -11.22
Dividend Yield 3.07%
52W High $239.48
52W Low $161.43
Quality & Growth
ROE 1904.9%
ROA 642.8%
Gross Margin 3810.8%
Operating Margin 1757.9%
Revenue Growth YoY
Debt / Equity 1.23
AI Fundamental Assessment
P/E ratio of 25.3 (moderate relative to a 15-40x range); Price-to-book of 8.1x; PEG ratio of -11.2 (under 1.0 suggests growth is undervalued relative to price); Return on equity of 19.0%; Return on assets of 6.4%; Net margin of 12.2%; Gross margin of 38.1%; Current ratio of 1.18 (tight short-term liquidity); Debt-to-equity of 1.23; Free cash flow per share is positive (12.81); Most recent quarter beat estimates by 32.0%; 5 consecutive earnings beats; EPS growth decelerating (+37.4% -> -19.1% QoQ); Average YoY EPS growth of 57.0%; Analyst estimates flat over recent quarters
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