HSY · NYSE · STOCK
Hershey (HSY) Stock Analysis
$170.85
52W $156.16 – $239.48
50/100
$33.89B
22.9
0.09
Is HSY Bullish or Bearish?
Mixed.
Innellis AI committee rates Hershey Company (HSY) Watch with a composite score of 50/100
, based on 5 analysts with 40% agreement.
Last updated October 16, 2026.
What Would Change This View
- Upgrade to Buy
- Requires a committee score of 60.0 — +10.15 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 — -9.85 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. Portfolio Manager remains cautious — sector concentration is already high (hhi 2739.42). 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 28.7 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
- Price structure making lower highs and lower lows — Technical
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 October 16, 2026
Overall Committee Score
50/100
Agreement
40%
Analysts
5
Conviction
Contested
Sector Rank
Top 87%
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 28.7 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
bearish
39
/ 100 · High confidence
Price action is deteriorating -- trend and/or momentum are working against this name
+ MACD histogram positive -- bullish momentum
− Price structure making lower highs and lower lows
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
60
/ 100 · Low confidence
News flow is mixed or quiet -- no strong signal either way right now
Portfolio Manager
bearish
30
/ 100 · Moderate confidence
The existing book itself argues for caution here, independent of how good this specific stock looks
− Sector concentration is already high (HHI 2739.42)
Investment Thesis Evolution
Committee score moved marginally from 51.1 to 49.9.
- Conviction changed from moderate to contested.
- Committee agreement fell sharply from 60% to 40%.
- New bearish signals: 2 appeared.
- Bearish pressure eased: 2 signal(s) disappeared.
- Analyst(s) changed stance: Technical Analyst.
Analyst-level changes:
- Portfolio Manager: +1 bearish signal(s).
- Technical Analyst: stance neutral->bearish; score 45->39 (-6); +1 bearish signal(s).
Comparing 2026-10-15 to 2026-10-16 (1 day apart).
Technical Analysis
RSI (14)
71.1
Overbought
MACD Histogram
1.138
Bullish Momentum
Trend Direction
Downtrend
Weekly: Uptrend
Market Structure
Mixed
Support
$167.80
Resistance
$171.41
Bollinger %B
0.83
Inside Bands
Price vs Moving Averages
EMA 9
$164.06
Above
EMA 21
$165.31
Above
EMA 50
$170.30
Above
EMA 200
$181.63
Below
Fundamental Analysis
Valuation
60
Growth
70
Profitability
66
Financial Health
48
Cash Flow
70
Valuation
P/E Ratio
22.9×
P/B Ratio
7.34×
PEG Ratio
-10.15
Dividend Yield
3.39%
52W High
$239.48
52W Low
$156.16
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 22.9 (inexpensive relative to a 15-40x range); Price-to-book of 7.3x; PEG ratio of -10.2 (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
Get the Full HSY Analysis
Interactive charts · Live committee votes · Trade plan · Paper trading · AI Q&A
Open in Terminal →