Axxcess Wealth Management LLC Sells 3,096 Shares of Hershey Company (The) $HSY

Axxcess Wealth Management LLC cut its holdings in Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY) by 17.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,534 shares of the company’s stock after selling 3,096 shares during the period. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Hershey were worth $2,718,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in HSY. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Hershey by 1,537.5% during the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 131 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares during the period. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Hershey during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC boosted its holdings in Hershey by 46.3% in the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 199 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Hershey in the second quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Hershey in the 2nd quarter worth $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.96% of the company’s stock.

Hershey Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of NYSE:HSY opened at $219.93 on Friday. Hershey Company has a 12-month low of $150.04 and a 12-month high of $234.87. 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 stock’s 50-day moving average price is $197.42 and its 200-day moving average price is $188.34. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.18.

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

Hershey Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be issued a dividend of $1.452 per share. This is a boost from Hershey’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.37. This represents a $5.81 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. Hershey’s dividend payout ratio is currently 133.87%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

HSY has been the topic of several research reports. TD Cowen restated a “hold” rating on shares of Hershey in a report on Friday, February 6th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Hershey from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Hershey from $182.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Stephens increased their target price on shares of Hershey from $200.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Piper Sandler set a $213.00 price target on Hershey and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and sixteen have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $218.74.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $219.66, for a total transaction of $329,490.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 50,819 shares in the company, valued at $11,162,901.54. The trade was a 2.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders sold a total of 4,500 shares of company stock valued at $910,260 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.

Hershey Company Profile

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.