Hershey (NYSE:HSY) Stock Unloaded Rep. C. Scott Franklin

Representative C. Scott Franklin (Republican-Florida) recently sold shares of Hershey Company (The) (NYSE:HSY). In a filing disclosed on February 23rd, the Representative disclosed that they had sold between $50,001 and $100,000 in Hershey stock on February 10th. The trade occurred in the Representative’s “FIDELITY TRADITIONAL IRA” account.

Representative C. Scott Franklin also recently made the following trade(s):

• Sold $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of Hershey (NYSE:HSY) on 2/10/2026.

Hershey Stock Up 1.8%

Shares of NYSE:HSY opened at $230.23 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $46.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 53.05, a P/E/G ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 0.18. Hershey Company has a 12-month low of $150.04 and a 12-month high of $234.87. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $199.82 and a 200 day simple moving average of $189.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01.

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

Hershey Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be issued a $1.452 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. This is a positive change from Hershey’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.37. This represents a $5.81 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. Hershey’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 133.87%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have issued reports on HSY. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Hershey from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Hershey in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Argus raised shares of Hershey to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating and set a $185.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, DA Davidson set a $243.00 price target on Hershey in a report on Friday, February 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and sixteen have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $220.32.

Institutional Trading of Hershey

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HSY. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Hershey by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 19,067,235 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,469,855,000 after acquiring an additional 191,671 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors increased its stake in Hershey by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 9,106,431 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,657,189,000 after purchasing an additional 169,660 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Hershey by 1.8% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 7,253,041 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,356,681,000 after buying an additional 128,982 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Hershey by 2.4% in the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,315,653 shares of the company’s stock valued at $967,343,000 after buying an additional 124,464 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Hershey by 2.2% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,831,101 shares of the company’s stock valued at $876,434,000 after buying an additional 104,024 shares in the last quarter. 57.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Hershey

In related news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $219.66, for a total value of $329,490.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 50,819 shares in the company, valued at $11,162,901.54. This represents a 2.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Insiders have sold 4,500 shares of company stock worth $910,260 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

About Representative Franklin

Scott Franklin (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Florida’s 18th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2027.

Franklin (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent Florida’s 18th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.

Scott Franklin was born in Thomaston, Georgia. Franklin graduated from Lakeland High School. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1986 to 2000 and the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2000 to 2012.

Franklin earned a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy in 1986 and an M.B.A. from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1994. Franklin’s career experience includes owning an insurance agency and working as a naval aviator with the U.S. Navy.

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.