Hershey Q4 sales beat estimates higher price realization and retail demand

The Hershey

05/02/2026 11:54

Overview

Confectionery giant's Q4 net sales rose 7%, beating analyst expectations

Adjusted EPS for Q4 beat analyst expectations

North America Salty Snacks segment grew 28%, aided by LesserEvil acquisition

Outlook

Hershey expects 2026 full-year net sales to grow 4% to 5%

Company projects 2026 full-year adjusted EPS of $8.20 to $8.52

Acquisitions expected to add 150 basis points to 2026 net sales growth

Result Drivers

PRICE REALIZATION - Hershey's Q4 net sales increase driven by favorable net price realization and an additional shipping day, partially offset by volume declines due to price elasticity

SALTY SNACKS GROWTH - North America Salty Snacks segment grew 28%, driven by LesserEvil acquisition and strong retail demand

HIGHER COSTS - Increased commodity costs and tariff expenses led to a decline in gross margin, despite price realization and productivity gains

Key Details

Metric
Beat/Miss
Actual
Consensus Estimate
Q4 Sales
Beat
$3.09 bln
$2.98 bln (17 Analysts)
Q4 Adjusted EPS
Beat
$1.71
$1.40 (19 Analysts)
Q4 EPS
$1.57
Q4 Net Income
$320 mln


Analyst Coverage

The current average analyst rating on the shares is "hold" and the breakdown of recommendations is 7 "strong buy" or "buy", 17 "hold" and 1 "sell" or "strong sell"

The average consensus recommendation for the food processing peer group is "buy."

Wall Street's median 12-month price target for Hershey Co is $200.00, about 2.8% below its February 4 closing price of $205.79

The stock recently traded at 29 times the next 12-month earnings vs. a P/E of 25 three months ago

Press Release: ID:nPn25Wj3qa

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(This story was created using Reuters automation and AI based on LSEG and company data. It was checked and edited by a Reuters journalist prior to publication.)