Hershey's $310M Volume Ranks 322nd as Cocoa Woes and Earnings Volatility Split Analysts

On August 8, 2025, The Hershey Company (HSY) traded with a $0.31 billion volume, ranking 322nd in market activity. Shares fell 1.72%, reflecting ongoing pressure from cocoa supply constraints and macroeconomic headwinds.

Analysts highlight mixed signals for HSY. While the stock has underperformed the S&P 500 by 28.1% over the past year, it outperformed the sector SPDR XLP ETF by 5.9% year-to-date. Recent earnings beat estimates in Q2 2025 with $1.21 adjusted EPS and $2.6 billion revenue, driven by seasonal demand and supply chain adjustments. However, analysts forecast a 36.8% decline in adjusted EPS for fiscal 2025, citing persistent cocoa cost pressures and inventory normalization challenges.

Analyst sentiment remains neutral, with a consensus "Hold" rating from 22 coverage firms. TD Cowen raised its price target to $204, aligning with the $182.32 average target. The stock currently trades above this level but below the $220 high-end target, suggesting potential upside of 17.3% if cocoa supply disruptions resolve. Dividend resilience and a 2.9% yield also attract income-focused investors despite declining net income in H1 2025.

A high-volume trading strategy (top 500 stocks by daily volume, held one day) generated 166.71% returns from 2022 to August 2025, outperforming the S&P 500’s 29.18% by 137.53%. This underscores liquidity-driven momentum in volatile markets, though the approach is unsuitable for long-term investing.