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Hershey (HSY) Declines More Than Market: Some Information for Investors

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Hershey (HSY - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $197.99, moving -0.66% from the previous trading session. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.14%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.77%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 0.17%.

Shares of the chocolate bar and candy maker have appreciated by 2.98% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Consumer Staples sector's gain of 1.07% and lagging the S&P 500's gain of 5.34%.

The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Hershey in its forthcoming earnings report. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $2.72, reflecting an 8.11% decrease from the same quarter last year. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $3.12 billion, indicating a 4.3% growth compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year.

For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $9.59 per share and revenue of $11.47 billion, which would represent changes of 0% and +2.71%, respectively, from the prior year.

Furthermore, it would be beneficial for investors to monitor any recent shifts in analyst projections for Hershey. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the company's business operations and its ability to generate profits.

Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), possesses a remarkable history of outdoing, externally audited, with #1 stocks returning an average annual gain of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.01% higher. Hershey presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Hershey is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 20.78. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 19.63, which means Hershey is trading at a premium to the group.

We can also see that HSY currently has a PEG ratio of 3.06. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. The average PEG ratio for the Food - Confectionery industry stood at 2.56 at the close of the market yesterday.

The Food - Confectionery industry is part of the Consumer Staples sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 95, positioning it in the top 38% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

To follow HSY in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.


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