Hershey Co Stock Price, News & Analysis

The Hershey Company has announced the nationwide launch of Lily's Sweet Fruity Gummy Bear Friends and Lily's Tart and Tasty Sour Gummy Worms, featuring no added sugar. These products cater to the growing consumer demand for healthier snack options without compromising on taste. The gummies come in various flavors, delivering less than one gram of sugar per serving. This product launch enhances the Lily's brand portfolio, acquired by Hershey in June 2021, aligning with its strategy to diversify offerings in the better-for-you snacks category.

The Board of Directors of Hershey declared quarterly dividends of $0.901 on Common Stock and $0.819 on Class B Common Stock on April 27, 2022. These dividends are payable on June 15, 2022, to stockholders of record as of May 20, 2022. This announcement marks the 370th consecutive dividend for Common Stock and the 151st consecutive dividend for Class B Common Stock, showcasing the company’s commitment to returning value to shareholders.

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) reported first-quarter 2022 net sales of $2,666.2 million, up 16.1% year-over-year, driven by a robust performance in the North America Confectionery and Salty Snacks segments. Net income reached $533.5 million, or $2.57 per share-diluted, marking a 35.3% increase. The company raised its full-year outlook, anticipating net sales growth of 10-12% and adjusted EPS growth of 10-12%. However, challenges include supply chain inflation impacting profitability. The effective tax rate improved to 21.2%.

Hershey celebrates National Lover's Day by reintroducing the Reese's Peanut Butter Lovers Cups and Ultimate Peanut Butter Lovers Cups for a limited time, starting April 23. These products cater to peanut butter enthusiasts with enhanced flavors, featuring doubled peanut butter in the Ultimate version and an extra layer of peanut butter creme in the regular version. A Reese's Loves You Back promotion offers a chance to win Reese's products for a year or a lifetime by finding specially marked packages. The promotion runs until July 31, 2022.

The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) will announce its first-quarter sales and earnings results on April 28, 2022. A conference call for analysts is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET on the same day, which will be accessible via a live webcast on the Hershey corporate website. For details, please visit the company's calendar of events page.

This event highlights Hershey's ongoing commitment to transparency and communication with investors as it continues to navigate the market landscape.

The Cadbury brand, operated by Hershey, has announced the top 10 finalists for the fourth-annual Cadbury Bunny Tryouts, with public voting open from March 8 to March 22, 2022. The winning pet will star in the 2022 Cadbury Clucking Bunny Easter commercial and receive a $5,000 prize. For each 5,000 votes cast, Cadbury will donate an additional $5,000 to the ASPCA, up to $20,000. The winner will be revealed on March 29, 2022, further enhancing the brand's community engagement and charitable contributions.

At the 2022 CAGNY conference, Hershey's CEO Michele Buck and CFO Steven Voskuil outlined the company's strategic growth plans for 2022. They reaffirmed the prior earnings expectations, forecasting net sales growth of 8-10% and reported earnings per share growth of 7-10%. Adjusted earnings per share are anticipated to increase by 9-11%. The acquisitions of Pretzels, Dot's, and Lily's are expected to positively impact net sales growth by 3-4 percentage points for the year.

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announced the purchase of one million shares of its common stock from Hershey Trust Company for approximately $203 million, at a price of $203.35 per share. This buyback aligns with Hershey's capital allocation strategy and stock replenishment program, highlighting the company's commitment to shareholder value. CFO Steve Voskuil expressed that the strong balance sheet allows continued investment flexibility for future growth. Hershey has a robust portfolio of over 90 brands generating more than $8.1 billion in annual revenues.

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) has declared quarterly dividends of $0.901 for Common Stock and $0.819 for Class B Common Stock, as announced on February 2, 2022. These dividends are set to be paid on March 15, 2022 to stockholders of record by February 18, 2022. This marks the 369th consecutive regular dividend for Common Stock and the 150th for Class B Common Stock, highlighting the company's commitment to returning value to its shareholders.