The Hershey (HSY) 10% Owner School Sells $1.7M of Stock

Hershey Trust Co Trustee in Trust for Milton Hershey School, a 10% owner of The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY), sold 10,000 shares of the company on October 15, 2026. The transaction was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission via a Form 4. The shares were sold at a price of $168.51, bringing the total value of the trade to roughly $1.69 million.

HSY The Hershey Company

$170.83 ▼ -4.26% year to date

1M 3M YTD

Daily close · Oct 16, 2026

Inside Hershey Trust Co Trustee's Hershey Trade

Following the October 15 transaction, the trust holds 576,119 shares of The Hershey Company, which represents a 1.71% decrease in its holdings. This sale follows four similar planned transactions executed earlier in October by the same trust, continuing a steady pattern of reductions under a pre-arranged plan. The stock closed at $168.68 on the day of the trade.

Other Institutional Activity in The Hershey Company

Other large institutional investors have also adjusted their positions in the confectionery maker recently. Zacks Investment Management grew its holdings by 43,132 shares, ending with 200,228 shares worth about $35.13 million. Meanwhile, Hershey Trust Company trimmed its position by 610,837 shares, leaving it with 55,948,131 shares valued at about $9.34 billion.

The Hershey Company Stock Down 2.2%

The stock recently traded around $167.00 as of October 19, 2026, which is down about 1.0% from its close on the transaction date. The share price sits below its 50-day moving average of $173.11 and well below its 52-week high of $239.48, though it remains above its 52-week low of $156.16.

Recent Earnings

The company posted trailing-twelve-month revenue of $12.16 billion alongside diluted earnings per share of $7.32. Its net profit margin stood at 12.2% with a return on equity of 32.8%. The next quarterly earnings report is scheduled for October 29, 2026.

Dividend

The Hershey Company pays an annual dividend of $5.81 per share, giving the stock a dividend yield of 3.4%. The company maintains a dividend payout ratio of 77.1%, meaning it returns a little over three-quarters of its earnings to shareholders through dividends while retaining the rest to fund operations and growth.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Hershey Company

The 10% owner has executed multiple planned sales during October. This includes the sale of 10,000 shares on October 9 at $162.29, another 10,000 shares on October 12 at $163.13, 10,000 shares on October 13 at $163.17, and 10,000 shares on October 14 at $163.64.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Wall Street firms have kept a cautious eye on the confectioner with several rating updates. Barclays maintains an Equal-Weight rating with a $200.00 target, RBC Capital holds a Sector Perform rating with a $206.00 target, Wells Fargo holds an Equal-Weight rating at $170.00, and TD Cowen keeps a Buy rating with a $198.00 target. JP Morgan maintained a Neutral rating with a $183.00 target on the day of the trade. Overall, the stock carries a consensus buy rating from 21 analysts with a mean price target of $198.00.

About The Hershey Company

Based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, The Hershey Company manufactures and sells chocolate, confectionery items, and pantry snacks worldwide. Its operations span North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International segments, supplying household sweet and salty treats to retail stores globally.

Bottom Line

Investors are watching for the upcoming earnings release on October 29, 2026, to see how revenue growth and margins hold up. Further regulatory filings will show whether the trust continues its planned sales pattern.