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

Hershey Trust Co Trustee, a 10% owner of The Hershey Company NYSE HSY, sold 10,000 shares of the company on October 19, 2026. According to a Form 4 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the shares were disposed of at an average price of $167.48, for a total value of about $1.67 million. The transaction took place under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. On the day of the trade, The Hershey Company closed at $167.00. This follows several similar sales by the trust earlier in the month.

HSY The Hershey Company

$169.58 ▼ -4.96% year to date

1M 3M YTD

Daily close · Oct 20, 2026

Inside Hershey Trust Co's The Hershey Company Trade

The planned sale reduced the trust's holdings by 10,000 shares, leaving it with 556,119 shares of The Hershey Company. This adjustment represents a 1.77% cut in its stake. The transaction price of $167.48 per share sits close to the day's closing price. The trust previously executed comparable sales of 10,000 shares on October 13, October 14, October 15, and October 16.

Other Institutional Activity in The Hershey Company

Other major institutional investors have also adjusted their positions in the confectioner. Zacks Investment Management grew its holdings by 43,132 shares, ending with 200,228 shares worth about $35.13 million. Meanwhile, Hershey Trust Company held 55,948,131 shares valued at about $9.39 billion after trimming its stake by 610,837 shares, or 1.1%.

The Hershey Company Stock Down 0.7%

The stock recently traded around $169.58 as of October 21, 2026, putting it up about 1.5% since the insider sale. Shares are currently below the 50-day moving average of $173.11 and below the 200-day moving average of $189.86. The stock has traded between a 52-week low of $156.16 and a 52-week high of $239.48.

Recent Earnings

The company reported $12.16 billion in trailing-twelve-month revenue alongside trailing earnings of $7.32 per share. The Hershey Company has a net profit margin of 12.2% and a return on equity of 32.8%. The next quarterly earnings report is scheduled for October 29, 2026.

Dividend

The Hershey Company maintains an annual dividend rate of $5.81 per share, which translates to a dividend yield of 3.4%. The payout is supported by a dividend payout ratio of 77.1%.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Hershey Company

Insiders have been active through a series of planned dispositions. Hershey Trust Co Trustee executed four prior sales of 10,000 shares each between October 13 and October 16, 2026, at average prices ranging from $163.17 to $170.65 under Rule 10b5-1 plans.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Wall Street firms have kept a cautious stance on the stock. TD Cowen maintains a Buy rating with a $198.00 price target, while RBC Capital maintains a Sector Perform rating with a target of $206.00. JP Morgan holds a Neutral rating with a $183.00 target, Wells Fargo maintains an Equal-Weight rating with a $170.00 target, and Barclays holds an Equal-Weight rating with a $178.00 target. The stock currently holds a consensus buy recommendation and a mean price target of $198.00 across 21 analyst opinions.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company manufactures and sells confectionery products and pantry items in the United States and internationally. It operates through North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International segments.

Bottom Line

Investors will be watching the upcoming earnings report on October 29, 2026, for updates on profit margins and consumer demand. Additional Form 4 filings will show whether the trust continues its planned sales pattern.