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 HSY, sold 10,000 shares of the confectioner on October 20, 2026. The transaction was revealed in a Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

HSY The Hershey Company

$169.58 ▼ -4.96% year to date

1M 3M YTD

Daily close · Oct 20, 2026

Inside Hershey Trust Co Trustee's Hershey Trade

The insider executed the sale at a price of $168.85 per share, bringing the total value of the trade to about $1.69 million. This planned sale was carried out under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Following the transaction, the trust holds 546,119 shares of the company, cutting its stake by about 1.8%.

Other Institutional Activity in The Hershey Company

Other major institutional investors adjusted their holdings in the maker of Reese's and Kisses earlier in the year. 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, wrapping up the period with 55,948,131 shares valued at roughly $9.39 billion.

The Hershey Company Stock Down 0.7%

The company's shares recently traded around $169.58 as of October 21, 2026, sitting right around the $169.58 close recorded on the day of the insider's trade. The stock has faced downward pressure over the past year, trading below its 50-day moving average of $173.11 and its 200-day moving average of $189.86.

Recent Earnings

The confectionery maker reported trailing twelve months revenue of $12.16 billion alongside earnings of $7.32 per share. The company operates with a net profit margin of 12.2% and a return on equity of 32.8%. Investors look ahead to the next earnings report scheduled for October 29, 2026.

Dividend

The company pays an annual dividend rate of $5.81 per share, translating 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

The recent sale follows a string of identical dispositions by the same 10% owner earlier in the month. The trust previously sold 10,000 shares on October 13 at $163.17, another 10,000 shares on October 14 at $163.64, 10,000 shares on October 15 at $168.51, and 10,000 shares on October 16 at $170.65, all through planned transactions.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Wall Street research firms have adjusted their views on the stock through a series of recent updates. On August 21, 2026, RBC Capital maintained its Sector Perform rating while lowering its price target from $212.00 to $206.00. Later, on October 5, 2026, Wells Fargo kept an Equal-Weight rating while dropping its target from $190.00 to $170.00. TD Cowen maintained a Buy rating on October 13, 2026, lowering its target from $210.00 to $198.00. JP Morgan kept a Neutral rating on October 15, 2026, lowering its target from $193.00 to $183.00. Finally, Barclays maintained an Equal-Weight rating on October 16, 2026, reducing its target from $200.00 to $178.00. Overall, the stock carries a consensus buy recommendation from 21 analysts, with a mean price target of $198.00.

About The Hershey Company

Based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the company manufactures and sells chocolate, confectionery items, and pantry staples. It reaches consumers globally through its North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International segments. Insider transactions by major trusts are common given the organization's unique philanthropic structure tied to the Milton Hershey School.

Bottom Line

Investors will keep a close eye on the upcoming earnings report on October 29, 2026, to gauge demand across the company's snack and candy lines. Further Form 4 filings will show whether the trust continues its steady sequence of planned share sales.