Applied Digital Corporation vs Hershey Co — how do they compare? Applied Digital Corporation trades at $29.79 (market cap $8.90B), while Hershey Co trades at $176.66 (market cap $35.23B). The key difference: Hershey Co is far larger — about 4× Applied Digital Corporation's market cap, and Hershey Co pays a 3.34% dividend while Applied Digital Corporation pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| APLD | HSY | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.90B | $35.23B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $49.65 | $236.28 |
52-Week Low | $9.18 | $162.31 |
Enterprise Value | $10.00B | $40.03B |
Dividend Yield | — | 3.34% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Digital (APLD) trades at $31.15, down 3.53% today, amid bearish technical signals despite unanimous analyst buy ratings. The company shows strong revenue growth with $144M in 2025 and $319M projected for 2026, but remains unprofitable with negative margins. Recent news highlights APLD's pivot to AI data centers with $36B in contracted lease value, though execution risks and customer concentration persist.
Outlook: High growth potential from AI infrastructure expansion contrasts with profitability challenges and heavy capital spending. Risks include customer concentration and debt load, but analyst consensus targets $76.67 suggest significant upside if execution improves.
HSY trades at $173.66, up 1.17% with recent earnings beats and easing cocoa costs supporting fundamentals. Technicals are bearish with resistance at $175, while valuation metrics like a P/E of 32.34 suggest premium pricing. The company maintains strong cash flow and a 3.22% dividend yield, with Q2 2026 earnings due July 30, 2026, as a key catalyst.
Outlook: Upside exists to the $210.33 consensus target if margin recovery continues, but high debt and volatile input costs pose risks. Analyst sentiment is cautious with 65.7% hold ratings, reflecting balanced growth and valuation concerns amid competitive pressures.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Applied Digital provides high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and cloud services. It designs and operates data centers tailored for AI, machine learning, and other intensive digital workloads across North America.
Read more on APLD →Hershey is a leading confectionery manufacturer in the U.S. (around a $25 billion market), controlling around 46% of the domestic chocolate space (per IRI). Beyond its namesake label, the firm's mix has expanded over the last 85 years and now consists of 100 brands, including Reese's, Kit Kat, Kisses, and Ice Breakers. Hershey's products are sold in about 80 countries, albeit with just a high-single-digit percentage of sales coming from markets outside the U.S., including Brazil, India, and Mexico. The firm has sought inorganic opportunities to extend its reach beyond its core confection business, adding Amplify Snack Brands and its Skinny Pop ready-to-eat popcorn to its mix and Pirate Brands (including the Pirate's Booty, Smart Puffs, and Original Tings brands) over the past few years.
Read more on HSY →