Dollar General Corp. vs Hershey Co — how do they compare? Dollar General Corp. trades at $120.2 (market cap $26.49B), while Hershey Co trades at $183 (market cap $36.56B). The key difference: Hershey Co is the larger of the two by market cap, and Hershey Co pays the higher dividend (3.19%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| DG | HSY | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $26.49B | $36.56B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $156.26 | $236.28 |
52-Week Low | $95.94 | $162.31 |
Enterprise Value | $40.93B | $41.70B |
Dividend Yield | 1.97% | 3.19% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Dollar General (DG) trades at $119.65, down 2.24% amid broader market weakness. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 16.98 and P/S of 0.62, trading below analyst consensus target of $128.45. Recent earnings beats and positive cash flow trends ($395M net in 2025) support the bullish case, though profit margins have compressed from 7.01% in 2022 to 2.77% in 2025. Technical indicators show mixed signals with bullish overall sentiment but bearish moving averages.
Outlook remains positive given 52% analyst buy ratings and projected earnings growth, but investors face margin pressure and competitive threats from Walmart and Amazon. The stock offers value characteristics with upside to price targets, though same-store sales growth and cost management will be critical for sustained performance.
Hershey (HSY) trades at $184.19, up 0.79% with a bullish technical outlook and strong fundamental performance. The stock shows consistent earnings beats with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.90 exceeding expectations by 33%, while revenue growth remains steady at $11.69 billion for 2025. Technical indicators show bullish momentum with the current price near resistance at $184, supported by positive moving average signals. The company maintains robust profitability with 38.38% gross margins and 32.81% ROE, though net income declined to $883 million in 2025 from previous highs.
HSY presents a favorable risk-reward profile with analyst consensus target of $196.78 offering 7% upside potential. Recent margin recovery from favorable cocoa contracts and dividend growth support bullish sentiment, though volume declines and competitive pressures in salty snacks remain concerns. With 68.57% of analysts maintaining Hold ratings, the stock offers steady growth potential but requires monitoring of consumer demand trends and input cost management.
Trailing returns across standard periods
A leading American discount retailer, Dollar General operates over 18,000 stores in 47 states, selling branded and private-label products across a wide variety of categories. In fiscal 2021, 77% of net sales came from consumables (including paper and cleaning products, packaged and perishable food, tobacco, and health and beauty items), 12% from seasonal merchandise (such as toys, greeting cards, decorations, and gardening supplies), 7% from home products (for example, kitchen supplies, small appliances, and cookware), and 4% from basic apparel. Stores average roughly 7,400 square feet, and about 75% of Dollar General locations are in towns of 20,000 or fewer people. The firm emphasizes value, with most of its items sold at everyday low prices of $5 or less.
Read more on DG →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 →