Hershey Co vs Lockheed Martin Corporation — how do they compare? Hershey Co trades at $170.5 (market cap $34.83B), while Lockheed Martin Corporation trades at $505.61 (market cap $117.48B). The key difference: Lockheed Martin Corporation is far larger — about 3.4× Hershey Co's market cap, and Hershey Co pays the higher dividend (3.38%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSY | LMT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $34.83B | $117.48B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Industrials |
52-Week High | $236.28 | $676.70 |
52-Week Low | $162.31 | $410.74 |
Enterprise Value | $39.63B | $136.28B |
Dividend Yield | 3.38% | 2.71% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Hershey (HSY) trades at $171.72, showing modest daily gains of 0.18%. The stock faces bearish technical signals with recent price action near support at $170, while fundamentals reveal mixed performance with strong earnings beats but compressed margins. Recent Q1 2026 EPS of $2.35 exceeded expectations by 15%, though net income margin declined to 7.55% in 2025 from 19.82% in 2024 due to cocoa cost pressures. The company maintains solid cash flow generation with $2.28B operating cash flow in 2025.
Hershey presents a cautious opportunity as margin recovery begins in Q2 2026, with analyst consensus target of $208.42 offering 21% upside. However, volume concerns and competitive pressures pose near-term risks. The 3.3% dividend yield provides income support while investors await evidence of sustained sales volume recovery and margin expansion in upcoming earnings.
Lockheed Martin (LMT) trades at $509.44, showing modest daily gains of 0.13%. The stock faces bearish technical signals with recent earnings misses in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, though Q3 2025 exceeded expectations. Revenue growth remains steady, reaching $75.05B in 2025, while net margins have compressed to 6.38%. Analyst sentiment is strongly positive with 57% buy ratings and a $614 consensus target, supported by recent contract wins and new product launches like the PAC-3 ACE interceptor.
LMT offers defensive exposure to elevated defense spending with a $194B backlog, but faces execution risks from margin pressure and debt levels. The stock trades at a premium 24.6x P/E with technical weakness near support at $504. Upside depends on Q2 earnings beat and defense budget sustainability amid geopolitical tensions.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor globally and has dominated the Western market for high-end fighter aircraft since the F-35 program was awarded in 2001. Lockheed's largest segment is aeronautics, which is dominated by the massive F-35 program. Lockheed's remaining segments are rotary and mission systems, which is mainly the Sikorsky helicopter business.
Read more on LMT →