Hershey Co vs Moody's Corporation — how do they compare? Hershey Co trades at $183 (market cap $36.56B), while Moody's Corporation trades at $479.75 (market cap $82.52B). The key difference: Moody's Corporation is far larger — about 2.3× Hershey Co's market cap, and Hershey Co pays the higher dividend (3.19%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSY | MCO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $36.56B | $82.52B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Financials |
52-Week High | $236.28 | $539.61 |
52-Week Low | $162.31 | $412.23 |
Enterprise Value | $41.70B | $88.54B |
Dividend Yield | 3.19% | 0.86% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
MCO trades at $477.84, showing minimal daily movement (-0.06%) amid a bearish technical signal. The company demonstrates strong fundamentals with 15% revenue growth in Q2 2026 and consistent earnings beats, achieving a 34.25% net income margin. Recent news highlights institutional repositioning into credit rating companies, with MCO benefiting from robust debt issuance and AI-related analytics demand.
Outlook remains positive with a $561.88 consensus price target (17.6% upside), though valuation multiples appear elevated. Key risks include competitive pressures and market sensitivity to credit cycles. The combination of strong profitability, analyst support (56% buy ratings), and strategic positioning in credit analytics supports a constructive view despite technical headwinds.
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 →Moody's, along with S&P Ratings, is a leading provider of credit ratings on fixed income securities. Moody's ratings segment, known as Moody's Investors Service or MIS, includes corporates, structured finance, financial institutions, and public finance ratings. MIS represents a majority of the firm's revenue and profits. Moody's other segment is Moody's Analytics and consists of Research, Data, and Analytics or RD&A and Enterprise Risk Solutions or ERS. RD&A's products include credit research, quantitative credit scores, economic research, business intelligence, know your customer (KYC) tools, commercial real estate data and analytical tools, and training services. ERS includes risk management software solutions to financial institutions.
Read more on MCO →