Hershey Co vs Manulife Financial Corporation — how do they compare? Hershey Co trades at $169.96 (market cap $34.83B), while Manulife Financial Corporation trades at $42.8 (market cap $69.96B). The key difference: Manulife Financial Corporation is far larger — about 2× Hershey Co's market cap, and Hershey Co pays the higher dividend (3.38%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSY | MFC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $34.83B | $69.96B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Financials |
52-Week High | $236.28 | $43.39 |
52-Week Low | $162.31 | $29.90 |
Enterprise Value | $39.63B | $66.52B |
Dividend Yield | 3.38% | 3.14% |
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.
Manulife Financial (MFC) trades at $42.56, down 1.91% today but remains near 52-week highs. The stock shows strong fundamentals with revenue growth from $46.2B in 2024 to $53.0B in 2025 and consistent profitability (12.07% net margin). Technical indicators are mixed with bullish moving averages but overbought RSI levels. Recent Q1 2026 earnings missed expectations despite strong Asia performance, while analyst consensus remains bullish with 57% buy ratings.
MFC presents a compelling value case with reasonable valuation (P/E 17.75) and dividend yield support. Key opportunities include AI integration partnerships and Asia growth, though risks include wealth management outflows and regulatory scrutiny. The stock's current technical overbought condition suggests potential near-term consolidation before resuming upward trajectory.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Manulife provides life insurance and wealth management products and services to individuals and group customers in Canada, the United States, and Asia. Manulife is one of Canada's Big Three Life Insurance companies (the other two are Sun Life and Great West Life). As of Dec. 31, 2021, Manulife reported assets under management or administration of about CAD $1.4 trillion.
Read more on MFC →