Compare Hershey Co (HSY) vs Novavax Inc (NVAX) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Hershey Co vs Novavax Inc — how do they compare? Hershey Co trades at $170.42 (market cap $34.83B), while Novavax Inc trades at $8.07 (market cap $1.30B). The key difference: Hershey Co is far larger — about 26.8× Novavax Inc's market cap, and Hershey Co pays a 3.38% dividend while Novavax Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSY | NVAX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $34.83B | $1.30B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Health |
52-Week High | $236.28 | $11.19 |
52-Week Low | $162.31 | $6.22 |
Enterprise Value | $39.63B | $800.50M |
Dividend Yield | 3.38% | — |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
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.
Novavax (NVAX) trades at $7.86, down 4.26% on the day amid a bearish technical signal, though it has beaten earnings estimates for the last three quarters. The company reported $1.12 billion in revenue for 2025 with a net income of $440.30 million, yet faces negative shareholder equity and cash flow challenges. Recent news highlights stock volatility and shareholder dissent at the AGM, while analyst consensus remains largely bullish with a $14.00 price target.
The outlook for NVAX hinges on sustaining profitability and managing cash burn, with significant upside potential per analyst targets but substantial risks from negative equity, competitive pressures, and reliance on vaccine demand. Investors must weigh the high volatility and financial health concerns against the optimistic Wall Street ratings.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
About Hershey Co
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 →About Novavax Inc
Novavax, Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company. The Company creates novel vaccines to address a broad range of infectious diseases worldwide using proprietary virus-like particle (VLP) technology.
Read more on NVAX →
