Hershey Co vs PepsiCo, Inc. — how do they compare? Hershey Co trades at $170.35 (market cap $34.83B), while PepsiCo, Inc. trades at $134.83 (market cap $184.89B). The key difference: PepsiCo, Inc. is far larger — about 5.3× Hershey Co's market cap, and PepsiCo, Inc. pays the higher dividend (4.37%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSY | PEP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $34.83B | $184.89B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $236.28 | $170.44 |
52-Week Low | $162.31 | $135.40 |
Enterprise Value | $39.63B | $227.39B |
Dividend Yield | 3.38% | 4.37% |
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.
PepsiCo (PEP) trades at $134.73, down 1.74% on the day, with technical indicators showing a bearish trend. The company maintains strong profitability with a 10.78% net income margin and has beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters. Recent news highlights price cuts on snacks like Doritos to address consumer pushback, while analyst consensus remains a Buy with a $158.50 price target.
The outlook is mixed: strong cash flow and dividend yield near 4% support income investors, but near-term headwinds include pricing pressure and volatile technicals. Upside depends on North American sales recovery and margin expansion from cost controls, while risks involve competitive pressures and execution on pricing strategy.
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 →PepsiCo is one of the largest food and beverage companies globally. It makes, markets, and sells a slew of brands across the beverage and snack categories, including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Doritos, Lays, and Ruffles. The firm uses a largely integrated go-to-market model, though it does leverage third-party bottlers, contract manufacturers, and distributors in certain markets. In addition to company-owned trademarks, Pepsi manufactures and distributes other brands through partnerships and joint ventures with companies such as Starbucks. The firm segments its operations into five primary geographies, with North America (comprising Frito-Lay North America, Quaker Foods North America, and North America beverages) constituting around 60% of consolidated revenue.
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