Hershey Co vs iShares Silver Trust — how do they compare? Hershey Co trades at $170.34 (market cap $34.83B), while iShares Silver Trust trades at $53.34. The key difference: Hershey Co pays a 3.38% dividend while iShares Silver Trust pays none, and iShares Silver Trust is trading nearer its 52-week high, Hershey Co nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSY | SLV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $34.83B | — |
Sector | Consumer Staples | — |
52-Week High | $236.28 | $105.57 |
52-Week Low | $162.31 | $33.32 |
Enterprise Value | $39.63B | — |
Dividend Yield | 3.38% | — |
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.
SLV, the iShares Silver Trust ETF, trades at $50.98 with a slight 0.39% daily gain. The technical outlook is bearish, with moving averages signaling strong selling pressure and oscillators neutral. Recent news highlights silver's dual role as a monetary and industrial metal, with supply deficits and geopolitical tensions influencing prices. Financial ratios are not applicable as SLV is a commodity trust tracking silver prices, not a company with earnings.
The outlook for SLV hinges on silver's price trajectory, supported by industrial demand and supply constraints but pressured by Fed policy and dollar strength. Risks include volatility from macroeconomic shifts and competition from other silver ETFs like SIVR. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with silver's performance lagging gold year-to-date, yet long-term demand drivers remain intact.
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 →The ETF seeks to reflect such performance before payment of the ETF's expenses and liabilities. It is not actively managed. The ETF does not engage in any activities designed to obtain a profit from, or to ameliorate losses caused by, changes in the price of silver.
Read more on SLV →