Hershey Co vs United States Natural Gas Fund — how do they compare? Hershey Co trades at $170.39 (market cap $34.83B), while United States Natural Gas Fund trades at $10.34. The key difference: Hershey Co pays a 3.38% dividend while United States Natural Gas Fund pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSY | UNG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $34.83B | — |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Commodities - Energy |
52-Week High | $236.28 | $16.90 |
52-Week Low | $162.31 | $10.15 |
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.
UNG trades at $10.29, down 2.09% in the last session, with technical indicators signaling a bearish trend. The stock shows oversold conditions on short-term RSI readings but faces strong selling pressure from moving averages. Recent news highlights volatility in natural gas futures, with prices influenced by weather forecasts and LNG demand fluctuations. Fundamental data is unavailable, limiting traditional valuation analysis.
The outlook remains cautious due to commodity price dependency and lack of fundamental metrics. Risks include energy market volatility and competition from equity-based natural gas ETFs. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with technicals leaning bearish but potential for short-term rebounds if gas prices stabilize.
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 →UNG is a commodity ETF that tracks the daily price movements of natural gas futures. It primarily invests in front-month contracts at the Henry Hub, making it a highly volatile tool for short-term trading rather than long-term holding due to contango and roll costs.
Read more on UNG →