Hershey Co vs Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund ETF — how do they compare? Hershey Co trades at $171.51 (market cap $34.83B), while Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund ETF trades at $114.77. The key difference: Hershey Co pays a 3.38% dividend while Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund ETF pays none, and Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, Hershey Co nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSY | VGT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $34.83B | — |
Sector | Consumer Staples | — |
52-Week High | $236.28 | $125.77 |
52-Week Low | $162.31 | $83.59 |
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.
VGT trades at $113.23, showing minimal daily movement with a 0.11% gain. Technical indicators signal a bearish trend with moving averages and overall signals pointing downward, though oscillators remain neutral. The ETF recently completed a 1:8 stock split and has a small dividend scheduled for June 2026. Recent news highlights strong historical performance but notes current semiconductor sector volatility affecting tech ETFs.
The outlook for VGT remains tied to technology sector momentum, particularly AI and semiconductor growth. Key risks include sector concentration and valuation concerns after recent run-ups. Analyst sentiment appears mixed, balancing strong long-term track record against near-term technical weakness and market volatility.
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 →The fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Index/Information Technology 25/50, an index made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small US companies within the information technology sector, as classified under the GICS. The advisor attempts to replicate the target index by seeking to invest all of its assets in the stocks that make up the index, in order to hold each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the index. It is non-diversified.
Read more on VGT →