Hershey Co vs Western Union Co — how do they compare? Hershey Co trades at $183 (market cap $36.56B), while Western Union Co trades at $7.13 (market cap $2.20B). The key difference: Hershey Co is far larger — about 16.6× Western Union Co's market cap, and Western Union Co pays the higher dividend (13.33%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSY | WU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $36.56B | $2.20B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Technology |
52-Week High | $236.28 | $10.28 |
52-Week Low | $162.31 | $6.36 |
Enterprise Value | $41.70B | $2.10B |
Dividend Yield | 3.19% | 13.33% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Hershey (HSY) trades at $184.19, up 0.79% with a bullish technical outlook and strong fundamental performance. The stock shows consistent earnings beats with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.90 exceeding expectations by 33%, while revenue growth remains steady at $11.69 billion for 2025. Technical indicators show bullish momentum with the current price near resistance at $184, supported by positive moving average signals. The company maintains robust profitability with 38.38% gross margins and 32.81% ROE, though net income declined to $883 million in 2025 from previous highs.
HSY presents a favorable risk-reward profile with analyst consensus target of $196.78 offering 7% upside potential. Recent margin recovery from favorable cocoa contracts and dividend growth support bullish sentiment, though volume declines and competitive pressures in salty snacks remain concerns. With 68.57% of analysts maintaining Hold ratings, the stock offers steady growth potential but requires monitoring of consumer demand trends and input cost management.
Western Union (WU) trades at $7.13, up 1.42% with bearish technical signals and mixed fundamentals. The stock shows attractive valuation metrics with P/E of 5.69 and P/S of 0.56, but faces revenue decline from $4.5B in 2022 to $4.05B in 2025. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed estimates at $0.31 vs. $0.42 expected, continuing a trend of earnings underperformance despite strong profitability margins.
The outlook remains challenging with declining revenue trends and bearish analyst sentiment (57% Hold, 31% Sell). Key risks include competitive pressure in money transfer services and digital transition challenges. The consensus price target of $7.14 offers minimal upside potential from current levels, suggesting limited near-term growth prospects for investors.
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 →Western Union provides domestic and international money transfers through its global network of about 500,000 outside agents. It is the largest money transfer company in the world and one of only a few companies with a truly global agent network.
Read more on WU →