40,314 Shares in The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) Purchased by Executive Wealth Management LLC

Executive Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY - Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm acquired 40,314 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,731,000.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in HSY. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hershey in the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC increased its position in shares of Hershey by 218.2% during the second quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 140 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Hershey by 55.0% in the 2nd quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 155 shares of the company's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new position in Hershey in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Gradient Investments LLC lifted its position in Hershey by 71.9% in the 2nd quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 251 shares of the company's stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.96% of the company's stock.

Hershey Price Performance

NYSE HSY traded down $6.49 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $187.16. The company's stock had a trading volume of 5,011,807 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,793,788. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The Hershey Company has a 1 year low of $168.16 and a 1 year high of $211.92. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $180.67 and its 200-day moving average price is $188.69. The company has a market capitalization of $37.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.56, a PEG ratio of 4.18 and a beta of 0.37.

Hershey Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th will be issued a $1.37 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 18th. This represents a $5.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.93%. Hershey's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 63.13%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on HSY. Citigroup cut Hershey from a "neutral" rating to a "sell" rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $195.00 to $182.00 in a research note on Tuesday, August 27th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on shares of Hershey from $195.00 to $180.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. UBS Group lowered shares of Hershey from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $226.00 to $209.00 in a research note on Monday, October 7th. Royal Bank of Canada restated a "sector perform" rating and set a $183.00 price objective on shares of Hershey in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Argus downgraded shares of Hershey from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and fourteen have given a hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Hershey currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $187.94.

Hershey Profile

The Hershey Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of confectionery products and pantry items in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International. It offers chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products; gum and mint refreshment products, including mints, chewing gums, and bubble gums; protein bars; pantry items, such as baking ingredients, toppings, beverages, and sundae syrups; and snack items comprising spreads, bars, snack bites, mixes, popcorn, and pretzels.