Grove Bank & Trust Grows Stock Position in The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY)

Grove Bank & Trust boosted its position in The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) by 248.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 174 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 124 shares during the quarter. Grove Bank & Trust’s holdings in Hershey were worth $29,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of HSY. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new stake in Hershey in the third quarter worth $25,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. increased its position in Hershey by 61.7% in the fourth quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 262 shares of the company’s stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Hershey in the third quarter worth $46,000. Future Financial Wealth Managment LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hershey in the third quarter valued at $48,000. Finally, City State Bank grew its position in shares of Hershey by 210.0% in the fourth quarter. City State Bank now owns 310 shares of the company’s stock valued at $52,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. 57.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Hershey Trading Down 0.8 %

NYSE HSY opened at $152.82 on Tuesday. The Hershey Company has a 1-year low of $150.31 and a 1-year high of $211.92. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $171.86 and a 200-day moving average of $184.39. The firm has a market cap of $30.92 billion, a PE ratio of 17.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.31 and a beta of 0.38.

Hershey Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th were paid a $1.37 dividend. This represents a $5.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.59%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 18th. Hershey’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 63.13%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on HSY. Redburn Atlantic began coverage on Hershey in a research report on Tuesday, October 22nd. They issued a “sell” rating and a $165.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Hershey from $171.00 to $151.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. UBS Group reduced their price target on Hershey from $189.00 to $163.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. TD Cowen reduced their price target on Hershey from $190.00 to $172.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, Bank of America restated a “neutral” rating and set a $180.00 target price on shares of Hershey in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and fourteen have given a hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $176.42.

About Hershey

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.