The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) Shares Sold by Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co.

Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. lessened its stake in The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) by 13.3% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,150 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,099 shares during the quarter. Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Hershey were worth $1,211,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG acquired a new stake in Hershey during the third quarter worth about $1,337,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in Hershey by 66.7% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 972,836 shares of the company’s stock valued at $186,571,000 after buying an additional 389,404 shares during the period. Woodstock Corp lifted its position in Hershey by 34.8% during the fourth quarter. Woodstock Corp now owns 6,896 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,168,000 after buying an additional 1,780 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC grew its stake in Hershey by 61.9% during the third quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 120,159 shares of the company’s stock worth $23,052,000 after buying an additional 45,936 shares during the period. Finally, Pensionfund Sabic increased its position in shares of Hershey by 55.6% in the fourth quarter. Pensionfund Sabic now owns 8,400 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,423,000 after acquiring an additional 3,000 shares in the last quarter. 57.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Hershey Trading Down 1.1 %

Shares of NYSE HSY opened at $147.67 on Tuesday. 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 stock’s 50 day moving average price is $166.93 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $181.87. The Hershey Company has a 52-week low of $146.48 and a 52-week high of $211.92. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.01, a PEG ratio of 4.30 and a beta of 0.38.

Hershey Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 16th. Investors of record on Monday, November 18th were paid a dividend of $1.37 per share. This represents a $5.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.71%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 18th. Hershey’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 63.13%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on HSY shares. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of Hershey from $150.00 to $140.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 17th. Bank of America reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $180.00 target price on shares of Hershey in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Barclays dropped their target price on Hershey from $180.00 to $170.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 17th. Royal Bank of Canada restated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $178.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a report on Monday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Hershey from $171.00 to $151.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and thirteen have given a hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Hershey has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $169.79.

Hershey Company 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.