Hershey Beats Estimates on Price Hikes and Snack Demand

The Hershey Company reported second‑quarter sales of $2.79 billion, up 6.6% year‑on‑year, and adjusted earnings of $1.90 per share, both well above Wall Street expectations. The results were driven by a 12% price increase that offset an 8% decline in overall volumes, with strong demand for Reese’s chocolates and Dot’s Pretzels. North America confectionery sales rose 4.2% YoY, while salty‑snack sales jumped 22.9%.

Hershey raised the lower end of its 2026 sales outlook to a 4.5%‑5.0% growth range and its adjusted earnings per‑share forecast to $8.36‑$8.52. CEO Kirk Tanner said U.S. consumer sentiment remains soft but shoppers are value‑oriented. Shares slipped about 1% after the earnings release.