HSY
The Hershey Company Consumer Staples - Confectionery Investor Relations →
The Hershey Company (HSY) closed at $231.53 as of 2026-02-02, trading 21.0% above its 200-week moving average of $191.33. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 1.9% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 81, HSY is in overbought territory.
Over the past 2346 weeks of data, HSY has crossed below its 200-week moving average 11 times. On average, these episodes lasted 27 weeks. Historically, investors who bought HSY at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +7.8%.
With a market cap of $47.0 billion, HSY is a large-cap stock. Return on equity stands at 18.9%, a solid level. The stock trades at 10.1x book value.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in HSY would have grown to $4028, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 11.8% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming HSY as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 6.7% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Growth of $100: HSY vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After HSY Crosses Below the Line?
Across 11 historical episodes, buying HSY when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +10.7% after 12 months (median +15.0%), compared to +14.4% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 64% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +42.2% vs +24.8% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment HSY crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
HSY has crossed below its 200-week MA 11 times with an average 1-year return of +7.8% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1994 | May 1994 | 1 | 1.5% | +25.0% | +4439.3% |
| Jul 1994 | Aug 1994 | 3 | 0.5% | +32.6% | +4354.3% |
| Sep 1999 | Oct 2000 | 60 | 29.6% | -11.6% | +1540.1% |
| Jul 2007 | Mar 2010 | 137 | 33.4% | -24.6% | +666.7% |
| Nov 2015 | Nov 2015 | 2 | 0.9% | +19.0% | +253.0% |
| Jan 2016 | Jan 2016 | 3 | 2.5% | +26.1% | +246.0% |
| Apr 2018 | Jul 2018 | 14 | 5.0% | +30.0% | +200.8% |
| Dec 2023 | Dec 2023 | 2 | 1.5% | +3.7% | +35.4% |
| Apr 2024 | Apr 2024 | 3 | 2.1% | -8.1% | +31.5% |
| Jun 2024 | Jul 2024 | 6 | 4.5% | -6.6% | +29.8% |
| Sep 2024 | Jan 2026 | 70 | 23.4% | +0.5% | +24.7% |
| Average | 27 | — | +7.8% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02