Hershey (NYSE: HSY) Prepares for Q3 Earnings Amidst Strong Performance and Analyst Expectations

• Analysts forecast Hershey's Q3 earnings per share at $2.12 and revenue at $3.25 billion.
• In Q2, net sales rose 6.6% to $2.79 billion, with adjusted EPS climbing 57% to $1.90.
• Hershey has consistently beaten earnings estimates in the past two quarters by an average of 22.83%.

Hershey (NYSE: HSY) makes chocolate, candy and snacks. Its products compete with other major candy brands for shelf space and shopper spending. UBS reiterates its Neutral rating and hold recommendation ahead of Hershey’s third-quarter earnings report. The stock trades at $168.39 when UBS publishes the update.

Hershey is expected to report on October 29. Analysts forecast earnings per share of $2.12, up 63.08% from a year earlier, and revenue of $3.25 billion, up 2.29%. Earnings per share measure profit for each share of stock. The report includes a substantial portion of Halloween shipments, as highlighted by The Motley Fool.

Recent results show why the report matters. In the second quarter, net sales rise 6.6% to $2.79 billion, while adjusted earnings per share climb 57% to $1.90. Higher prices and lower cocoa costs help, but sales volume—the amount sold—falls about 8%. Hershey’s 2026 adjusted earnings-per-share outlook stands at $8.36–$8.52.

Hershey beats earnings estimates in each of its past two quarters, by an average of 22.83%, as highlighted by Zacks Investment Research. Its latest earnings of $1.90 per share exceed the $1.45 estimate by 31.03%. On October 19, the stock closes at $167.00, down 2.24%, while the S&P 500 gains 0.41%.