HERSHEY CO

HSY · Consumer Staples · $34.8B mkt cap · FY2025 filings · Narrow moat

On the watchlist

Narrow moat

The four filters

Pricing power71

Median gross margin 45.2% over 10y, stable.

Returns on capital100

Median ROIC 25.5%, above the 9% hurdle in 100% of years.

Balance-sheet safety34

Net debt/EBITDA 2.3x, interest coverage 6x.

Capital discipline55

Owner earnings +2.4%/yr, share count shrinking (buybacks).

Margin of safety

Above valueOn sale

90% above value

Owner earnings (normalized): $1.6B
Est. intrinsic value / share: $90.10
Recent price: $171.50
Discount to value: 90% above value

Conservative model: 9% discount rate, 0% assumed growth (capped at 4%), maintenance capex ≈ min(capex, D&A).

Moat Score history

Score history begins 2026-07-17. Check back as the record builds.

Scores are logged append-only and never overwritten — this record can't be backfilled, which is exactly why it's worth keeping.

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Scored from primary SEC filings via the public methodology. Educational only — not a recommendation to buy or sell HSY. See the disclaimer.