Free cash flow and revenue per share are growing consistently.
Dividend yield at 3.38% (Highest since 1995)
PE (TTM): 18 (Lowest since 1999)
I used Tickerdata to analyze the data
https://tickerdata.com/?aff=M6PDM
The free cash flow per share for Hershey's $HSY stock has shown a general upward trend from 1995 to 2025.
2020-2025: The trend continues upwards with some minor fluctuations, reaching close to $8.00 by 2025, showing sustained growth in free cash flow per share.
Growth: There's a clear trend of growth in free cash flow per share over the three decades shown in the chart.
Volatility: Despite the overall growth, there have been periods of volatility, particularly noticeable around 2000-2005 and 2010-2015.
Recent Performance: The most significant growth appears to have occurred from 2015 onwards, suggesting Hershey has been particularly successful in generating free cash flow in recent years.
This growth in free cash flow per share can be indicative of Hershey's increasing profitability and efficiency in managing its capital, which could be appealing to investors looking for companies with strong cash flow generation capabilities.
2020-2025: The P/E ratio shows a decline from 2020, going down to about 15 by 2025. This decrease might suggest that the stock is becoming less expensive relative to its earnings, potentially due to slower earnings growth, market conditions, or investor sentiment shifting.
Volatility: The P/E ratio of Hershey stock has shown considerable volatility over the years, reflecting changes in investor sentiment, market conditions, or the company's performance.
Highs and Lows: The highest P/E ratio observed was around 40, indicating times when investors were very optimistic about Hershey's future earnings. The lowest was below 15, suggesting periods of lower expectations or perhaps undervaluation.
Recent Trends: The recent trend towards 2025 shows a decrease in the P/E ratio, which might be interpreted in various ways: it could mean Hershey's stock is becoming more value-oriented, or there could be concerns about future growth or profitability.
Investment Consideration: A lower P/E ratio might be attractive for value investors looking for stocks that are potentially undervalued. However, investors should also consider other factors like the company's growth prospects, industry conditions, and broader economic factors.
The most recent period from 2020 to 2025 shows the revenue per share continuing to rise, reaching close to $60 by 2025. This trend suggests that Hershey has maintained its growth momentum, potentially through innovation, market penetration, or capitalizing on e-commerce and changing retail landscapes.
Consistent Growth: Hershey has shown a consistent growth in revenue per share over the 30-year period, which is a positive sign for investors looking for companies with a track record of revenue expansion.
Acceleration in Recent Years: The growth rate appears to have accelerated from 2015 onwards, which might indicate successful strategic initiatives or market conditions favoring Hershey's products.
Long-Term Investment Appeal: For long-term investors, this steady increase in revenue per share could be appealing as it might reflect the company's ability to grow its top line, which is fundamental for long-term value creation.
Market Position: The increase in revenue per share also suggests that Hershey might be strengthening its market position, either through increasing sales or through share buybacks which reduce the number of shares outstanding, thereby increasing per-share metrics.
Considerations: While revenue per share growth is positive, investors should also look at profitability, debt levels, market share, and other financial health indicators to get a comprehensive view of the company's performance.
This growth in revenue per share indicates that Hershey has been able to increase its revenue at a rate faster than its share count growth or share dilution, which is a good sign of financial health and business expansion.
From 2020 to 2025, there's a notable increase in the dividend yield, rising sharply to over 3.5% by 2025. This increase might be due to a significant rise in dividend payments or a decrease in the stock price, making the dividend more attractive relative to the stock's price.
The sharp increase in dividend yield from 2020 onwards is particularly noteworthy. For investors, this could signal that Hershey is becoming more generous with its dividends or that the stock might be undervalued or experiencing less price appreciation compared to dividend growth.
