Hershey Company Earnings Preview: Analysts Expect Higher EPS, Revenue
Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announces its next round of earnings this Thursday, October 27, 2011. Get prepared with Benzinga's ultimate preview for Hershey Company's third quarter earnings.
Earnings and Revenue:
Based on estimates, investors are readying for a positive EPS reading of 83 cents/share and revenues of $1.62 billion. Hershey Company's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of 79 cents/share on revenues of $1.55 billion. We'll have to wait for Thursday to see if Hershey Company falls in line with analyst expectations and reports an estimated increase in both EPS and revenue from the year-ago quarter.
Here's how the company's reported EPS has stacked up against analyst estimates in the past:
| Quarter | Q2 | Q1 | Q4 | Q3 |
| EPS Estimate | $0.55 | $0.70 | $0.61 | $0.79 |
| EPS Actual | $0.56 | $0.72 | $0.61 | $0.79 |
Stock Performance:
At last check, shares of Hershey Company were trading at $60.26. Shares are up 30.3% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 20.4%. Given that these returns are generally positive, long-term shareholders are probably satisfied going into this earnings release.
- Long-term shareholders are already enjoying 12-month gains prior to the announcement
Average Stock Rating:
The average rating by analysts for Hershey Company is a Hold. The strength of this rating has crept upwards over the past three months.
Competitors:
Wondering how some of the other consumer staples companies are doing? Here are a few of Hershey Company's peers in that sector.
- Diamond (NASDAQ: DMND): Moderate Buy with a $0.52 recent quarter EPS
- General Mills (NYSE: GIS): Moderate Buy with a $0.64 recent quarter EPS
- Hain Celestial Group (NASDAQ: HAIN): Moderate Buy with a $0.35 recent quarter EPS
Hershey Company is in the food-confectionary industry, which has experienced price/earnings growth of 2.8%.
Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Hershey manufactures chocolate and confectionery products, food and beverage enhancers and gum and mint refreshment products.
Take Action:
Now that you've gotten an advanced peak at Hershey Company's upcoming earnings numbers, keep an eye out for any surprises in the report and be ready to take action. Also, check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap and a guide to your next steps.
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