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HSY vs. MO: Hershey vs. Altria Stock Comparison

How do Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO) both fall under the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group, but HSY is classified in Food Products while MO is classified in Tobacco.

Company profile comparison for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO)
Profile ItemHSYMO
NameThe Hershey Company Common StockAltria Group, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupFood, Beverage & TobaccoFood, Beverage & Tobacco
GICS IndustryFood ProductsTobacco
GICS Sub-IndustryPackaged Foods & MeatsTobacco
Market Capitalization35.79 billion USD126.62 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

HSY
MO
GSPC
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO)
MetricHSYMO
Total Return (1Y)3.76%38.55%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-0.13%32.86%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)2.04%19.81%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

HSY
MO
GSPC
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO)
MetricHSYMO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.95%25.52%
Beta (5Y)0.070.44
Max Drawdown (5Y)-45.25%-25.83%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.48M8.44M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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HSY and MO are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO)
MetricHSYMO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.021.34
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.031.97

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Hershey (HSY) earns 38.00% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Altria (MO) has no ROE this period.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

38.00%

HSY
38.00%
Max
32.02%
Q3
16.61%
Median
10.05%
Q1
4.10%
Min
-10.50%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

--

Max
32.02%
Q3
16.61%
Median
10.05%
Q1
4.10%
Min
-10.50%
MO
--
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): MO does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; HSY is benchmarked against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Altria (MO) at 39.33% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Hershey (HSY) at 14.63% also retains a top-quartile share.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

14.63%

Max
24.83%
HSY
14.63%
Q3
11.22%
Median
5.94%
Q1
2.05%
Min
-11.49%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

39.33%

MO
39.33%
Max
24.83%
Q3
11.22%
Median
5.94%
Q1
2.05%
Min
-11.49%
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their net margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Altria (MO) at 61.48% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Hershey (HSY) at 25.55% also operates in the top quartile.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

25.55%

Max
34.91%
HSY
25.55%
Q3
17.57%
Median
11.06%
Q1
4.15%
Min
-15.06%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

61.48%

MO
61.48%
Max
34.91%
Q3
17.57%
Median
11.06%
Q1
4.15%
Min
-15.06%
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO)
MetricHSYMO
ROE (TTM)38.00%--
ROA (TTM)11.82%22.73%
Net Margin (TTM)14.63%39.33%
Operating Margin (TTM)25.55%61.48%
Gross Margin (TTM)41.95%72.43%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Hershey (HSY) at 4.38% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Altria (MO) at -1.49% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Altria (MO) at -37.00% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Hershey (HSY) at -60.26% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO)
MetricHSYMO
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.38%-1.49%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.92%-0.89%
EPS Growth (YoY)-60.26%-37.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-18.31%8.90%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Hershey (HSY) at 1.24 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Altria (MO) at 0.58 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for MO.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.24

Max
4.01
Q3
2.35
Median
1.53
HSY
1.24
Q1
1.02
Min
0.33

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

0.58

Max
4.01
Q3
2.35
Median
1.53
Q1
1.02
MO
0.58
Min
0.33
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Hershey (HSY) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11 against its industry range, while Altria (MO) reports no figure this period.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.11

Max
2.19
HSY
1.11
Q3
1.11
Median
0.68
Q1
0.33
Min
0.00

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

--

Max
2.19
Q3
1.11
Median
0.68
Q1
0.33
Min
0.00
MO
--
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): MO does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; HSY is benchmarked against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO)
MetricHSYMO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.240.58
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.11--
Net Debt / EBITDA1.521.66

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Altria (MO) at 5.53% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Hershey (HSY) at 3.23% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, MO the richer one.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

3.23%

Max
9.38%
Q3
3.77%
HSY
3.23%
Median
1.76%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

5.53%

Max
9.38%
MO
5.53%
Q3
3.77%
Median
1.76%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Hershey (HSY) at 64.77% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Altria (MO) at 88.45% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

64.77%

Max
199.19%
Q3
81.03%
HSY
64.77%
Median
41.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

88.45%

Max
199.19%
MO
88.45%
Q3
81.03%
Median
41.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO)
MetricHSYMO
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.23%5.53%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)64.77%88.45%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Hershey (HSY) at 20.14 and Altria (MO) at 15.69 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

20.14

Max
52.52
Q3
30.78
HSY
20.14
Median
18.76
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

15.69

Max
52.52
Q3
30.78
Median
18.76
MO
15.69
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Hershey (HSY) at 2.92 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Altria (MO) at 6.14 prices even higher, above its industry range.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

2.92

Max
4.64
HSY
2.92
Q3
2.27
Median
1.17
Q1
0.52
Min
0.00

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

6.14

MO
6.14
Max
4.64
Q3
2.27
Median
1.17
Q1
0.52
Min
0.00
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Altria (MO) reports a negative P/B ratio of -56.93, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Hershey (HSY) reports 7.34, ranking against industry peers normally.

HSY

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

7.34

HSY
7.34
Max
6.35
Q3
3.07
Median
1.58
Q1
0.82
Min
0.00

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

-56.93

Max
6.35
Q3
3.07
Median
1.58
Q1
0.82
Min
0.00
MO
-56.93
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Hershey (HSY) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Hershey (HSY) and Altria (MO)
MetricHSYMO
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.1415.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.926.14
P/B Ratio (MRQ)7.34-56.93
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.67%5.57%