HSY vs. PFGC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at HSY and PFGC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | HSY | PFGC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | The Hershey Company | Performance Food Group Company |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Food Products | Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 36.78 billion USD | 15.82 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | September 30, 2015 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of HSY and PFGC by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | HSY | PFGC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.70% | 0.34% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 19.92% | 15.40% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 11.31% | 14.94% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -8.12% | 37.41% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -2.53% | 0.69% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 7.13% | 19.56% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.47M | 2.42M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.73M | 1.42M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 29.51% | 22.97% |
| Beta | 0.25 | 1.11 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
HSY
33.77%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 27.15%
- Q3
- 15.66%
- Median
- 10.47%
- Q1
- 7.82%
- Min
- -2.46%
HSY’s Return on Equity of 33.77% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Food Products industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
PFGC
7.88%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 34.20%
- Q3
- 21.61%
- Median
- 13.70%
- Q1
- 5.18%
- Min
- -9.87%
PFGC’s Return on Equity of 7.88% is on par with the norm for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
HSY
13.54%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 18.44%
- Q3
- 9.92%
- Median
- 6.38%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -0.92%
A Net Profit Margin of 13.54% places HSY in the upper quartile for the Food Products industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
PFGC
0.54%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 7.16%
- Q3
- 3.87%
- Median
- 2.44%
- Q1
- 1.65%
- Min
- -0.70%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, PFGC’s Net Profit Margin of 0.54% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
HSY
18.28%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 24.83%
- Q3
- 14.27%
- Median
- 9.73%
- Q1
- 6.26%
- Min
- -0.10%
An Operating Profit Margin of 18.28% places HSY in the upper quartile for the Food Products industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
PFGC
1.29%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.42%
- Q3
- 5.29%
- Median
- 4.03%
- Q1
- 2.22%
- Min
- -1.85%
PFGC’s Operating Profit Margin of 1.29% is in the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | HSY | PFGC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 33.77% | 7.88% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 11.51% | 2.05% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 13.54% | 0.54% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 18.28% | 1.29% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 40.13% | 11.72% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
HSY
1.53
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 3.80
- Q3
- 2.40
- Median
- 1.61
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- 0.55
HSY’s Current Ratio of 1.53 aligns with the median group of the Food Products industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
PFGC
1.58
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.80
- Q3
- 1.25
- Median
- 0.97
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.52
PFGC’s Current Ratio of 1.58 is in the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
HSY
1.25
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 1.87
- Q3
- 0.90
- Median
- 0.48
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
HSY’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Food Products industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.25. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
PFGC
1.56
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.44
- Q3
- 1.56
- Median
- 1.00
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
PFGC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.56 is typical for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
HSY
15.93
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 70.39
- Q3
- 32.08
- Median
- 9.51
- Q1
- 4.55
- Min
- -1.69
HSY’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 15.93 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Food Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
PFGC
2.28
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.36
- Q3
- 14.71
- Median
- 6.25
- Q1
- 3.16
- Min
- -10.70
In the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, PFGC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.28 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | HSY | PFGC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.53 | 1.58 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.85 | 0.67 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.25 | 1.56 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 15.93 | 2.28 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
HSY
2.92%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 7.43%
- Q3
- 4.12%
- Median
- 2.67%
- Q1
- 1.57%
- Min
- 0.00%
HSY’s Dividend Yield of 2.92% is consistent with its peers in the Food Products industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
PFGC
0.00%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.63%
- Q3
- 3.17%
- Median
- 1.35%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PFGC currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
HSY
70.84%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 202.50%
- Q3
- 109.53%
- Median
- 67.28%
- Q1
- 39.33%
- Min
- 0.00%
HSY’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 70.84% is within the typical range for the Food Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
PFGC
0.00%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 163.46%
- Q3
- 90.34%
- Median
- 52.13%
- Q1
- 20.46%
- Min
- 0.00%
PFGC has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | HSY | PFGC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.92% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 70.84% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
HSY
24.29
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 35.81
- Q3
- 22.88
- Median
- 17.13
- Q1
- 13.91
- Min
- 2.77
A P/E Ratio of 24.29 places HSY in the upper quartile for the Food Products industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
PFGC
46.15
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 49.92
- Q3
- 31.34
- Median
- 23.38
- Q1
- 17.55
- Min
- 6.19
A P/E Ratio of 46.15 places PFGC in the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
HSY
3.29
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 3.63
- Q3
- 1.86
- Median
- 1.14
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.12
HSY’s P/S Ratio of 3.29 is in the upper echelon for the Food Products industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
PFGC
0.25
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.88
- Q3
- 1.00
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.40
- Min
- 0.06
In the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, PFGC’s P/S Ratio of 0.25 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
HSY
7.45
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 5.01
- Q3
- 2.76
- Median
- 1.98
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.52
At 7.45, HSY’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Food Products industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
PFGC
3.05
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.74
- Q3
- 4.99
- Median
- 2.88
- Q1
- 1.77
- Min
- 0.46
PFGC’s P/B Ratio of 3.05 is within the conventional range for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | HSY | PFGC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 24.29 | 46.15 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.29 | 0.25 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 7.45 | 3.05 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 20.41 | 21.02 |