Hershey Raises 2026 Sales Growth Forecast to 3% to 3.5% on Earnings Beat

Hershey raised its 2026 full-year organic sales growth forecast to a range of 3% to 3.5% after reporting second-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.90 per share, beating the estimated $1.42. Revenue reached $2.79 billion, surpassing the $2.63 billion estimate, driven by a 57% year-over-year increase in net income and expanded gross margins of 41.6%.

The company also lifted its reported net sales growth projection for the year to 4.5% to 5% from an initial 4% to 5% range. North American salty snacks revenue jumped 22.9% to $387.8 million, while adjusted operating margins improved by 450 basis points to 20.2%, highlighting improved profitability across its product lines. Management cited a strong first half with reported sales up 8.7% as the basis for the updated outlook.