Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of The Hershey Company (HSY)

The Mission Statement, Vision, and Core Values of The Hershey Company aren't just feel-good corporate boilerplate; they're the strategic foundation supporting a business that reported $3,181.4 million in consolidated net sales for the third quarter of 2025. But with TTM net income through September 2025 declining by 23.33% to $1.360 billion due to commodity and tariff pressures, how exactly does the vision of becoming an innovative snacking powerhouse translate into mitigating those real-world financial risks? You need to know if the core values-like integrity and excellence-are strong enough to guide the tough decisions on pricing and supply chain efficiency; are they defintely a source of competitive advantage or just a nice story?

The Hershey Company (HSY) Overview

You are looking at a company that is more than just chocolate; it is a century-old American institution that has successfully pivoted to become a snacking powerhouse. The Hershey Company, founded in 1894 by Milton S. Hershey, began as a subsidiary of his profitable Lancaster Caramel Company, but he sold the caramel business in 1900 to focus on making milk chocolate an affordable treat for everyone. That's a clear focus shift that paid off, defintely.

Today, The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and its product portfolio stretches far beyond the iconic Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar and Hershey's Kisses, which were introduced in 1907. They now own a vast collection of over eighty brands worldwide, including household names like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Twizzlers, plus a rapidly growing salty snacks division that includes SkinnyPop popcorn and Dot's Pretzels. This diversification is key to their stability.

For the trailing twelve months (TTM) ending September 30, 2025, The Hershey Company generated a robust revenue of approximately $11.49 billion, marking a year-over-year increase of 4.71%.

• Founded: 1894 by Milton S. Hershey.
• Headquarters: Hershey, Pennsylvania.
• TTM Revenue (Sep 2025): $11.49 billion.

Q3 2025 Financial Performance: Growth Amid Headwinds

The latest financial report, covering the third quarter (Q3) ended September 28, 2025, shows The Hershey Company continues to drive top-line growth, even while navigating significant commodity cost pressures. Consolidated net sales for Q3 2025 hit $3,181.4 million, an increase of 6.5% compared to the same quarter in the prior year. This growth was largely fueled by strategic pricing actions and strong demand.

The North America Confectionery segment, which is the core business, saw net sales rise by 5.6% to $2,615.6 million in Q3 2025. However, the real story of opportunity lies in the newer segments. The International segment's net sales increased by a strong 12.1% to $244.8 million, driven by volume growth in key markets like Brazil. Also, the North America Salty Snacks segment delivered a 10.0% increase in net sales, reaching $321.0 million, showing the value of their recent acquisitions.

Here's the quick math on profitability: despite the sales growth, reported net income for Q3 2025 was $276.3 million, a sharp decrease of 38.2% from the prior year. This decline is a clear reflection of the higher commodity and tariff costs they are facing-a near-term risk every analyst is watching. They're still making money, but cocoa prices are biting hard.

A Confectionery and Snacking Industry Leader

When you look at the US confectionery landscape, The Hershey Company is not just a participant; it's a dominant force. It stands as the largest manufacturer of chocolate and non-chocolate snack food products in North America. The company maintains a commanding position in its home market, holding an estimated 44% to 45% share of the entire U.S. Chocolate market.

In the broader U.S. confectionery market, The Hershey Company, alongside Mars, Incorporated, accounts for over 60% of the total market, cementing their oligopolistic strength. This market dominance gives them significant pricing power (net price realization was a key driver of Q3 sales growth) and distribution leverage. This is why their stock is a staple in many portfolios. To truly understand the investor profile behind this success, you should be Exploring The Hershey Company (HSY) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

The Hershey Company (HSY) Mission Statement

You're looking for the bedrock of The Hershey Company's (HSY) strategy, and honestly, it's rooted in a simple, powerful idea. The company's core purpose, which functions as its mission statement, is to Make More Moments of Goodness for our consumers today and for generations to come. This isn't just a feel-good phrase; it's the lens through which every major capital allocation and product decision is made, especially as the company evolves into a broader snacking powerhouse.

This mission drives real financial outcomes. For example, the company's Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) revenue, as of September 2025, stood at a significant $11.49 Billion. That kind of scale doesn't happen without a clear, guiding principle. The mission statement breaks down into three core components that map directly to their operational and long-term goals. Here's the quick math: a clear mission equals focused execution, which ultimately helps drive those sales numbers.

If you want to understand the full context of how this mission plays out in their business model and ownership structure, you should defintely check out The Hershey Company (HSY): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money.

Delivering Delicious Snacks: The Product Core

The first, and most tangible, component of the mission is the commitment to delivering delicious snacks-the core business. This means constant innovation to meet evolving consumer tastes, not just relying on classic chocolate bars. We see this focus reflected in the North America Confectionery segment, which pulled in $2,615.6 million in net sales for the third quarter of 2025 alone.

The strategy is about owning more snacking occasions. For instance, the 2025 s'mores program, featuring the introduction of new products like HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate with Caramel bars, drove double-digit growth for the program. This is a concrete example of the mission in action: taking a classic moment and making it better with product innovation. They are also expanding their portfolio into better-for-you options like SkinnyPop and Pirate's Booty, showing a clear adaptation to market trends.

• Innovate for new flavors and textures.
• Expand into diverse snacking categories.
• Leverage core brands for seasonal growth.

Bringing Goodness to the World: Ethical Sourcing and Sustainability

The second component, 'Bringing Goodness to the World,' speaks to The Hershey Company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) and long-term supply chain resilience. This is where their commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainability becomes a financial de-risker. As a seasoned analyst, I see this as a crucial factor for long-term brand equity and cost stability, especially with volatile cocoa prices.

The company has set clear, ambitious targets for the 2025 fiscal year to ensure a responsible supply chain, particularly in cocoa. By the end of 2025, they are on track to achieve 100% sourcing visibility of their cocoa volume in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, with progress already at 88%. Also, their commitment to human rights is evident in the fact that 95% of farmers producing their cocoa volume in those regions are covered by Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation Systems (CLMRS). That's a serious commitment to doing well by doing good.

Creating a Future Full of More Smiles: Long-Term Growth and Community

The final component, 'Creating a Future Full of More Smiles,' ties the product and ethical commitments back to the consumer experience and the company's legacy. It's about building a brand that lasts generations, which requires a focus on community and long-term health, both for consumers and the planet. This is the part of the mission that supports their vision to be a 'Leading Snacking Powerhouse'.

This long-term view is why they are investing in product quality beyond immediate regulation. For example, they are working to switch all colors in products like Reese's Pieces and Jolly Ranchers to be all-natural by 2027. This proactive move preempts future consumer demands for cleaner labels. Still, we must be realists: the company is currently projecting a decline in adjusted earnings per share (EPS) growth in the range of 36% to 38% for the full year 2025, reflecting ongoing commodity and supply chain pressures. But the mission to create a future full of smiles is the long-term buffer against near-term volatility. It's about building brand loyalty that transcends price increases.

The Hershey Company (HSY) Vision Statement

You're looking for the bedrock of The Hershey Company's investment thesis, and honestly, it starts with their vision. The vision statement is the long-term strategic compass, and for Hershey Company, it's about being an innovative snacking powerhouse. This isn't just corporate fluff; it's a clear signal to the market that they are moving beyond the candy aisle and into the broader, higher-growth snacking category.

This vision drives their capital allocation, which is what we as analysts care most about. For example, their focus on the better-for-you portfolio, including brands like SkinnyPop and the 2024 acquisition of Sour Strips, shows this in action. This diversification is defintely smart, especially as they invest in supply chain agility and automation to keep pace. You can dig deeper into how the market is reacting to these shifts by Exploring The Hershey Company (HSY) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

• Diversify beyond core confectionery.
• Capture more snacking occasions.
• Invest in supply chain agility.

The strategic shift is necessary because the market is demanding more from a $37.05 billion market cap company. They must innovate to justify a P/E ratio that stands around 24.27x. That's a premium that only a true powerhouse can sustain.

The Mission: Making More Moments of Goodness

The mission, or what Hershey Company calls its purpose, is to create making more moments of goodness. This is the emotional anchor for the business, connecting their products to consumer experience, but it also has a hard financial link through their commitment to social responsibility, or the Shared Goodness Promise.

The connection is simple: a strong purpose builds brand equity, which allows for pricing power-a critical advantage when commodity costs are soaring. In the third quarter of 2025 alone, the company reported net sales of $3.18 billion, a 6.5% increase year-over-year, which shows consumers are still willing to pay for those moments of goodness. But, you're still seeing margin compression, so the brand loyalty driven by this mission is being tested by higher costs.

This mission also extends to their goal of sourcing 100% certified and sustainable cocoa by 2025, a commitment that directly impacts their supply chain and long-term cost structure. That's a big operational lift, and it's a non-negotiable part of their brand promise.

Core Values: The Foundation for Financial Resilience

The company's long-standing values-togetherness, integrity, making a difference, and excellence-are the operational framework for executing the vision. For a financial analyst, the 'excellence' and 'integrity' values are the most critical right now because they map directly to operational efficiency and transparent reporting during a period of high commodity inflation.

The company is facing significant headwinds, like a projected gross profit margin compression of approximately 650 to 700 basis points in 2025 due to soaring cocoa prices. This is where 'excellence' in execution matters. Hershey Company is targeting at least 2% net sales growth for the full fiscal year 2025, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) guidance set between $5.90 and $6.00. Here's the quick math: hitting that EPS target requires flawless execution on strategic pricing and productivity savings, which is the practical application of their value of excellence.

What this estimate hides is the extreme pressure on the bottom line; the reported net income for Q3 2025 was $276.3 million, a 38.1% drop from the same period last year. The core values must guide the tough decisions needed to reverse that profitability trend.

The Hershey Company (HSY) Core Values

As a seasoned analyst, I look past the quarterly earnings call to the foundational principles driving a company's long-term value. For The Hershey Company, that means looking at their core values-Togetherness, Integrity, Making a Difference, and Excellence-which are the real engine behind their strategic push to become a leading snacking powerhouse. This isn't just corporate jargon; these values directly map to their operational and financial commitments, especially as they project at least 2% net sales growth for the full 2025 fiscal year.

You need to see how a company's actions match its words, and with Hershey, the link is clear. Their purpose of making more moments of goodness is what guides their capital allocation, including the planned 2025 capital expenditures of between $425 million and $450 million, largely focused on supply chain and automation improvements. Let's break down what each core value means for the business right now.

Togetherness

This value is about fostering strong connections-with employees, partners, and consumers. In a complex, global supply chain, this translates directly to workforce stability and collaborative sourcing. Honestly, a happy, engaged workforce is a competitive advantage, especially when you consider the labor market pressures facing the manufacturing sector.

Hershey demonstrates this commitment through its focus on people as key differentiators and its five-year diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) framework. They understand that a dynamic workforce is what drives their brands forward. This focus helps ensure they can execute on their growth strategy, which is defintely key to hitting the consensus analyst estimate of $6.12 in earnings per share (EPS) for FY 2025.

• Invest in employee development.
• Prioritize a diverse, equitable workplace.
• Build resilient, collaborative partnerships.

Integrity

For a company whose primary ingredient, cocoa, faces significant ethical and environmental risks, Integrity is non-negotiable; it's a core risk management strategy. This value is about fair and ethical business dealings, which extends from the farm gate to the consumer's hand. It's what protects the brand's reputation and its long-term supply.

A crucial 2025 goal is to source 100% certified and sustainable cocoa. This isn't cheap, but it's necessary. They are also on track to have 100% of the farmers in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana who produce their cocoa volume covered by Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation Systems (CLMRS) by the end of 2025. This level of supply chain transparency and accountability is what separates a sustainable business model from a precarious one.

Making a Difference

This value is the modern expression of founder Milton Hershey's legacy, focusing on social purpose and community impact. It's about investing in the communities that are vital to their operations and their future. For investors, this is about social license to operate (SLO)-the ongoing acceptance of a company's operations by its stakeholders.

The company's commitment is tangible, not abstract. Through the Hershey Income Accelerator Program (HIAP) in Côte d'Ivoire, they plan to reach all phase I HIAP 5,000 cocoa farming families with direct cash incentives in 2025 to encourage the adoption of good agricultural practices. This directly addresses farmer poverty, a root cause of supply chain instability. Furthermore, Hershey has cumulatively donated over $130 million in cash and products from 2020 through 2024 to support communities. That's a significant commitment to their social purpose.

Excellence

Excellence is how The Hershey Company maintains its market leadership in the U.S. confectionery segment. It's the drive for quality, continuous improvement, and, critically, innovation. In a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market, standing still means falling behind, so they must constantly evolve their product portfolio.

The company's strategic focus on becoming a 'Leading Snacking Powerhouse' demands this value. They are investing heavily in research and development (R&D) to create new products like Jolly Rancher Chewy Poppers and Ice Breakers Flavour Shifters. Operationally, they are pushing for 100% sourcing visibility for their cocoa volume in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana by 2025, which improves quality control and supply chain resilience. This focus on operational excellence is key to protecting their gross margin, which saw a contraction in Q1 2025, but is being addressed through pricing and productivity initiatives. If you want a deeper dive into how these initiatives impact the balance sheet, you should check out Breaking Down The Hershey Company (HSY) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Here's the quick math: you invest in excellence (R&D, automation, ethical sourcing), you protect your brand equity, and you create products that drive sales growth, which is exactly what supports their full-year net sales growth outlook of at least 2%.

Next Step: Portfolio Managers should review Hershey's Q2 2025 report (due out mid-2025) for updated progress on the 100% cocoa sourcing and CLMRS targets, as these are critical indicators of long-term supply chain stability and brand risk mitigation.