Financial Analysis of Hershey Corporation
INTRODUCTION
The Hershey Company is North America's largest manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionary products. They produce and sell a wide variety of confections from the familiar favorites such as Hershey's, Reese's, and Hershey Kisses to the Ice Breaker line of gums and mints. They have also emerged as the forerunner in the dark and premium chocolate category (http://www.thehersheycompany.com/). This paper will discuss the history of The Hershey Company, general facts and information pertaining to operations as well as industry statistics including trends and key competitors. Furthermore, this paper will examine the financial position of The Hershey Company, through use of ratio analyses and forecasting models in order to present an overall assessment of the company's financial position.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Company Overview The Hershey Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 24,1927 as a successor to a business founded in 1894 by Milton S. Hershey (2006 Annual Report). The Hershey Company manufactures chocolates, confectionary sweets, snacks, toppings, and baking goods. The Hershey Company produces name brands such as Hershey's, Hershey Kisses, Reese's, Ice Breakers, Kit-Kat, and Jolly Ranchers. The Hershey Company has wholly owned subsidiaries; Artisan Confections Company, which markets such premium chocolate offerings as Scharffen Berger, Joseph Schmidt, and Dagoba; as well as Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation, the world's largest processor and marketer for macadamia nut products (http://www.thehersheycompany.com/ir/) (http://www.maunaloa.com/compinfo.htm). In addition to being the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionery products The Hershey Company has also begun to develop and deliver single-serve cookies, brownies and value-added snack nuts. In meeting the demand of today's health conscience consumer, Hershey is also producing portion controlled
The Hershey Company is North America's largest manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionary products. They produce and sell a wide variety of confections from the familiar favorites such as Hershey's, Reese's, and Hershey Kisses to the Ice Breaker line of gums and mints. They have also emerged as the forerunner in the dark and premium chocolate category (http://www.thehersheycompany.com/). This paper will discuss the history of The Hershey Company, general facts and information pertaining to operations as well as industry statistics including trends and key competitors. Furthermore, this paper will examine the financial position of The Hershey Company, through use of ratio analyses and forecasting models in order to present an overall assessment of the company's financial position.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Company Overview The Hershey Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 24,1927 as a successor to a business founded in 1894 by Milton S. Hershey (2006 Annual Report). The Hershey Company manufactures chocolates, confectionary sweets, snacks, toppings, and baking goods. The Hershey Company produces name brands such as Hershey's, Hershey Kisses, Reese's, Ice Breakers, Kit-Kat, and Jolly Ranchers. The Hershey Company has wholly owned subsidiaries; Artisan Confections Company, which markets such premium chocolate offerings as Scharffen Berger, Joseph Schmidt, and Dagoba; as well as Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation, the world's largest processor and marketer for macadamia nut products (http://www.thehersheycompany.com/ir/) (http://www.maunaloa.com/compinfo.htm). In addition to being the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionery products The Hershey Company has also begun to develop and deliver single-serve cookies, brownies and value-added snack nuts. In meeting the demand of today's health conscience consumer, Hershey is also producing portion controlled
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