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Side-by-side financial comparison of Hershey Company (The) (HSY) and Ross Stores (ROST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Ross Stores is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($5.6B vs $3.1B, roughly 1.8× Hershey Company (The)). Hershey Company (The) runs the higher net margin — 10.4% vs 9.1%, a 1.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ross Stores posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.4% vs 7.0%). Hershey Company (The) produced more free cash flow last quarter ($788.5M vs $617.8M). Over the past eight quarters, Hershey Company (The)'s revenue compounded faster (-2.5% CAGR vs -3.6%).

The Hershey Company, often called just Hershey or Hershey's, is an American multinational confectionery company headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hersheypark and Hershey's Chocolate World. The Hershey Company is one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world; it also manufactures baked products, such as cookies and cakes, and sells beverages like milkshakes, as well as other products. The Hershey Company was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894 as the Hers...

Ross Stores, Inc., operating under the brand name Ross Dress for Less, is an American chain of discount department stores headquartered in Dublin, California. It is the largest off-price retailer in the U.S.; as of July 2024, Ross operates 1,795 stores in 43 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. Puerto Rico and Guam, covering much of the country, but with no presence in New England and Alaska. The company also operates DD's Discounts, a discount department store chain with over 353 locations across t...

HSY vs ROST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ROST
ROST
1.8× larger
ROST
$5.6B
$3.1B
HSY
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ROST
ROST
+3.4% gap
ROST
10.4%
7.0%
HSY
Higher net margin
HSY
HSY
1.2% more per $
HSY
10.4%
9.1%
ROST
More free cash flow
HSY
HSY
$170.6M more FCF
HSY
$788.5M
$617.8M
ROST
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
HSY
HSY
Annualised
HSY
-2.5%
-3.6%
ROST

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Revenue
$3.1B
$5.6B
Net Profit
$320.0M
$511.9M
Gross Margin
37.0%
28.0%
Operating Margin
14.4%
11.6%
Net Margin
10.4%
9.1%
Revenue YoY
7.0%
10.4%
Net Profit YoY
-59.8%
4.7%
EPS (diluted)
$1.58

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$3.1B
$5.6B
Q3 25
$3.2B
$5.5B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$5.0B
Q1 25
$2.8B
$5.9B
Q4 24
$2.9B
$5.1B
Q3 24
$3.0B
$5.3B
Q2 24
$2.1B
$4.9B
Q1 24
$3.3B
$6.0B
Net Profit
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$320.0M
$511.9M
Q3 25
$276.3M
$508.0M
Q2 25
$62.7M
$479.2M
Q1 25
$224.2M
$586.8M
Q4 24
$796.6M
$488.8M
Q3 24
$446.3M
$527.1M
Q2 24
$180.9M
$488.0M
Q1 24
$797.5M
$609.7M
Gross Margin
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
37.0%
28.0%
Q3 25
32.6%
27.6%
Q2 25
30.5%
28.2%
Q1 25
33.7%
26.5%
Q4 24
54.0%
28.3%
Q3 24
41.3%
28.3%
Q2 24
40.2%
28.1%
Q1 24
51.5%
27.3%
Operating Margin
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
14.4%
11.6%
Q3 25
13.7%
11.5%
Q2 25
7.4%
12.2%
Q1 25
13.2%
12.4%
Q4 24
32.5%
11.9%
Q3 24
20.5%
12.5%
Q2 24
13.9%
12.2%
Q1 24
32.5%
13.2%
Net Margin
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
10.4%
9.1%
Q3 25
8.7%
9.2%
Q2 25
2.4%
9.6%
Q1 25
8.0%
9.9%
Q4 24
27.6%
9.6%
Q3 24
14.9%
10.0%
Q2 24
8.7%
10.0%
Q1 24
24.5%
10.1%
EPS (diluted)
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$1.58
Q3 25
$1.56
Q2 25
$1.47
Q1 25
$1.79
Q4 24
$1.48
Q3 24
$1.59
Q2 24
$1.46
Q1 24
$1.82

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$4.1B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$4.7B
$1.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$4.6B
$5.9B
Total Assets
$13.7B
$15.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.01×
0.26×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$4.1B
Q3 25
$3.8B
Q2 25
$3.8B
Q1 25
$4.7B
Q4 24
$4.3B
Q3 24
$4.7B
Q2 24
$4.7B
Q1 24
$4.9B
Total Debt
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$4.7B
$1.5B
Q3 25
$4.7B
$1.5B
Q2 25
$5.2B
$1.5B
Q1 25
$5.2B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$3.2B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$3.2B
$2.5B
Q2 24
$3.5B
$2.5B
Q1 24
$3.8B
$2.5B
Stockholders' Equity
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$4.6B
$5.9B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$5.7B
Q2 25
$4.5B
$5.6B
Q1 25
$4.7B
$5.5B
Q4 24
$4.7B
$5.3B
Q3 24
$4.2B
$5.1B
Q2 24
$4.0B
$4.9B
Q1 24
$4.1B
$4.9B
Total Assets
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$13.7B
$15.4B
Q3 25
$13.6B
$14.5B
Q2 25
$13.6B
$14.3B
Q1 25
$14.0B
$14.9B
Q4 24
$12.9B
$14.9B
Q3 24
$12.6B
$14.7B
Q2 24
$12.4B
$14.5B
Q1 24
$12.4B
$14.3B
Debt / Equity
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
1.01×
0.26×
Q3 25
1.02×
0.26×
Q2 25
1.15×
0.27×
Q1 25
1.11×
0.40×
Q4 24
0.68×
0.42×
Q3 24
0.76×
0.48×
Q2 24
0.87×
0.50×
Q1 24
0.92×
0.51×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$926.6M
$827.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$788.5M
$617.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
25.5%
11.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
4.5%
3.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.90×
1.62×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.8B
$2.0B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$926.6M
$827.1M
Q3 25
$841.9M
$668.4M
Q2 25
$112.2M
$409.7M
Q1 25
$396.7M
$882.6M
Q4 24
$941.6M
$513.4M
Q3 24
$695.3M
$592.1M
Q2 24
$325.6M
$368.9M
Q1 24
$569.1M
$948.8M
Free Cash Flow
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$788.5M
$617.8M
Q3 25
$756.0M
$466.6M
Q2 25
$27.1M
$202.3M
Q1 25
$251.2M
$676.6M
Q4 24
$807.1M
$333.0M
Q3 24
$567.3M
$394.6M
Q2 24
$195.5M
$232.7M
Q1 24
$355.8M
$726.4M
FCF Margin
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
25.5%
11.0%
Q3 25
23.8%
8.4%
Q2 25
1.0%
4.1%
Q1 25
9.0%
11.4%
Q4 24
28.0%
6.6%
Q3 24
19.0%
7.5%
Q2 24
9.4%
4.8%
Q1 24
10.9%
12.1%
Capex Intensity
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
4.5%
3.7%
Q3 25
2.7%
3.6%
Q2 25
3.3%
4.2%
Q1 25
5.2%
3.5%
Q4 24
4.7%
3.6%
Q3 24
4.3%
3.7%
Q2 24
6.3%
2.8%
Q1 24
6.6%
3.7%
Cash Conversion
HSY
HSY
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
2.90×
1.62×
Q3 25
3.05×
1.32×
Q2 25
1.79×
0.85×
Q1 25
1.77×
1.50×
Q4 24
1.18×
1.05×
Q3 24
1.56×
1.12×
Q2 24
1.80×
0.76×
Q1 24
0.71×
1.56×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HSY
HSY

Other$1.8B59%
North America Salty Snacks Segment$1.3B41%

ROST
ROST

Segment breakdown not available.

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