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Side-by-side financial comparison of Hershey Company (The) (HSY) and SONOCO PRODUCTS CO (SON). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Hershey Company (The) is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.1B vs $1.7B, roughly 1.8× SONOCO PRODUCTS CO). Hershey Company (The) runs the higher net margin — 10.4% vs 4.1%, a 6.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Hershey Company (The) posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (7.0% vs -1.9%). Hershey Company (The) produced more free cash flow last quarter ($788.5M vs $-428.3B). Over the past eight quarters, SONOCO PRODUCTS CO's revenue compounded faster (1.2% CAGR vs -2.5%).

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...

Sonoco Products Company is an American provider of diversified consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, and packaging supply chain services and the world's largest producer of composite cans, tubes, and cores. The company was founded in 1889 as Southern Novelty Company with annualized net sales of approximately $7.3 billion. Sonoco has 19,900 employees in more than 335 operations in 33 countries, serving more than 85 nations. The company is headquartered in Hartsville, S...

HSY vs SON — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
HSY
HSY
1.8× larger
HSY
$3.1B
$1.7B
SON
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
HSY
HSY
+9.0% gap
HSY
7.0%
-1.9%
SON
Higher net margin
HSY
HSY
6.3% more per $
HSY
10.4%
4.1%
SON
More free cash flow
HSY
HSY
$429.1B more FCF
HSY
$788.5M
$-428.3B
SON
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
SON
SON
Annualised
SON
1.2%
-2.5%
HSY

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Revenue
$3.1B
$1.7B
Net Profit
$320.0M
$68.0M
Gross Margin
37.0%
20.6%
Operating Margin
14.4%
7.6%
Net Margin
10.4%
4.1%
Revenue YoY
7.0%
-1.9%
Net Profit YoY
-59.8%
25.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.68

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
SON
SON
Q1 26
$1.7B
Q4 25
$3.1B
$1.8B
Q3 25
$3.2B
$2.1B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$1.9B
Q1 25
$2.8B
$1.7B
Q4 24
$2.9B
Q3 24
$3.0B
$1.7B
Q2 24
$2.1B
$1.6B
Net Profit
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
$68.0M
Q4 25
$320.0M
$332.2M
Q3 25
$276.3M
$122.9M
Q2 25
$62.7M
$493.4M
Q1 25
$224.2M
$54.4M
Q4 24
$796.6M
Q3 24
$446.3M
$50.9M
Q2 24
$180.9M
$90.8M
Gross Margin
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
20.6%
Q4 25
37.0%
19.6%
Q3 25
32.6%
21.9%
Q2 25
30.5%
21.3%
Q1 25
33.7%
20.7%
Q4 24
54.0%
Q3 24
41.3%
21.4%
Q2 24
40.2%
22.0%
Operating Margin
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
7.6%
Q4 25
14.4%
29.4%
Q3 25
13.7%
9.1%
Q2 25
7.4%
9.2%
Q1 25
13.2%
7.4%
Q4 24
32.5%
Q3 24
20.5%
7.6%
Q2 24
13.9%
8.6%
Net Margin
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
4.1%
Q4 25
10.4%
18.8%
Q3 25
8.7%
5.8%
Q2 25
2.4%
25.8%
Q1 25
8.0%
3.2%
Q4 24
27.6%
Q3 24
14.9%
3.0%
Q2 24
8.7%
5.6%
EPS (diluted)
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
$0.68
Q4 25
$3.33
Q3 25
$1.23
Q2 25
$4.96
Q1 25
$0.55
Q4 24
Q3 24
$0.51
Q2 24
$0.92

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$224.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$4.7B
$3.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$4.6B
$3.6B
Total Assets
$13.7B
$11.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.01×
0.97×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
$224.5M
Q4 25
$378.4M
Q3 25
$244.9M
Q2 25
$329.8M
Q1 25
$181.8M
Q4 24
Q3 24
$1.9B
Q2 24
$140.2M
Total Debt
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
$3.5B
Q4 25
$4.7B
$3.8B
Q3 25
$4.7B
$3.8B
Q2 25
$5.2B
$5.0B
Q1 25
$5.2B
$5.0B
Q4 24
$3.2B
Q3 24
$3.2B
$4.3B
Q2 24
$3.5B
$2.5B
Stockholders' Equity
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
$3.6B
Q4 25
$4.6B
$3.6B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$3.3B
Q2 25
$4.5B
$3.2B
Q1 25
$4.7B
$2.4B
Q4 24
$4.7B
Q3 24
$4.2B
$2.5B
Q2 24
$4.0B
$2.4B
Total Assets
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
$11.1B
Q4 25
$13.7B
$11.2B
Q3 25
$13.6B
$11.7B
Q2 25
$13.6B
$12.0B
Q1 25
$14.0B
$12.7B
Q4 24
$12.9B
Q3 24
$12.6B
$9.0B
Q2 24
$12.4B
$7.2B
Debt / Equity
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
0.97×
Q4 25
1.01×
1.05×
Q3 25
1.02×
1.15×
Q2 25
1.15×
1.54×
Q1 25
1.11×
2.03×
Q4 24
0.68×
Q3 24
0.76×
1.74×
Q2 24
0.87×
1.04×

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
SON
SON
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$926.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$788.5M
$-428.3B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
25.5%
-25547.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
4.5%
3600.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.90×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.8B
$-427.6B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
Q4 25
$926.6M
$412.9M
Q3 25
$841.9M
$291.5M
Q2 25
$112.2M
$193.4M
Q1 25
$396.7M
$-208.1M
Q4 24
$941.6M
Q3 24
$695.3M
$162.1M
Q2 24
$325.6M
$109.3M
Free Cash Flow
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
$-428.3B
Q4 25
$788.5M
$322.3M
Q3 25
$756.0M
$225.6M
Q2 25
$27.1M
$98.6M
Q1 25
$251.2M
$-300.8M
Q4 24
$807.1M
Q3 24
$567.3M
$70.5M
Q2 24
$195.5M
$16.0M
FCF Margin
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
-25547.4%
Q4 25
25.5%
18.2%
Q3 25
23.8%
10.6%
Q2 25
1.0%
5.2%
Q1 25
9.0%
-17.6%
Q4 24
28.0%
Q3 24
19.0%
4.2%
Q2 24
9.4%
1.0%
Capex Intensity
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
3600.5%
Q4 25
4.5%
5.1%
Q3 25
2.7%
3.1%
Q2 25
3.3%
5.0%
Q1 25
5.2%
5.4%
Q4 24
4.7%
Q3 24
4.3%
5.5%
Q2 24
6.3%
5.7%
Cash Conversion
HSY
HSY
SON
SON
Q1 26
Q4 25
2.90×
1.24×
Q3 25
3.05×
2.37×
Q2 25
1.79×
0.39×
Q1 25
1.77×
-3.82×
Q4 24
1.18×
Q3 24
1.56×
3.18×
Q2 24
1.80×
1.20×

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%

SON
SON

Consumer Packaging$1.1B65%
Industrial Paper Packaging$587.5M35%
All Other$55.1M3%

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