HSY vs AME Comparison

Hershey is a leading US confectionery manufacturer (around a $55 billion market, according to Euromonitor), controlling 35% of the domestic chocolate aisle. Beyond its namesake label, the firm's portfolio has expanded over the last 85 years and now comprises 100 brands, including Reese's, Kit Kat, Kisses, and Ice Breakers. Hershey's products are sold in about 80 countries, albeit with just a high-single-digit percentage of sales coming from markets outside the US, including Brazil, India, and Mexico. The firm has sought inorganic opportunities to extend its reach beyond its core confectionery business, adding Amplify Snack Brands and its Skinny Pop ready-to-eat popcorn to its portfolio, as well as Pirate Brands, Dot's Pretzels, and LesserEvil over the past few years.

Founded in 1930 and transformed over the decades through the acquisition of dozens of esteemed brands, Ametek owns more than 40 autonomous industrial businesses operating across research, aerospace, energy, medical, and manufacturing. Ametek segments its business into two operating groups: the electronic instruments group and the electromechanical group. The EIG sells a broad portfolio of analytical, test, and measurement instruments, while the EMG sells highly engineered components, interconnects, and specialty metals. The company emphasizes product differentiation and market leadership in the niche markets it operates in.