HSY vs HES Comparison

Hershey is a leading confectionery manufacturer in the us (around a $25 billion market), controlling around 36% of the domestic chocolate space (per Euromonitor). Beyond its namesake label, the firm's mix has expanded over the last 85 years and now consists of 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 confection business, adding Amplify Snack Brands and its Skinny Pop ready-to-eat popcorn to its mix, Pirate Brands, and Dot's Pretzels over the past few years.

Hess is an independent oil and gas producer with key assets in the Bakken Shale, Guyana, the Gulf of Mexico, and Southeast Asia. At the end of 2023, the company reported net proved reserves of 1.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Net production averaged 391 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2023, at a ratio of 74% oil and natural gas liquids and 26% natural gas.