HSY vs VRSN Comparison

Hershey is a leading US confectionery manufacturer (around a $54 billion market, according to Euromonitor), controlling around 36% of the domestic chocolate space. 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.

VeriSign is the sole authorized registry for several generic top-level domains, including the widely utilized .com and .net top-level domains. The company operates critical internet infrastructure to support the domain name system, including operating two of the world's 13 root servers that are used to route internet traffic. In 2018, the firm sold off its Security Services business, signalling a renewed focus on the core registry business.