HSY vs WMT

For growth investors, Walmart Inc.

(WMT) is the stronger pick with 4. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 4% for The Hershey Company (HSY). The Hershey Company (HSY) offers the better valuation at 43. 0x trailing P/E (22. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Walmart Inc. (WMT) a "Buy" — based on 64 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, The Hershey Company (HSY) is the cheapest at 43.

0x versus Walmart Inc. at 47. 6x. On forward P/E, The Hershey Company is actually cheaper at 22. 2x.

Over the past 5 years, Walmart Inc.

(WMT) delivered a total return of +185. 3%, compared to +24. 4% for The Hershey Company (HSY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WMT returned +505. 0% versus HSY's +144. 3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Hershey Company (HSY) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

03β versus Walmart Inc. 's 0. 12β — meaning WMT is approximately -563% more volatile than HSY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Walmart Inc. (WMT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 67% versus 117% for The Hershey Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Walmart Inc.

(WMT) is pulling ahead at 4. 7% versus 4. 4% for The Hershey Company (HSY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Walmart Inc. grew EPS 13. 3% year-over-year, compared to -60. 3% for The Hershey Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, WMT leads at 5. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

The Hershey Company (HSY) is the more profitable company, earning 7.

6% net margin versus 3. 1% for Walmart Inc. — meaning it keeps 7. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HSY leads at 12. 1% versus 4. 2% for WMT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HSY leads at 33. 3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, The Hershey Company (HSY) trades at 22.

2x forward P/E versus 44. 7x for Walmart Inc. — 22. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HSY: 21. 4% to $226. 29.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Hershey Company (HSY) offers the highest yield at 2. 9%, versus 0. 7% for Walmart Inc. (WMT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Walmart Inc.

(WMT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 12), 0. 7% yield, +505. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WMT: +505. 0%, HSY: +144. 3%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.