Hershey Chief Financial Officer Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the company's common stock for approximately $255,000, according to a recent SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted 14 months earlier, indicating it was scheduled independently of current market conditions. Following the sale, Voskuil retains direct ownership of 53,195 shares, representing a 0.0262% stake in the company. The shares were sold at a weighted average price of $170.00, while the stock closed at $171.70 on the transaction date, giving Hershey a market capitalization of $34.8 billion. The sale comes as Hershey has faced margin pressure from higher cocoa costs, tariffs, and increased marketing spending, with its stock delivering a 109% total return over the past decade compared to 302% for the S&P 500.
Hershey CoCFO's insider sale, though preplanned, may signal lack of confidence; combined with margin pressure from cocoa costs and tariffs.