GPC vs HSY Stock Comparison
Compare GPC and HSY across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between GPC and HSY?
GPC leads the current stock comparison as Genuine Parts Company, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Genuine Parts Company vs The Hershey Company
GPC leads
GPC leads by 8 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Value, and the lead has widened from 0 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors HSY on target upside.
Competitive: 4 of 6 evidence groups support GPC, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Genuine Parts Company
The Hershey Company
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors GPC over HSY, 48 versus 40 as of Sep 11, 2026. GPC's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and value, while HSY holds the stronger quality profile. GPC also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors HSY. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor GPC today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. GPC lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 8 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Genuine Parts Company and The Hershey Company across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare GPC and HSY against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum62 vs 21GPC +41
- Quality25 vs 61HSY +36
- Value55 vs 31GPC +24
- Risk Resilience57 vs 45GPC +12
4 of 6 evidence groups favor GPC. GPC’s edge is concentrated in momentum and value; HSY keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum +1
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum +1
No new signals fired.
GPC's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — GPC and HSY both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
GPC (Genuine Parts Company): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and value.
HSY (The Hershey Company): the counter-case, on quality, analyst expectations.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
GPCGPC on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
GPCGPC on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
GPCGPC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 24 points.
Momentum
GPCGPC on the Momentum factor, by 41 points.
Lower downside
GPCGPC on Risk Resilience, by 12 points.
Analyst upside
HSYHSY on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors GPC, analyst targets favor HSY. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | GPC | HSY | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +9.5% | +21% | HSY has more room |
| Target dispersion | +32.8% | +33.4% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 4 | 13 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor GPC. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | GPC | 48 vs 40 |
| Fundamentals | Even | revenue growth 4.3% vs -10.2%; EPS growth 20.4% vs 3.2%; gross margin 36.2% vs 38.1%; operating margin 4% vs 17.6% |
| Valuation | GPC | Value 55 vs 31 |
| Technicals | GPC | Price vs 50-day 2.6% vs -2.9%; vs 200-day 11.8% vs -9.3% |
| Risk Resilience | GPC | Risk Resilience 57 vs 45 |
| Analyst expectations | HSY | Target upside 9.5% vs 21% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of GPC and HSY and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 8 points.
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on GPC.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10GPC lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 8 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- GPC +8
- 48 vs 40
- 7 sessions ago
- GPC +10
- 51 vs 41
- 30 sessions ago
- Level
- 52 vs 52
- 90 sessions ago
- GPC +10
- 52 vs 42
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Aug 25 when GPC moved ahead of HSY.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (8.63%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
1 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (7.70%)
- RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
GPC leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.36%, AIQ 0 points).
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -0.59%, AIQ +1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1HSY closes the Momentum gap — currently 41 points behind, the largest single contributor to GPC's edge.
- 2HSY's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3GPC's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
Split| Metric | GPC | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 4.3% | -10.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 20.4% | 3.2% |
| Gross margin | 36.2% | 38.1% |
| Operating margin | 4% | 17.6% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 0.7% | 32.2% |
| Debt to equity | 1.47 | 1.23 |
Performance
GPC leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | GPC | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -2.2% | -1.7% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 0.1% | -5.4% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 36.3% | -1.3% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 20.4% | -20% |
| Year to date | 9.1% | -4.2% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -4.1% | -7% |
Technicals
GPC has the stronger structure| Metric | GPC | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 52.8 | 25.3 |
| ADX (14) | 20.1 | 20.8 |
| Price vs 50-day | 2.6% | -2.9% |
| Price vs 200-day | 11.8% | -9.3% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 21.9% | 21.8% |
Risk
GPC is the more resilient| Metric | GPC | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.53 | -0.13 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.06 | -0.27 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.09 | -0.46 |
| Max drawdown | -38% | -27.9% |
| Current drawdown | -10.1% | -26.2% |
| Annualized volatility | 33% | 27.5% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.8% | -2.8% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, GPC or HSY?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, GPC is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 48 against HSY's 40. The edge comes from momentum and value. HSY is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is GPC or HSY the better buy right now?
GPC carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor GPC over HSY?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. GPC leads Momentum by 41 points; HSY leads Quality by 36 points; GPC leads Value by 24 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, GPC or HSY?
Analyst price targets imply +9.5% upside for GPC and +21% for HSY, so the Street currently favors HSY. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors GPC. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, GPC or HSY?
GPC is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. GPC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 24 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, GPC or HSY?
GPC on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, GPC or HSY?
GPC on the Momentum factor, by 41 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, GPC or HSY?
GPC is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. GPC on Risk Resilience, by 12 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is GPC more profitable than HSY?
HSY leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 36.2% vs 38.1%; operating margin 4% vs 17.6%; ttm roe 0.7% vs 32.2%.
Is GPC's lead over HSY getting stronger or weaker?
GPC lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 8 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-25, when GPC moved ahead of HSY.
What would change the GPC vs HSY verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: HSY closes the Momentum gap — currently 41 points behind, the largest single contributor to GPC's edge; HSY's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; GPC's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about GPC and HSY?
GPC: 3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. HSY: 1 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on GPC is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On HSY it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare GPC and HSY with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.