HRL vs HSY Stock Comparison
HRL currently leads HSY in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 50 vs 45. The clearest difference is value, while HSY has the stronger quality profile.
What is the main difference between HRL and HSY?
HRL leads the current stock comparison as Hormel Foods Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Hormel Foods Corporation vs The Hershey Company
HRL leads
HRL leads by 5 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Risk Resilience, and the lead has widened from 2 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors HSY on target upside.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support HRL, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Hormel Foods Corporation
The Hershey Company
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors HRL over HSY, 50 versus 45 as of Oct 31, 2026. HRL's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and risk resilience, while HSY holds the stronger quality profile. HRL 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 HRL today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. HRL lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 2 to 5 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Hormel Foods Corporation and The Hershey Company across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare HRL 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.
- Quality36 vs 61HSY +25
- Value56 vs 31HRL +25
- Risk Resilience59 vs 43HRL +16
- Momentum56 vs 44HRL +12
4 of 6 evidence groups favor HRL. HRL’s edge is concentrated in value and risk resilience; HSY keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-28, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-27.
Largest factor move: Momentum -2
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum -4
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 3 active signals are unchanged.
HRL's lead was unchanged in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — HRL and HSY both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
HRL (Hormel Foods Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and risk resilience.
HSY (The Hershey Company): the counter-case, on quality, fundamentals, 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
HRLHRL on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
HSYHSY on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
HRLHRL on the peer-relative Value factor, by 25 points.
Momentum
HRLHRL on the Momentum factor, by 12 points.
Lower downside
HRLHRL on Risk Resilience, by 16 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 HRL, analyst targets favor HSY. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | HRL | HSY | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +15.1% | +20.9% | HSY has more room |
| Target dispersion | +24.5% | +38.5% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 5 | 11 | 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.
Dividend growth
| Dividend metric | HRL | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y dividend CAGR | 4.52% | 11.68% |
| 2020 regular DPS | $0.930 | $3.154 |
| 2025 regular DPS | $1.160 | $5.480 |
| Years increased | 5 | 4 |
| No cut in window | Yes | Yes |
| Cohort rank | #266 | #66 |
HSY grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 11.68% a year against HRL's 4.52%. Neither company reduced its regular dividend in any year of the window.
Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.
Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor HRL. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | HRL | 50 vs 45 |
| Fundamentals | HSY | EPS growth -62.1% vs 3.2%; TTM ROE 4.3% vs 32.2%; gross margin 15.7% vs 38.1%; operating margin 4.7% vs 17.6% |
| Valuation | HRL | Value 56 vs 31 |
| Technicals | HRL | Price vs 50-day 1.6% vs -3%; vs 200-day -9.8% vs -13.5% |
| Risk Resilience | HRL | Risk Resilience 59 vs 43 |
| Analyst expectations | HSY | Target upside 15.1% vs 20.9% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of HRL and HSY and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (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 HRL.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 29 – Oct 28HRL lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 2 to 5 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- HRL +5
- 50 vs 45
- 7 sessions ago
- HRL +2
- 50 vs 48
- 30 sessions ago
- HRL +2
- 43 vs 41
- 90 sessions ago
- HSY +4
- 44 vs 48
The lead changed hands once in this window, most recently on Oct 22 when HRL 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.
1 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only HRL
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
1 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
No signal that the other name lacks.
Both carry 3 more signals that do not separate them: Death Cross Active, Downtrend Structure Active, MACD Bullish Crossover.
HRL 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.
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +1.82%, AIQ -1 points).
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +3.33%, 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 Value gap — currently 25 points behind, the largest single contributor to HRL's edge.
- 2HSY's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3HRL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 2 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
HSY leads on balance| Metric | HRL | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -0.4% | -10.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -62.1% | 3.2% |
| Gross margin | 15.7% | 38.1% |
| Operating margin | 4.7% | 17.6% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 4.3% | 32.2% |
| Debt to equity | 0.36 | 1.23 |
Performance
HSY leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | HRL | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 0.8% | -2.4% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 3.4% | 3.9% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -18.8% | -7.6% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -1.2% | -13.4% |
| Year to date | -13% | -10% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -13.5% | -8.7% |
Technicals
HRL has the stronger structure| Metric | HRL | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 66.7 | 51.6 |
| ADX (14) | 26.4 | 21.4 |
| Price vs 50-day | 1.6% | -3% |
| Price vs 200-day | -9.8% | -13.5% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 25.2% | 28.4% |
Risk
HRL is the more resilient| Metric | HRL | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | -0.17 | -0.21 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.45 | -0.35 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.64 | -0.59 |
| Max drawdown | -27.6% | -33.3% |
| Current drawdown | -22.3% | -30.7% |
| Annualized volatility | 29.9% | 27.7% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.1% | -2.8% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, HRL or HSY?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, HRL is the stronger of the two as of Oct 31, 2026, scoring 50 against HSY's 45. The edge comes from value and risk resilience. 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 HRL or HSY the better buy right now?
HRL carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 31, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor HRL over HSY?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. HSY leads Quality by 25 points; HRL leads Value by 25 points; HRL leads Risk Resilience by 16 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, HRL or HSY?
Analyst price targets imply +15.1% upside for HRL and +20.9% for HSY, so the Street currently favors HSY. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors HRL. 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, HRL or HSY?
HRL is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. HRL on the peer-relative Value factor, by 25 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, HRL or HSY?
HSY 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, HRL or HSY?
HRL on the Momentum factor, by 12 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, HRL or HSY?
HRL is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. HRL on Risk Resilience, by 16 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 HRL more profitable than HSY?
HSY leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 15.7% vs 38.1%; operating margin 4.7% vs 17.6%; ttm roe 4.3% vs 32.2%.
Is HRL's lead over HSY getting stronger or weaker?
HRL lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 2 to 5 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-29 and 2026-10-28. The lead has changed hands once in that window, most recently on 2026-10-22, when HRL moved ahead of HSY.
What would change the HRL vs HSY verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: HSY closes the Value gap — currently 25 points behind, the largest single contributor to HRL's edge; HSY's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; HRL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 2 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 HRL and HSY?
HRL: 1 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. HSY: 1 bullish / 2 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 HRL is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On HSY it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare HRL 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.