Hershey vs Samsung: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Hershey reported $11.7B of revenue in FY2025 and $883.3M of net income. Samsung reported ~$236.9B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$31.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Hershey
Hershey's net sales grew from $7.44 billion in 2016 to $11.69 billion in 2025, with the biggest jumps in 2021 (+10.1%) and 2022 (+16.1%) as pricing and acquisitions kicked in. Net income peaked at $2.22 billion in 2024, then fell to $883.3 million in 2025 when record cocoa prices flowed through costs; fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted gross margin dropped 650 basis points to 38.3%. 2026 is a recovery year: first-half net sales rose 8.7% to $5.89 billion, and after the second quarter Hershey guided to 4.5%-5% net sales growth and adjusted EPS of $8.36-$8.52, up 32.5%-35%.
Samsung
Samsung's earnings follow the memory cycle. Revenue fell from ~$215 billion (KRW 302.2 trillion) in 2022 to ~$184 billion (KRW 258.9 trillion) in 2023 during a chip downturn, then recovered to ~$214 billion (KRW 300.9 trillion) in 2024 and ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) in 2025, when net income reached about $31.5 billion (KRW 44.3 trillion). In 2026, AI server demand created a memory shortage. Q1 operating profit of ~$40.6 billion (KRW 57.2 trillion) exceeded the full-year 2025 total, and Q2 reached ~$63.5 billion (KRW 89.5 trillion) on ~$122 billion (KRW 171.5 trillion) revenue. Higher memory costs also squeezed Samsung's own devices: the MX and Networks unit lost ~$497 million (KRW 0.7 trillion) in Q2 2026 on ~$23.6 billion (KRW 33.2 trillion) revenue.
Revenue and profit by year
Hershey
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $11.7B | $883.3M | 7.6% | +4.4% | Source |
| FY2024 | $11.2B | $2.2B | 19.8% | +0.3% | Source |
| FY2023 | $11.2B | $1.9B | 16.7% | +7.2% | Source |
| FY2022 | $10.4B | $1.6B | 15.8% | +16.1% | Source |
| FY2021 | $9B | $1.5B | 16.5% | +10.1% | Source |
| FY2020 | $8.1B | $1.3B | 15.7% | +2.0% | Source |
| FY2019 | $8B | $1.1B | 14.4% | +2.5% | Source |
| FY2018 | $7.8B | $1.2B | 15.1% | +3.7% | Source |
| FY2017 | $7.5B | $783M | 10.4% | +1.0% | Source |
| FY2016 | $7.4B | $720M | 9.7% | — | Source |
Samsung
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$236.9B | ~$31.4B | 13.3% | +10.9% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$213.6B | ~$23.9B | 11.2% | +16.2% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$183.8B | ~$10.3B | 5.6% | -14.3% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$214.6B | ~$38.9B | 18.1% | +8.1% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$198.5B | ~$27.9B | 14.0% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Hershey
- North America Confectionery~81%
Chocolate, candy, mints, gum, and seasonal confectionery brands including Reese's, Hershey's, Kisses, Twizzlers, and U.S. Kit Kat licensing.
- North America Salty Snacks~11%
SkinnyPop, Dot's, Pirate's Booty, and related salty-snack brands that diversify occasions beyond chocolate.
- International~8%
Sales in markets outside the United States and Canada, including Mexico, Brazil, China, and other international operations.
- Licensing and Other
Included in segments
Licensing and partner economics associated with selected brands, formats, and international arrangements.
Samsung
- Memory semiconductors
- Foundry and system LSI
- Galaxy smartphones and mobile devices
- Display panels
- TVs and appliances
- Network equipment
- Harman automotive and audio
Business model and strategy
Hershey
How it makes money
Hershey is a branded consumer packaged goods manufacturer. It buys cocoa, sugar, dairy, peanuts and packaging, converts them into branded chocolate, candy and snacks in its own plants, and sells them wholesale to retailers such as Walmart, grocery chains, convenience stores, dollar stores and club stores.
Growth strategy
Under Kirk Tanner, Hershey's ONE Hershey strategy aims to lead U.S. snacking across sweet and salty occasions. The salty push began with Amplify Snack Brands (SkinnyPop) in 2018, followed by Pirate's Booty (2018), Dot's Homestyle Pretzels and Pretzels Inc. (2021), and LesserEvil, closed in November 2025 for a reported $750 million.
Competitive advantage
Hershey's advantage is a portfolio of category-leading U.S. brands, led by Reese's, plus scale in retail merchandising and seasonal candy. The company describes itself as No. 1 in U.S. confection and No. 2 in U.S. snacking. Its exclusive U.S. license for Kit Kat and the Hershey Trust's voting control also give it unusual stability against takeovers and short-term activist pressure.
Samsung
How it makes money
Samsung earns money from two groups of businesses. Device Solutions (DS) makes and sells memory (DRAM, HBM, NAND), System LSI chips such as Exynos processors and ISOCELL image sensors, and contract foundry manufacturing.
Growth strategy
Samsung's growth plan centers on AI memory: ramping HBM4 for Nvidia and AMD accelerators, developing HBM4E, and adding DRAM capacity at Pyeongtaek. In foundry it is pursuing 2nm gate-all-around production and building its Taylor, Texas fab to win customers from TSMC. On the device side it relies on Galaxy AI features, foldables and premium TVs to defend share against Apple and Chinese brands.
Competitive advantage
Samsung's edge is manufacturing scale and breadth. It is the largest memory producer and one of only three major DRAM makers, alongside SK hynix and Micron. That lets it capture pricing upswings like the 2026 AI-driven shortage.
Questions about Hershey vs Samsung
Which company has higher revenue — The Hershey Company or Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
The Hershey Company reported $11.7B (FY2025), while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. reported ~$236.9B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is the larger business, with The Hershey Company reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of The Hershey Company vs Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
The Hershey Company's market capitalisation stands at $34.1B, while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.'s is $1.33T. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to The Hershey Company.
Which is more financially efficient — The Hershey Company or Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
The Hershey Company generates $597k / employee in revenue per employee, while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. generates $914k / employee. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.
How do The Hershey Company and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. make money?
The Hershey Company and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. The Hershey Company: Hershey is a branded consumer packaged goods manufacturer. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: Samsung earns money from two groups of businesses.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — The Hershey Company or Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, The Hershey Company trades at 2.9x P/S and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. at 5.6x P/S. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to The Hershey Company. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is The Hershey Company bigger than Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
By last reported revenue, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (~$236.9B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to The Hershey Company ($11.7B (FY2025)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Hershey vs Samsung overview