Hershey growth sales

Hershey says it expects full year sales growth to be in the region of 3-4%, with earnings at the lower end of the $1.85 (€1.43) to $1.90 (€1.47) range.

Announcing its third quarter results, the company saw net sales increasing 6.4% to $1.4 billion (€1bn). According to president and CEO David West, “This growth was driven by price realisation, overall growth in core brands and new products, partially offset by softness in snacks and refreshment.
“In 2009, we expect net sales growth of 2-3% as the pricing previously announced will be partially offset by lower volumes. We expect 2009 earnings to increase, however, it will be at a rate below long-term objective due to higher commodity prices.”