Which has the lower trailing P/E, HSY or KMB?

KMB has the lower trailing P/E: HSY trades at 23.28 and KMB at 16.78. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.

Which has grown faster, HSY or KMB?

Over the past five years, HSY grew revenue faster — HSY at a 7.31% CAGR versus KMB at -2.69%.

Does HSY or KMB pay a bigger dividend?

HSY yields 3.30% and KMB yields 5.20% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.

Is HSY or KMB more profitable?

HSY runs the higher net margin — HSY at 12.24% versus KMB at 11.80%.

How have HSY and KMB total returns compared?

Over the past 10 years, HSY delivered 8.66% and KMB delivered 1.32% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

The Hershey Company (HSY) vs Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB)

A side-by-side comparison of The Hershey Company and Kimberly-Clark Corporation across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of September 13, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.

HSY

The Hershey Company

$34.56B

$170.42Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Sep 15, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

KMB

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

$32.75B

$98.68Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Sep 15, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

Total return — HSY vs KMB

growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10y

HSY +125.2% (+8.5%/yr)KMB +15.1% (+1.4%/yr)HSY compounded faster over this window

HSY KMB

HSY vs KMB: by the numbers

•HSY is the larger company ($34.56B vs $32.75B market cap).
•KMB trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (16.78 vs 23.28 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
•HSY converts more revenue to profit (12.24% vs 11.80% net margin).
•HSY grew revenue faster over the past five years (7.31% vs -2.69% CAGR).
•KMB pays the higher dividend yield (5.20% vs 3.30%).

Metrics side by side

Valuation

Metric	HSY	KMB
P/E ratio	23.28	16.78
Forward P/E	20.06	13.30
P/S ratio	2.84	1.98
P/B ratio	7.58	18.72
EV / EBITDA	14.78	14.51
FCF yield	5.60%	5.37%

Profitability

Metric	HSY	KMB
Gross margin	38.11%	36.69%
Operating margin	17.58%	12.38%
Net margin	12.24%	11.80%
ROE	32.64%	111.71%
ROIC	15.00%	12.46%

Dividends

Metric	HSY	KMB
Dividend yield	3.30%	5.20%
Payout ratio	78.22%	86.73%

Growth (annualized)

Metric	HSY	KMB
Revenue CAGR (5Y)	7.31%	-2.69%
EPS CAGR (5Y)	-6.67%	-2.50%
FCF CAGR (5Y)	9.19%	-8.19%
Total return CAGR (5Y)	2.35%	-2.75%

Frequently asked

Which has the lower trailing P/E, HSY or KMB?: KMB has the lower trailing P/E: HSY trades at 23.28 and KMB at 16.78. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
Which has grown faster, HSY or KMB?: Over the past five years, HSY grew revenue faster — HSY at a 7.31% CAGR versus KMB at -2.69%.
Does HSY or KMB pay a bigger dividend?: HSY yields 3.30% and KMB yields 5.20% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is HSY or KMB more profitable?: HSY runs the higher net margin — HSY at 12.24% versus KMB at 11.80%.
How have HSY and KMB total returns compared?: Over the past 10 years, HSY delivered 8.66% and KMB delivered 1.32% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Go deeper

Full HSY analysis Full KMB analysis Interactive comparison tool

Dig into the metrics

Hershey P/E ratio Kimberly-Clark P/E ratio Hershey dividend yield Kimberly-Clark dividend yield Hershey ROE Kimberly-Clark ROE Hershey operating margin Kimberly-Clark operating margin Hershey revenue growth Kimberly-Clark revenue growth Hershey free cash flow Kimberly-Clark free cash flow

Hershey & Kimberly-Clark appear in these rankings

Highest Dividend Yield Stocks 25+ Year Dividend Growers Highest ROE Stocks Highest FCF Yield Stocks

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified September 13, 2026.