Surge in Cocoa Prices Shows Why Hershey Bets on Derivatives
Impact of Cocoa Prices on Candy Companies: Record-high cocoa prices are negatively affecting candy companies, highlighting the importance of derivatives markets for financial relief.
Hershey's Financial Gains: Hershey reported a $460 million pretax gain from commodity derivatives last year, contributing to a total profit of $2.22 billion.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Analyst Views on MDLZ
About MDLZ
About the author

- Quarterly Dividend Announcement: Mondelēz International's Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share, which not only provides shareholders with a stable cash return but also reflects the company's strong financial health and ongoing profitability.
- Payment Schedule: The dividend will be payable on April 14, 2026, to shareholders of record as of March 31, 2026, ensuring timely returns for investors and further boosting their confidence in the company.
- Financial Performance Overview: In 2025, Mondelēz International reported net revenues of approximately $38.5 billion, demonstrating its leadership in the global snacking market, particularly driven by its portfolio of iconic brands that continue to attract consumers.
- Sustainability Recognition: Mondelēz International's inclusion in the Dow Jones Best-in-Class North America and World Indices highlights its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability, enhancing its brand image and competitive position in the market.
- Game Outcome: On February 8, 2026, Super Bowl LX saw the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots 29-13, with 30 of the 42 total points scored in the fourth quarter, highlighting the game's intensity and enhancing the Seahawks' brand image.
- Ad Performance: According to USA Today's Ad Meter, brands like Anheuser-Busch, Lay's, and Dunkin' resonated well with viewers again this year, indicating effective emotional and comedic messaging strategies that continue to engage audiences.
- Viewer Feedback: Some ads featuring AI tools failed to win over viewers, reflecting a limited acceptance of technology-driven advertising among consumers, suggesting that companies need to reassess their advertising strategies to improve effectiveness.
- Market Impact: The Super Bowl remains a crucial platform for brand marketing, where successful ads can significantly boost brand visibility and directly influence sales performance, prompting companies to increase their advertising budgets in future campaigns.
- Price Fluctuation Analysis: CGDG's 52-week low is $27.6186 and high is $37.3794, with the latest trade at $37.35, indicating price stability near the high point, which may influence investor buying decisions.
- Technical Analysis Tool: Comparing the latest stock price to the 200-day moving average can provide valuable insights for investors, aiding in market trend assessment and potential buying opportunities.
- ETF Trading Mechanism: Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) trade like stocks, where investors buy and sell 'units' that can be created or destroyed based on demand, impacting liquidity and market performance.
- Inflows and Outflows Monitoring: Weekly monitoring of changes in ETF shares outstanding focuses on those experiencing notable inflows (new units created) or outflows (old units destroyed), assessing their impact on underlying assets and market sentiment.
Stock Market Outlook: The Super Bowl Indicator suggests a positive year for the stock market, particularly following the Seattle Seahawks' victory.
Investor Sentiment: Even skeptics of the Super Bowl Indicator can find reasons for optimism as the market approaches a significant January jobs report.
- Investor Sentiment Shift: Following earnings calls from tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, investor confusion about future directions led to Amazon losing over $300 billion in market cap, reflecting strong skepticism regarding its $200 billion AI investment plan.
- Capital Expenditure Comparison: Google announced an increase in capital expenditures to $175 billion to $185 billion, exceeding the expected $115 billion to $120 billion, indicating a proactive approach in AI despite challenges from slowing ad revenues.
- Changing Competitive Landscape: With Alphabet's ongoing investments and successes in AI, YouTube's user base has grown to 750 million, and Waymo's self-driving business is outpacing Tesla, suggesting a strengthening competitive advantage that may attract more investor interest.
- Mixed Market Reactions: Despite OpenAI and Anthropic's strong performance in AI, Microsoft's Copilot sales have been disappointing, highlighting investor concerns about its future growth and reflecting differing levels of confidence across companies.
Report Overview: Recent reports from investment and research firms provide insights into analysts' perspectives on various companies.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in these reports do not reflect the opinions or recommendations of Barron’s.
Investment Services: Some report issuers may have existing or potential investment-banking relationships with the companies analyzed.
Purpose of Reports: The reports serve as a sampling of market analysis rather than definitive investment advice.








