It’s no secret that stocks have been volatile over recent weeks, mostly fueled by geopolitical concerns. Tech stocks have been hit pretty hard, with investors likely cashing in some gains on the back of uncertainty following big runs over recent years.
Investors can help shield themselves during heightened volatility by looking at simple businesses that aren’t overly flashy, such as well-established companies like Hershey HSY, and PepsiCo PEP, both of which have nicely outperformed relative to the S&P 500 in 2026, as shown below.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, a current Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America and a global leader in chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery. The company has seen its earnings outlook for its current and next fiscal year jump higher over recent months, a huge positive concerning sustaining its recent momentum.
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Hershey has also been on a nice earnings streak, exceeding earnings and revenue estimates in three consecutive quarters, underpinning the recent momentum nicely.
Shares are also highly attractive from an income-focused standpoint, with the company overall a long-time favorite of those seeking consistent paydays. Shares currently yield a solid 2.7% annually, compared with a 1.2% annual yield from the S&P 500.
PepsiCo
PepsiCo is a long-established company that manufactures, markets, and distributes grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. The stock popped on its latest set of better-than-expected results, with improved operational efficiencies leading to 15% year-over-year EPS growth.
Keep in mind that PepsiCo holds the elite Dividend King title, demonstrating an unparalleled commitment to its shareholders through 50+ consecutive years of dividend increases. Shares currently yield a rock-solid 3.6% annually, with its dividend reliability illustrated below.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Bottom Line
Less-flashy companies like PepsiCo PEP, and The Hershey Company HSY have established themselves fully by doing ‘simple’ things exceptionally well. Of course, they’re likely not to impress investors given their less-flashy nature, but sometimes boring is better, especially during volatile periods.
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Hershey Company (The) (HSY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
