Hershey reported a slight increase in net sales for the first quarter of 2020, but experienced a decrease in net income and operating profit due to derivative mark-to-market losses and increased expenses. The company withdrew its full-year financial guidance due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Consolidated net sales increased by 1.0% to $2,037.3 million.
Reported net income decreased by 11.0% to $271.1 million, or $1.29 per share-diluted.
Adjusted earnings per share-diluted increased by 2.5% to $1.63.
The company withdrew its fiscal 2020 full-year guidance due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to the rapidly evolving situation and the high degree of uncertainty, the company does not believe that it can estimate the full financial impacts with reasonable accuracy, and therefore believes it is prudent to withdraw fiscal 2020 full-year guidance at this time. The company believes it has sufficient liquidity to satisfy its cash needs, as supported by access to bank lines of credit and an unsecured revolving credit facility. The company reaffirms its long-term financial objectives of net sales growth in the range of 2% to 4% and an increase in earnings per share of 6% to 8%.
Visualization of income flow from segment revenue to net income