LECO vs. HSY
LECO (Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.) and HSY (The Hershey Company) are both stocks. LECO operates in Tools & Accessories (Industrials), while HSY operates in Confectioners (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, LECO returned 17.79%/yr vs 9.11%/yr for HSY. At a 0.20 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
LECO vs. HSY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LECO achieves a 8.12% return, which is significantly higher than HSY's 1.25% return. Over the past 10 years, LECO has outperformed HSY with an annualized return of 17.79%, while HSY has yielded a comparatively lower 9.11% annualized return.
LECO
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -2.64%
- YTD
- 8.12%
- 6M
- 6.64%
- 1Y
- 28.05%
- 3Y*
- 11.30%
- 5Y*
- 16.64%
- 10Y*
- 17.79%
HSY
- 1D
- 0.45%
- 1M
- -6.45%
- YTD
- 1.25%
- 6M
- 1.34%
- 1Y
- 8.70%
- 3Y*
- -8.39%
- 5Y*
- 3.29%
- 10Y*
- 9.11%
LECO vs. HSY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LECO Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. | 8.12% | 29.63% | -12.55% | 52.61% | 5.42% | 21.89% | 22.97% | 25.41% | -12.24% | 21.37% |
HSY The Hershey Company | 1.25% | 10.98% | -6.51% | -17.88% | 21.86% | 29.58% | 5.90% | 40.20% | -2.92% | 12.33% |
Correlation
The correlation between LECO and HSY is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 13, 1995 | 0.20 |
Fundamentals
LECO:
$14.29B
HSY:
$37.11B
LECO:
$9.68
HSY:
$5.38
LECO:
26.67
HSY:
33.80
LECO:
3.30
HSY:
3.08
LECO:
9.45
HSY:
7.84
LECO:
$4.35B
HSY:
$11.99B
LECO:
$1.57B
HSY:
$4.17B
LECO:
$807.88M
HSY:
$2.04B
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Return for Risk
LECO vs. HSY — Risk / Return Rank
LECO
HSY
LECO vs. HSY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (LECO) and The Hershey Company (HSY). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| LECO | HSY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.72 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.01 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.08 | +0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.40 | 0.35 | +1.05 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.68 | 0.87 | +2.81 |
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Drawdowns
LECO vs. HSY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LECO drawdown since its inception was -68.89%, which is greater than HSY's maximum drawdown of -49.15%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LECO and HSY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LECO | HSY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -68.89% | -49.15% | -19.74% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.09% | -25.01% | +4.92% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -34.29% | -42.23% | +7.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.29% | -45.25% | +10.96% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.89% | -45.25% | +6.36% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.31% | -28.02% | +14.71% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.51% | -13.10% | -0.41% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.64% | 10.00% | -2.36% |
Volatility
LECO vs. HSY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (LECO) is 8.61%, while The Hershey Company (HSY) has a volatility of 9.48%. This indicates that LECO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than HSY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LECO | HSY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.61% | 9.48% | -0.87% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.20% | 20.08% | +0.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.05% | 27.49% | -0.44% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.66% | 22.77% | +3.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.43% | 23.44% | +3.99% |
Dividends
LECO vs. HSY - Dividend Comparison
LECO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.19%, less than HSY's 3.11% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HSY The Hershey Company | 3.11% | 3.01% | 3.24% | 2.39% | 1.67% | 1.76% | 2.07% | 2.03% | 2.57% | 2.24% | 2.32% | 2.50% |
LECO Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. | 1.19% | 1.27% | 1.54% | 1.21% | 1.61% | 1.50% | 1.70% | 1.96% | 2.08% | 1.57% | 1.71% | 2.29% |
Financials
LECO vs. HSY - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. and The Hershey Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
LECO vs. HSY - Profitability Comparison
LECO - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. reported a gross profit of 399.13M and revenue of 1.12B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 35.6%.
HSY - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Hershey Company reported a gross profit of 1.22B and revenue of 3.10B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 39.4%.
LECO - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. reported an operating income of 186.16M and revenue of 1.12B, resulting in an operating margin of 16.6%.
HSY - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Hershey Company reported an operating income of 640.69M and revenue of 3.10B, resulting in an operating margin of 20.6%.
LECO - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. reported a net income of 136.38M and revenue of 1.12B, resulting in a net margin of 12.2%.
HSY - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Hershey Company reported a net income of 435.11M and revenue of 3.10B, resulting in a net margin of 14.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
LECO and HSY have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
HSY has higher volatility (9.48%) compared to LECO (8.61%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LECO dropped -68.89% vs HSY's -49.15%.
LECO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.04 vs 0.32), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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