Dot's Pretzels debuts 'Winning Season' football programming. * 18 Sep 2026 BY: Lily Cota HERSHEY, PA - Football season is back in full swing. That means consumers are coming together for game day traditions, watch parties and tailgates. Dot's Pretzels is joining the fanfare with new "A Winning Season Tastes Like Dot's" programming. The commercial spot and concurrent advertising showcase the rituals that bring football fans together every week and the snacks they bring along. "Dot's Original Pretzels have earned a place at the center of game day, and with limited-time Dot's Chipotle Honey, we're giving fans a sweet and smoky new way to shake up their spread." - Natalie Perera | VP of salty snacks | The Hershey Co. Placing itself at the center of it all, The Hershey Co. brand debuted a limited-time bold flavor: Dot's Chipotle Honey. "Winning seasons are built with the right ingredients, and so are great game-day spreads," said Natalie Perera, VP of salty snacks at The Hershey Co. "What makes Dot's Pretzels different is the bold, buttery-rich flavor, signature seasoning and unmistakable crunch that fans keep coming back. Dot's Original Pretzels have earned a place at the center of game day, and with limited-time Dot's Chipotle Honey, we're giving fans a sweet and smoky new way to shake up their spread." In addition to the new flavor and promos, the pretzel brand is teaming up with rookie football star Caleb Downs to put an extra emphasis on the brand's position this season. "I'm big on having a routine before a game," Downs said. "Consumers have those rituals, too, whether it's what they wear, what they watch or what they have on the table." The new flavor is available at retailers nationwide in 16-ounce resealable bags for an SRP of $5.99.

Hershey froze its quarterly dividend at $1.37 per share for five consecutive quarters through November 2025, then raised it to $1.452 in February 2026, where it has held for three quarters. The freeze reflected severe financial pressure. Full-year 2025 net income collapsed to $883 million from $2.22 billion in 2024, driven by record cocoa costs and approximately $165 million in tariff expenses. Operating income fell to $1.42 billion from $2.90 billion. The company's Q2 2025 results were particularly dire, with net income of just $62.7 million on revenue of $2.61 billion. Despite the earnings collapse, annual dividend payouts remained at $1.085 billion. Hershey now guides for 32 to 35 per cent EPS growth in 2026 versus 2025. The stock trades at $173, below the analyst target of $206.

Hershey shares have fallen 28.1% from their 52-week high of $239.48 reached on 2 March, significantly underperforming the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The stock declined 2.1% over the past three months, whilst the Dow gained 3%. Year-to-date, Hershey shares dropped 5.4% and fell 8.3% over the past year, compared to the Dow's 9% and 14.6% gains respectively. The Pennsylvania-based confectionery maker has traded below its 200-day moving average since mid-April. Despite strong demand in Brazil, the UK, and India, Hershey faces international margin pressure from delayed cocoa pricing and higher logistics costs. The company reported second-quarter earnings per share of $1.90, beating estimates of $1.45, whilst revenue of $2.8 billion exceeded forecasts of $2.7 billion.