SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 29, 2024

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The unaudited consolidated financial statements provided in this report include the accounts of The Hershey Company (the “Company,” “Hershey,” “we” or “us”) and our majority-owned subsidiaries and entities in which we have a controlling financial interest after the elimination of intercompany accounts and transactions. We have a controlling financial interest if we own a majority of the outstanding voting common stock and minority shareholders do not have substantive participating rights, we have significant control through contractual or economic interests in which we are the primary beneficiary or we have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance. We use the equity method of accounting when we have a 20% to 50% interest in other companies and exercise significant influence. Other investments that are not controlled, and over which we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence, are accounted for under the cost method. Both equity method investments and cost, less impairment, investments are included as Other non-current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial reporting and with the rules and regulations for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, they do not contain certain information and disclosures required by GAAP for comprehensive financial statements. The financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which are, in our opinion, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position, and cash flows for the indicated periods.

Operating results for the quarter ended September 29, 2024 may not be indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024 because of seasonal effects on our business. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (our “2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K”), which provides a more complete understanding of our accounting policies, financial position, operating results and other matters.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2022, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2022-04, Liabilities—Supplier Finance Programs (Subtopic 405-50): Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations. This ASU requires a buyer in a supplier finance program to disclose qualitative and quantitative information about the program including the program’s nature, activity during the period, changes from period to period and potential magnitude. ASU 2022-04 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022 and interim periods within those annual periods. A rollforward of obligations during the annual period, including the amount of obligations confirmed and obligations subsequently paid, is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023 with early adoption permitted. This ASU should be applied retrospectively to each period in which a balance sheet is presented, except for the amendment on rollforward information, which should be applied prospectively. We early adopted provisions of this ASU in the fourth quarter of 2022, with the exception of the amendment on rollforward information, which we adopted in the fourth quarter of 2023. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers. This ASU requires an acquirer to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) rather than adjust them to fair value at the acquisition date. ASU 2021-08 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022 and interim periods within those annual periods. This ASU should be applied prospectively to business combinations occurring on or after the date of adoption. As a result, we adopted the provisions of this ASU in the first quarter of 2023. This new standard was not applicable to the May 2023 acquisition of Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing, Inc. (“Weaver”) due to no contract assets or liabilities being acquired in this transaction (as discussed in Note 2); however, it will be applied in relevant future acquisitions.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. This ASU requires disclosure of significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”), an amount for other segment items with a description of the composition, and disclosure of the title and position of the CODM. ASU 2023-07 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted and the update should be applied retrospectively to each period presented in the financial statements. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. As a result, we intend to adopt the provisions of this ASU in the fourth quarter of 2024.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. This ASU requires public business entities on an annual basis to disclose specific categories in a tabular rate reconciliation and provide additional information for reconciling items that meet a five percent quantitative threshold. Additionally, the ASU requires all entities to disclose the amount of income taxes paid disaggregated by federal, state, and foreign taxes, as well as individual jurisdictions where income taxes paid are equal to or greater than five percent of total income taxes paid. ASU 2023-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted and the update should be applied on a prospective basis, with a retrospective application permitted in the financial statements. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. As a result, we intend to adopt the provisions of this ASU in the fourth quarter of 2025.

No other new accounting pronouncement issued or effective during the fiscal year had or is expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.