Hershey sees profits grow in the fourth quarter

The American chocolate maker Hershey reported net income of $ $181.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, 55.3% recorded in the fourth quarter of the previous year. In the quarter, the company highlighted the strengthening sales of chocolates category, the improvement in the performance category of snacks and the increase in the operating margin for the period. Overall net revenue shrank 1.6%, to $ $1.94 billion. Sales costs retreated 10%, to $ $1.11 billion. In North America, your main market, sales shrank 0.9 percent in the fourth quarter. In China, there were 28.2% drop in sales in the quarter. In contrast, sales had growth in India (30.8%), in Brazil (18.1%) and Mexico (10.4%). The selling expenses General and administrative, have increased 0.4% to $ $508.4 million. In the fourth quarter of 2016, the company had business realignment costs $ $4.2 million, which was not repeated in 2017, favoring the end result of the balance sheet. The operating profit reached $ $328.3 million, with an increase of 43.1%. In the year, the company registered an advance of 8.7% in net income, to $ $756.5 million. Net sales increased 1.0 percent to $ $7.52 billion. For 2018, the company predicts an increase in revenue of 5% to 7%.