---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000047111-25-000008"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "HSY"
cik: "0000047111"
company_name: "HERSHEY CO"
filed_at: "2025-01-15T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-28T01:31:14.699571+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.7
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Hershey CEO Michele Buck to retire June 30, 2026; board starts successor search

## Summary
- Michele Buck will remain CEO until successor appointed, then transition to special advisor through June 30, 2026.
- Buck receives $8.5M retention bonus: $3.5M payable Jan. 2025, $5M 60 days after June 30, 2026.
- Amended agreement sets 2025 LTI target at $8.75M and 2026 LTI at $4.375M; base salary $1.4M.
- Board formed special committee to search for next CEO, considering internal and external candidates.
- Hershey reaffirms full-year 2024 financial outlook; 2025 outlook to be provided in February earnings.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000047111-25-000008
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: HSY
- cik: 0000047111
- company_name: HERSHEY CO
- filed_at: 2025-01-15T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.7
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/47111/000004711125000008/0000047111-25-000008-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/47111/000004711125000008/hsy-20250109.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000047111-25-000008
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000047111-25-000008.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000047111-25-000008.txt

## Source-grounded claims
- claim_id: 9568a7388a
  claim: Michele G. Buck departed as President and Chief Executive Officer at HERSHEY CO.
  evidence_excerpt: Michele G. Buck, the Company’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer, intends to retire from the Company effective June 30, 2026.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/47111/000004711125000008/0000047111-25-000008-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.