6 , 3 1 6 ▁shares ▁of ▁H ers he y ▁common ▁stock ▁represent ▁ 1 6 ▁million ▁H ers he y ▁shares ▁val ued ▁at ▁over ▁$ 2 . 5 ▁billion ▁that ▁pay ▁annual ▁c ash ▁divid ends ▁of ▁$ 4 9 . 4 ▁million . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁mer ger , ▁the ▁H . B . ▁Re ese ▁C andy ▁Company ▁was ▁celebr ating ▁its ▁ 4 0 th ▁An ni versary ▁and ▁had ▁just ▁added ▁ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁square ▁feet ▁of ▁new ▁state - of - the - art ▁manufact uring ▁capacity ▁to ▁its ▁ 9 2 5 ▁Re ese ▁Avenue , ▁H ers he y , ▁PA ▁plant . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁only ▁ 6 ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁Re ese / H ers he y ▁mer ger , ▁Re ese ' s ▁Pe an ut ▁But ter ▁Cu ps ▁became ▁the ▁best - s elling ▁product ▁of ▁The ▁H ers he y ▁Company . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁September ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Re ese ' s ▁Pe an ut ▁But ter ▁Cu ps ▁were ▁the ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁s elling ▁c andy ▁brand ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁with ▁sales ▁of ▁$ 2 . 6 0 3 ▁billion . ▁Furthermore ▁back ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁the ▁non - union ▁H . B . ▁Re ese ▁C andy ▁Company ▁plant ▁added ▁yet ▁another ▁ 2