tiprankstipranks
Trending News
More News >
General Mills (GIS)
NYSE:GIS

General Mills (GIS) AI Stock Analysis

Compare
4,327 Followers

Top Page

GIS

General Mills

(NYSE:GIS)

Select Model
Select Model
Select Model
Neutral 68 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:68Neutral
Price Target:
$49.00
â–²(8.34% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/19/26
The score is driven primarily by decent underlying financial quality but constrained by leverage, softer growth, and weaker recent free cash flow. Attractive valuation (low P/E and high yield) meaningfully lifts the score, while technicals remain mixed-to-weak with the stock trading below major moving averages. Earnings-call guidance is moderately supportive but tempered by cost and category/volume sustainability risks.
Positive Factors
Brand innovation & pet segment momentum
Successful new-product rollout (Love Made Fresh ~5% share, high ratings) and momentum across the Pet business show the company can convert innovation into trial and distribution gains. Durable product appeal and retail execution support sustained pound-share recovery and category positioning over months.
Sustained profitability and margins
Margins remain robust for a staples manufacturer, providing recurring operating cash and cushioning against input volatility. While margins have compressed versus earlier years, current gross and net margins underpin durable earnings capacity and support reinvestment, dividends and strategic initiatives.
High free-cash-flow conversion expectations
Management's guidance for ~95% FCF conversion indicates structural cash-generation resilience even amid softer sales. High conversion supports capital allocation flexibility — funding innovation, dividends and deleveraging — and makes the business less reliant on external financing over the medium term.
Negative Factors
Elevated leverage limits flexibility
Above-peer leverage amplifies returns but reduces financial flexibility. Higher debt-to-equity constrains the company’s ability to absorb further margin or volume weakness, limits near-term strategic spending, and increases refinancing and interest-rate sensitivity over the coming months.
Top-line softness and downward FY26 organic sales revision
Management materially revised FY26 organic sales lower, reflecting weaker consumer demand and slower volume recovery. Persistent top-line headwinds reduce earnings scalability, pressure margin recovery, and make multi-quarter growth targets and strategic investments harder to achieve without sustained pricing or mix gains.
Structural category pressures (cereal, dog feeding)
Enduring secular shifts in key categories — cereal declining as consumers seek alternatives and dog feeding moving to unmeasured channels — create sustained volume risk. These trends require portfolio repositioning, increased marketing or innovation to arrest share loss over several quarters.

General Mills (GIS) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

General Mills Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionGeneral Mills, Inc. manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates in five segments: North America Retail; Convenience Stores & Foodservice; Europe & Australia; Asia & Latin America; and Pet. It offers ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and salty snacks, ice cream, nutrition bars, wellness beverages, and savory and grain snacks, as well as various organic products, including frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. It also supplies branded and unbranded food products to the North American foodservice and commercial baking industries; and manufactures and markets pet food products, including dog and cat food. The company markets its products under the Annie's, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Blue Buffalo, Blue Basics, Blue Freedom, Bugles, Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, EPIC, Fiber One, Food Should Taste Good, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Gardetto's, Go-Gurt, Gold Medal, Golden Grahams, Häagen-Dazs, Helpers, Jus-Rol, Kitano, Kix, Lärabar, Latina, Liberté, Lucky Charms, Muir Glen, Nature Valley, Oatmeal Crisp, Old El Paso, Oui, Pillsbury, Progresso, Raisin Nut Bran, Total, Totino's, Trix, Wanchai Ferry, Wheaties, Wilderness, Yoki, and Yoplait trademarks. It sells its products directly, as well as through broker and distribution arrangements to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, e-commerce retailers, commercial and noncommercial foodservice distributors and operators, restaurants, convenience stores, and pet specialty stores, as well as drug, dollar, and discount chains. The company operates 466 leased and 392 franchise ice cream parlors. General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
How the Company Makes MoneyGeneral Mills generates revenue through the sale of its extensive portfolio of food products, which are distributed through various channels including supermarkets, convenience stores, and restaurants. The company's revenue model is primarily based on the direct sale of consumer packaged goods, with significant revenue streams coming from its branded products across cereals, snacks, and frozen foods. Additionally, General Mills benefits from strategic partnerships with retailers and foodservice operators, enhancing its distribution capabilities. The company also invests in innovation and marketing to drive brand loyalty and expand its market share, contributing to its overall earnings. Overall, the combination of a diverse product offering, effective marketing strategies, and strong distribution partnerships positions General Mills to capitalize on consumer trends and preferences in the food industry.

General Mills Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Net Sales by Segment
Net Sales by Segment
Shows revenue generated by each business segment, indicating which products or services are most successful and where growth is occurring or slowing.
Chart InsightsGeneral Mills' North America Retail segment is experiencing a decline in net sales, reflecting broader challenges in volume growth and market conditions. Despite this, the company is optimistic about its strategic investments in innovation and marketing, which have shown positive results in international and foodservice growth. The Pet segment faces mixed performance, with some product successes but ongoing challenges. The recent earnings call highlights a focus on innovation and cost management, with expectations of improved profitability in the latter half of the fiscal year despite current profit pressures.
Data provided by:The Fly

General Mills Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Dec 17, 2025
(Q2-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 18, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call highlighted strong performance in North America Retail and successful product launches like Love Made Fresh, contributing to positive momentum. However, concerns about the sustainability of volume growth, challenges in certain categories like dog feeding and cereal, and cost pressures indicate a mixed outlook.
Q2-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
North America Retail Growth
North America Retail volumes improved due to strategic pricing and product innovation, with growth in 8 of the top 10 categories.
Love Made Fresh Launch Success
The Love Made Fresh launch reached about 5% market share with 4.8 out of 5 star ratings, and is on track to reach 5,000 coolers by year-end.
Pet Business Momentum
The Pet business, including Life Protection Formula and Cat business, is seeing growth in pound share, contributing to overall momentum.
Expected Profit Growth in Q4
General Mills anticipates profit growth in Q4 due to favorable trade timing and the 53rd week.
High Success Rate of Pricing Adjustments
90% of price investments are performing at or ahead of the company's expectations.
Negative Updates
Sustainability of Volume Growth
Concerns about the sustainability of volume growth in North America Retail due to shipment timing benefits.
Dog Feeding Category Lag
Dog feeding continues to lag in growth due to shifts to unmeasured channels, smaller dog sizes, and pullback in discretionary segments.
Challenges in Cereal Category
Cereal pounds are down about 3%, with consumers moving to high-protein alternatives.
Higher Cost of Volume
Anticipated higher cost of volume is expected to pressure margins in the third quarter.
Wilderness Brand Underperformance
The Wilderness brand in the Pet segment is underperforming, with strategies being revised for improvement.
Company Guidance
During the General Mills, Inc. Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Earnings Call, CEO Jeffrey Harmening highlighted several key performance metrics. Organic sales improved with a focus on holistic margin management (HMM) and transformation initiatives. North America Retail volumes grew, with strategic base price adjustments proving successful in 90% of cases. Product innovation is expected to rise by 25% this year, aiding in pound share growth in 8 of the top 10 categories. The North America Pet segment showed positive momentum, with Love Made Fresh reaching 5% market share and a 4.8-star product rating. The company is on track to meet its goal of 5,000 coolers by January's end. Overall, there's a projected 5% HMM for the year, with expectations for top-line and profit growth in the second half, particularly in Q4, due to favorable trade timing and an extra week.

General Mills Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Solid profitability (TTM gross margin ~34%, net margin ~14%) and generally healthy cash generation, but slightly negative TTM revenue (~-2%), margin compression versus prior years, elevated leverage (debt-to-equity ~1.47), and a meaningful TTM free-cash-flow decline (~-15%) temper the outlook.
Income Statement
74
Positive
TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) revenue is slightly down (~-2%), extending a mild multi-year softness after prior growth. Profitability remains solid for Packaged Foods, with TTM gross margin around 34% and net margin around 14%. However, margins have generally compressed versus earlier years (notably EBITDA/operating profitability), indicating cost pressures and/or mix headwinds even as earnings remain resilient.
Balance Sheet
58
Neutral
Leverage is the main constraint: TTM debt is higher than equity (debt-to-equity ~1.47), and leverage has trended up versus some earlier periods. Returns on equity are strong (~27% TTM), but that strength is partly amplified by the higher debt load. Overall, the balance sheet looks workable for a mature staples business, but it is less conservative than best-in-class peers and provides less flexibility if conditions weaken.
Cash Flow
63
Positive
Cash generation remains healthy, with TTM free cash flow covering a meaningful portion of earnings (free cash flow about three-quarters of net income). That said, TTM free cash flow declined meaningfully year-over-year (about -15%), signaling higher cash demands or weaker conversion versus the prior year. Operating cash flow relative to the company’s overall obligation profile appears modest, reinforcing that cash flow is solid but not exceptionally strong given the leverage.
BreakdownTTMMay 2025May 2024May 2023May 2022May 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue18.78B19.49B19.86B20.09B18.99B18.13B
Gross Profit6.34B6.73B6.93B6.55B6.40B6.45B
EBITDA3.43B3.92B4.08B4.08B4.16B3.89B
Net Income2.54B2.30B2.50B2.59B2.71B2.34B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets32.55B33.07B31.47B31.45B31.09B31.84B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments683.40M363.90M418.00M702.70M819.20M1.87B
Total Debt13.73B15.30B13.32B12.06B11.98B13.01B
Total Liabilities23.22B23.86B21.82B20.75B20.30B21.46B
Stockholders Equity9.32B9.20B9.40B10.45B10.54B9.47B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow1.78B2.29B2.53B2.09B2.75B2.45B
Operating Cash Flow2.36B2.92B3.30B2.78B3.32B2.98B
Investing Cash Flow49.90M-1.79B-1.20B-346.40M-1.69B-512.80M
Financing Cash Flow-4.04B-1.18B-2.27B-2.40B-2.50B-2.72B

General Mills Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price45.23
Price Trends
50DMA
45.71
Negative
100DMA
46.20
Negative
200DMA
47.96
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.23
Positive
RSI
46.18
Neutral
STOCH
29.53
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For GIS, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 45.23 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 46.55, below the 50-day MA of 45.71, and below the 200-day MA of 47.96, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.23 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 46.18 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 29.53 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for GIS.

General Mills Risk Analysis

General Mills disclosed 22 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. General Mills reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

General Mills Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
68
Neutral
$24.13B9.7727.29%5.19%-5.65%0.41%
68
Neutral
$14.08B28.816.12%4.82%1.55%-40.81%
65
Neutral
$19.07B24.2414.32%2.61%1.64%-1.83%
62
Neutral
$20.33B14.63-3.31%3.23%1.93%-12.26%
61
Neutral
$12.37B-9.84-20.68%4.45%-0.66%-326.55%
60
Neutral
$8.03B13.9414.82%5.64%2.71%4.90%
54
Neutral
$29.13B-4.98-12.87%6.75%-3.70%-431.05%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
GIS
General Mills
45.23
-13.88
-23.48%
CPB
Campbell Soup
26.95
-12.35
-31.42%
HRL
Hormel Foods
25.60
-2.60
-9.23%
SJM
JM Smucker
115.95
8.20
7.62%
MKC
McCormick & Company
71.04
-11.53
-13.96%
KHC
Kraft Heinz
24.61
-4.94
-16.72%

General Mills Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board ChangesRegulatory Filings and Compliance
General Mills appoints new director, updates corporate bylaws
Positive
Jan 27, 2026

On January 26, 2026, General Mills appointed Joan L. Bottarini as an independent director to its Board, expanding the Board to twelve members and assigning her to the Audit and Compensation and Talent Committees, with compensation aligned to the company’s standard director pay practices, including an initial grant of restricted stock units. On the same date, the Board amended and restated the company’s by-laws to update procedures and disclosure requirements for director nominations and shareholder proposals at annual meetings, clarify the majority voting provision for contested elections, and implement various administrative and modernizing changes, signaling ongoing refinement of its corporate governance framework for investors and other stakeholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (GIS) stock is a Hold with a $49.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on General Mills stock, see the GIS Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 19, 2026