With a market cap of $19.3 billion, General Mills, Inc. (GIS) is a leading global food company, with more than 100 brands sold in over 100 countries and products found in approximately 90% of U.S. households. The company offers a diverse portfolio of cereals, snacks, meals, baking products, premium ice cream, and pet food, focusing on delivering convenient, high-quality food that meets the needs of consumers worldwide.
Shares of the breakfast and snack food giant have underperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks. GIS stock has decreased 27.6% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 22.3%. Moreover, shares of the company are down 21.9% on a YTD basis, compared to SPX’s 13.2% return.
Narrowing the focus, shares of the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company have also lagged behind the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLP) 3.3% rise over the past 52 weeks.
General Mills shares surged 8.5% on Jul. 1 after the company reported better-than-expected Q4 2026 adjusted EPS of $0.95 and revenue of $4.61 billion. Investors were also encouraged by improving business trends, including a 4% decline in North America Retail sales versus a 10% decline a year earlier, a 150-basis-point gross margin expansion to 34.2%, and fiscal 2027 guidance of $3 - $3.20 adjusted EPS with organic sales. Additionally, the company announced a $3 billion cost-saving plan over four years through supply chain redesign and business process improvements.
For the fiscal year ending in May 2027, analysts expect General Mills’ adjusted EPS to decline 13.5% year-over-year to $3.07. Moreover, the company’s earnings surprise history is mixed. It beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion.
Among the 19 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Hold.” That’s based on two “Strong Buy” ratings, one “Moderate Buy,” 11 “Holds,” and five “Strong Sells.”
This configuration has remained unchanged over the past three months.
On Jul. 2, TD Cowen analyst Robert Moskow increased its price target on General Mills to $32 while maintaining a “Hold” rating.
The mean price target of $36.41 represents a marginal premium to GIS’ current price levels. The Street-high price target of $45 suggests a 24.2% potential upside.
On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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