With a market cap of $17.7 billion, General Mills, Inc. (GIS) produces and markets a wide range of branded consumer foods, including cereals, snacks, baking products, frozen meals, ice cream, and pet food through segments such as North America Retail, International, North America Pet, and North America Foodservice.
Companies valued at $10 billion or more are generally considered "large-cap" stocks, and General Mills fits this criterion perfectly. Its products are sold worldwide through grocery stores, mass merchandisers, e-commerce retailers, restaurants, and specialty pet stores under well-known brands like Cheerios, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and Häagen-Dazs.
Shares of the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company have dipped nearly 39% from its 52-week high of $55.19. Shares of General Mills have declined 22.4% over the past three months, underperforming the Nasdaq Composite’s ($NASX) 14.4% increase during the same period.
The company’s shares have decreased 27.6% on a YTD basis, lagging behind NASX's 11.7% gain. Longer term, GIS stock has dropped 38.5% over the past 52 weeks, compared to NASX’s 32.6% return over the same time frame.
The stock has been trading below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since last year.
Shares of General Mills fell nearly 3% on Mar. 18 after the company reported Q3 2026 adjusted EPS of $0.64, significantly below analysts' expectations, despite revenue of $4.44 billion slightly exceeding the consensus estimate. Investors were also concerned about continued weak consumer demand, as the company's largest business, its North America Retail segment, experienced a sharp 14% decline in net sales, reflecting pressure from inflation, changing consumer preferences toward healthier and higher-protein foods, and intense competition.
Additionally, General Mills maintained its reduced full-year outlook, forecasting adjusted profit to decline 16% - 20% and organic sales to fall 1.5% - 2%.
In comparison, GIS stock has shown less pronounced decline than its rival McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) on a YTD basis, with MKC shares declining 29.2%. Nevertheless, MKC stock has decreased 35.6% over the past 52 weeks, a less steep dip than GIS stock.
Due to GIS stock’s underperformance relative to the Nasdaq, analysts are cautious with a consensus rating of "Hold" from 20 analysts. The mean price target of $37.94 is a premium of 12.7% to current levels.
