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General Mills

NYSE: GIS · USD

General Mills (GIS) Economic Moat Analysis—

Avantages concurrentiels, preuves datées et risques d’érosion.

Analyse à actualiser

Narrow avantage concurrentiel

General Mills has a narrow, eroding brand moat. Reported household penetration gains, improving base volume and category share performance support a current consumer franchise beyond trademark ownership. However, these gains required investment in value, innovation and marketing. Pricing outcomes are mixed, profitability remains under pressure, and substantial impairments weaken confidence in durability. Scale does not establish a relative cost advantage.

Intangible assets

Established brands support consumer demand and competitive relevance. Reported penetration gains and base-volume improvement provide operating support, although their attribution to brand strength is indirect and issuer-reported.

Durabilité
A narrow advantage requiring continued reinvestment. Recent demand improvements support persistence, but the supplied evidence does not demonstrate exceptional long-term protection or consistently strong pricing power.
Concurrents
Comparaison non établie
Risques d’érosion
Lower-priced private labels, well-resourced branded rivals and concentrated retail purchasing constrain pricing. Realized brand impairments and declining adjusted profitability demonstrate erosion; consumer-preference and reputational risks remain possibilities rather than established outcomes.
Ce qui invaliderait la thèse
The thesis would fail if subsequent comparable disclosures show sustained household penetration and category-share declines despite continued brand investment, or if restoring volume repeatedly requires unfavorable price realization and mix without recovery in profitability. Further broad brand impairments would reinforce invalidation.
Preuves (7) · Contre-preuves (8)

Évolution depuis la dernière analyse

  • Retain the previous narrow, eroding moat verdict, supported by verified penetration, volume and category-share disclosures.
  • Add the latest quarter's flat consolidated organic sales, International volume growth with unfavorable price realization and mix, and further adjusted profit and margin declines.
  • Assess management using disclosed compensation, ownership rules, governance practices and actual capital outcomes; do not treat strategic aspirations as achievements.

Limites de l’analyse

  • All operating evidence is issuer-supplied. Specific reported outcomes support assessment, but management's causal explanations and competitive-superiority claims are not independent proof.
  • Competition passages identify generic manufacturers and retailers rather than named direct rivals. Walmart is disclosed as a major customer; companies mentioned in biographies, joint ventures or sustainability comparisons do not establish direct competitive coverage.
  • Price realization is combined with mix, limiting isolation of pure pricing effects. Customer pricing contracts and repricing rights are absent.
  • Penetration, shipment volume and share performance provide indirect demand evidence, not measured repeat-purchase rates or contractual switching friction.
  • Several passages are truncated. No missing table values or sentence completions are assumed.
  • Source dates are filing dates: July 1, 2026 for filing-1, September 23, 2026 for filing-2, and August 13, 2026 for filing-3. Proxy proposals and draft amendments are not treated as adopted; subsequent voting outcomes are absent.
  • Ownership requirements are disclosed, but complete executive holdings and realized incentive payouts are not supplied. Reported impairment valuations involve management estimates and do not alone establish franchise failure.

Indicateurs financiers à confronter à la thèse

Ratios calculés à partir des publications annuelles. Une valeur manquante reste indisponible. Les graphiques détaillés sont accessibles dans les autres onglets.

Indicateurs financiers à confronter à la thèse
PériodeGross marginOperating marginROICFCF margin
202233.7%18.3%13.3%14.5%
202332.6%17.1%12.7%10.4%
202434.9%17.3%12.5%12.7%
202534.6%17.0%11.5%11.8%
202633.6%4.8%—8.8%

Pouvoir de fixation des prix—

Données vérifiées insuffisantes pour attribuer un score.

Management—

Données vérifiées insuffisantes pour attribuer un score.

Sources et méthode

Analyse à actualiser · Mis à jour 19/10/2026 · Version 8

Interprétation IA fondée sur des extraits vérifiés. Les déclarations de l’entreprise et les limites de couverture restent explicites.

Méthode quality-scores-2 : six catégories de même poids. Le score global exige une couverture complète. Les données manquantes ne valent pas zéro. Les évaluations qualitatives sont des interprétations sourcées, pas des probabilités. 3/6 · 24/10/2026

Moat—

Awaiting a sourced assessment under the current scoring policy and financial basis.

Pouvoir de fixation des prix—

Awaiting a sourced assessment under the current scoring policy and financial basis.

Prévisibilité81

Five consecutive annual periods. Equal weights: nondeclining revenue frequency; revenue-growth volatility (5–40pp); positive FCF frequency; FCF-margin volatility (3–20pp). Stability indicator, not a growth forecast.

Nondeclining revenue years (%)
25.00
Revenue growth volatility (pp)
4.07
Positive FCF years (%)
100.00
FCF margin volatility (pp)
1.93

Solidité financière6

Equal-weight grades: debt/FCF (1–8x), net debt/earnings before interest and tax (0–5x), interest service (1–12x), current ratio (0.75–2x). Earnings use reported operating income, or reported pretax profit plus reported interest expense when operating income is unavailable. Interest service uses earnings/interest expense; if unavailable, it uses reported operating cash flow/cash interest paid, without relabeling cash paid as accrued expense. Nonpositive cash flow/earnings score 0 for their service component; reported zero interest with a positive numerator scores 100. Net cash scores 100 for net leverage. Missing disclosures remain unavailable. General nonfinancial-company rubric, not a credit rating; exceptional and nonoperating gains are not normalized out. IFRS finance-cost and cash-flow classifications retain their reported scope.

debtFcfGrade
0.00
netDebtEbitGrade
0.00
interestCoverageGrade
25.22
currentRatioGrade
0.00
Debt / FCF (x)
8.32
Net debt / operating income (x)
14.77
Current ratio (x)
0.68
cashInterestPaid
573.90
cashInterestCoverage
3.77

Allocation du capital61

Three-year equal-weight indicators: pretax return on average invested capital (0–25%; equity + debt − cash, each year and its prior year), share-count growth (0–5%, lower better), share-based cost/revenue (2–20%, lower better), consolidated FCF/net income (0–1x). Return uses reported operating income or, if unavailable, EBIT calculated from reported pretax profit plus reported interest expense; exceptional/nonoperating gains are not normalized out. Share-based cost uses the reported cash-flow add-back or, if absent, separately reported recognized compensation expense; the latter never becomes an FCF adjustment. Nonpositive net income scores 0 for cash conversion; absent income/FCF stays unavailable. Nonpositive invested capital has no defined return and remains unavailable. Does not establish acquisition quality or buyback timing.

3-year pre-tax operating return (%)
11.34
3-year average dilution (%)
-3.31
3-year average SBC / revenue (%)
0.46
cashConversionGrade
0.00

Qualité du management—

Awaiting a sourced assessment under the current scoring policy and financial basis.

Preuves

Some of the more important trademarks used in our global operations (set forth in italics in this report) include Annie’s, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Blue Buffalo, Bugles, Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, Dunkaroos, Edgard & Cooper, Fiber One, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Gardetto’s, Gold Medal, Golden Grahams, Häagen-Dazs, Kitano, Kix, Lärabar, Latina, Lucky Charms, Nature Valley, Nudges, Oatmeal Crisp, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Progresso, Tastefuls, Tiki Pets, Total, Totino’s, Trix, True Solutions, Wanchai Ferry, Wheaties, Wilderness, and Yoki.

Business / Trademarks and patents · Dépôt 01/07/2026

Our investments in value, innovation, and brand building helped drive base volume improvement from a 10 percent decline in fiscal 2025 to 1 percent growth in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026.

Executive compensation / Fiscal 2026 operating highlights / Base volume · Dépôt 13/08/2026

We grew or held pound share in 65 percent of our top 10 U.S.

Executive compensation / Fiscal 2026 operating highlights / Pound share · Dépôt 13/08/2026

categories, and household penetration increased in both North America Retail and North America Pet.

Executive compensation / Fiscal 2026 operating highlights / Categories and household penetration · Dépôt 13/08/2026

Competition in our product categories is based on product innovation, product quality, price, brand recognition and loyalty, effectiveness of marketing, promotional activity, convenient ordering and delivery to the consumer, and the ability to identify and satisfy consumer preferences.

Business / Competition / Competitive factors · Dépôt 01/07/2026

In most product categories, we compete not only with other widely advertised, branded products, but also with regional brands and with generic and private label products that are generally sold at lower prices.

Business / Competition / Lower-priced alternatives · Dépôt 01/07/2026

All our principal competitors have substantial financial, marketing, and other resources.

Business / Competition / Competitor resources · Dépôt 01/07/2026

In fiscal 2026, Walmart accounted for 22 percent of our consolidated net sales and 31 percent of net sales of our North America Retail segment.

Risk factors / Customer concentration · Dépôt 01/07/2026

QUARTERLY DATA (UNAUDITED) Summarized quarterly data for fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2025 follows: First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Fiscal Year In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts 2026 2025 2026 2025 2026 2025 2026 2025 Net sales $4,517.5 $4,848.1 $4,860.8 $5,240.1 $4,436.7 $4,842.2 $4,609.6 $4,556.2 Gross margin 1,532.8 1,688.8 1,692.5 1,931.1 1,366.9 1,639.1 1,603.5 1,474.0 Net earnings (loss) attributable to General Mills 1,204.2 579.9 413.0 795.7 303.1 625.6 (2,007.9) 294.0 EPS: Basic $2.22 $1.03 $0.78 $1.43 $0.57 $1.14 $(3.74) $0.53 Diluted $2.22 $1.03 $0.78 $1.42 $0.56 $1.12 $(3.74) $0.53 In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, we recorded a $1,500.0 million non-cash goodwill impairment charge related to our North America Pet reporting unit and $250.0 million of non-cash impairment charges related to our Nudges and True Chews brand intangible assets.

Note 19 / Quarterly data / Pet goodwill and brand impairments · Dépôt 01/07/2026

International organic net sales increased 3 percent in fiscal 2026 compared to fiscal 2025, driven by an increase in contributions from

MD&A / International / Fiscal 2026 organic sales · Dépôt 01/07/2026

organic volume growth and favorable organic net price realization and mix.

MD&A / International / Organic volume and price realization and mix · Dépôt 01/07/2026

F26 Financial Results Net sales totaled $18.4 billion and organic net sales decreased 2% compared to year-ago levels*.

Executive compensation / Fiscal 2026 financial results / Organic sales · Dépôt 13/08/2026

30, 2026 Aug. 24, 2025 In Millions Value Percent of Net Sales Value Percent of Net Sales Operating profit as reported $633.6 14.4% $1,725.8 38.2% Mark-to-market effects (29.5) (0.7)% 8.5 0.2% Valuation loss on held for sale business 23.7 0.5% — —% Transaction costs 4.3 0.1% 11.8 0.3% Acquisition integration costs 1.7 —% 1.4 —% Restructuring and transformation charges 0.2 —% 18.3 0.4% Divestitures gain — —% (1,054.4) (23.3)% Investment activity, net — —% (0.2) —% Adjusted operating profit $634.0 14.4% $711.2 15.7% Note: Table may not foot due to rounding.

Non-GAAP measures / Adjusted operating profit margin reconciliation · Dépôt 23/09/2026

by an increase in contributions from organic volume growth, partially offset by unfavorable organic net price realization and mix.

MD&A / International / First-quarter fiscal 2027 organic growth drivers · Dépôt 23/09/2026

basis, primarily driven by higher input costs and a decrease in contributions from volume growth, partially offset by favorable net

MD&A / Consolidated results / Adjusted operating profit drivers · Dépôt 23/09/2026

price realization and mix. Adjusted operating profit margin decreased 130 basis points to 14.4 percent.

MD&A / Consolidated results / Price realization and adjusted margin · Dépôt 23/09/2026

International organic net sales increased 4 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2027 compared to the same period in fiscal 2026, driven

MD&A / International / First-quarter fiscal 2027 organic sales · Dépôt 23/09/2026

Organic net sales essentially matched the same period last year.

MD&A / Consolidated results / First-quarter fiscal 2027 organic sales · Dépôt 23/09/2026

Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $2.2 billion and capital investments totaled $540 million.

Executive compensation / Fiscal 2026 capital allocation / Operating cash and investment · Dépôt 13/08/2026

We returned $1.8 billion to shareholders through dividends of $1.3 billion and share repurchases of $500 million.

Executive compensation / Fiscal 2026 capital allocation / Shareholder distributions · Dépôt 13/08/2026

30, 2026 Aug. 24, 2025 Cash Flows - Operating Activities Net earnings, including earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests $398.1 $1,204.0 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 139.8 138.7 After-tax earnings from joint ventures (18.9) (6.8) Distributions of earnings from joint ventures 10.9 26.9 Stock-based compensation 21.8 15.1 Deferred income taxes (18.0) 10.0 Pension and other postretirement benefit plan contributions (6.6) (5.2) Pension and other postretirement benefit plan costs (3.0) (6.7) Divestitures gain — (1,054.4) Restructuring, transformation, impairment, and other exit costs 21.0 (2.7) Changes in current assets and liabilities, excluding the effects of acquisitions and divestitures (251.5) 58.8 Other, net 4.2 19.3 Net cash provided by operating activities 297.8 397.0 Cash Flows - Investing Activities Purchases of land, buildings, and equipment (90.5) (109.5) Proceeds from divestitures — 1,803.4 Investments in affiliates, net (25.4) — Proceeds from disposal of land, buildings, and equipment — 2.8 Other, net — (1.9) Net cash (used) provided by investing activities (115.9) 1,694.8 Cash Flows - Financing Activities Change in notes payable 132.7 (654.8) Proceeds from common stock issued on exercised options — 0.2 Purchases of common stock for treasury — (500.0) Dividends paid (330.5) (330.9) Other, net (11.8) (21.7) Net cash used by financing activities (209.6) (1,507.2) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (0.2) 4.4 (Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (27.9) 589.0 Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of year (includes $37.9 million of cash classified as held for sale as of May 31, 2026) 491.7 363.9 Cash and cash equivalents - end of period (includes $30.7 million of cash classified as held for sale as of Aug.

Consolidated statements of cash flows / Quarter ended August 30, 2026 · Dépôt 23/09/2026

Also, we recorded a $1,031.8 million non-cash pre-tax valuation loss related to the planned divestiture of our Brazil business.

Note 19 / Quarterly data / Brazil valuation loss · Dépôt 01/07/2026

Percentage Of CEO Target Compensation Total Direct Compensation Element Pay Element Performance Measure Strategy and Performance Alignment BASE SALARY Cash •Individual performance and contributions based on scope and complexity of role •Positioned within a reasonable range of market median based on individual performance and contributions ANNUAL INCENTIVE Cash-based award Company Performance (80%) •Organic net sales growth* •Adjusted operating profit growth* Individual Performance (20%) •Rewards and recognizes annual accomplishment of key financial objectives •Corporate performance measures aligned with long-term growth model LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PSUs Three-year cliff vesting (with one- year additional holding period required) and Three-year measurement period •Organic net sales growth* (CAGR) •Cumulative operating cash flow* •+/- 25% Relative TSR Modifier •Performance metrics align with key elements for delivering growth and creating value for shareholders Stock Options Four-year graded vesting •Ultimate value tied to stock price appreciation RSUs Four-year graded vesting •Ultimate value tied to TSR *Non-GAAP measures.

Executive compensation / Compensation elements, performance measures and vesting · Dépôt 13/08/2026

Minimum ownership requirements are 10 times annual salary for the CEO, five times annual salary for members of the CEO’s senior leadership team and three times annual salary for other corporate officers.

Stock ownership / Executive ownership requirements · Dépôt 13/08/2026

Executives must hold 50% of net, after-tax shares that they receive pursuant to stock awards until they meet the ownership requirements.

Stock ownership / Executive share-retention requirement · Dépôt 13/08/2026

Stock ownership includes direct and indirect ownership, deferred stock units, unvested RSUs, and stock held in the 401(k) Plan as of July 31, 2026, but does not include unvested PSUs and unexercised stock options (whether vested or unvested).

Stock ownership / Definition of qualifying ownership · Dépôt 13/08/2026

Given Ms. McNabb’s recent appointment as Chief Operating Officer, she has not yet met our minimum ownership requirements.

Stock ownership / Chief Operating Officer ownership shortfall · Dépôt 13/08/2026

(a)Incentive performance is measured on a comparable basis and excludes certain items affecting comparability, including the impact of acquisitions and divestitures, restructuring projects, and tax reform.

Appendix / Incentive performance adjustments · Dépôt 13/08/2026

Each member met the independence standards for compensation and talent committee membership under the listing standards of the NYSE during fiscal 2026.

Corporate governance / Compensation committee independence · Dépôt 13/08/2026

In order to promote independent decision making on executive compensation matters, the compensation and talent committee meets in executive session without management present at each meeting, often with the participation of the independent compensation consultant.

Executive compensation / Committee executive sessions · Dépôt 13/08/2026

Henry Jo Ann Jenkins Eric D. Sprunk Functions: •Monitors and recommends changes in the organization, procedures, and policies of the board, including committee appointments and corporate governance policies and practices; •Develops policy on composition, participation, and size of the board as well as tenure and retirement of directors; •Recommends candidates for election to the board and evaluates continuing service of incumbent directors; •Oversees the annual board self-evaluation process; and •Reviews and approves transactions between General Mills and related persons.

Corporate governance / Governance committee responsibilities · Dépôt 13/08/2026

Our chief operating decision maker (CODM) is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.

Segment reporting / Combined Chairman and Chief Executive Officer role · Dépôt 23/09/2026

Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of May 31, 2026, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file or submit under the 1934 Act is (1) recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in applicable rules and forms, and (2) accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, in a manner that allows timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Item 9A / Management conclusion on disclosure controls · Dépôt 01/07/2026

Adjusted operating profit totaled $2.8 billion representing a decrease of 16% on a constant-currency basis*.

Executive compensation / Fiscal 2026 adjusted operating profit · Dépôt 13/08/2026

30, 2026 Aug. 24, 2025 Change Operating profit as reported $633.6 $1,725.8 (63)% Mark-to-market effects (29.5) 8.5 Valuation loss on held for sale business 23.7 — Transaction costs 4.3 11.8 Acquisition integration costs 1.7 1.4 Restructuring and transformation charges 0.2 18.3 Divestitures gain — (1,054.4) Investment activity, net — (0.2) Adjusted operating profit $634.0 $711.2 (11)% Foreign currency exchange impact Flat Adjusted operating profit growth, on a constant-currency basis (11)% Note: Table may not foot due to rounding.

Non-GAAP measures / First-quarter fiscal 2027 adjusted operating profit reconciliation · Dépôt 23/09/2026

A company-wide capability focused on generating sustainable benefits from net price realization and mix by identifying and executing against specific opportunities to apply tools including pricing, sizing, mix management, and promotion optimization across each of our businesses.

Strategic Revenue Management definition · Dépôt 01/07/2026

Net price realization. The impact of list and promoted price changes, net of trade and other price promotion costs.

Net price realization definition · Dépôt 23/09/2026

Historique des publications

Historique des publications
VersionMis à jourAvantage concurrentiel
824/10/2026narrow
723/10/2026narrow
622/10/2026narrow
519/10/2026narrow
418/10/2026narrow
318/10/2026narrow
218/10/2026narrow
118/10/2026Indisponible

Sources

Méthode et limites de l’analyse · Comprendre ce concept