Should I buy General Mills stock in 2025? Full NZ Analysis

What is General Mills?

How much is the General Mills stock?

The price of General Mills stock is rising this week. Currently trading at $53.99 USD, the stock has gained 1.18% over the past 24 hours but shows a 3.85% decrease for the week. General Mills holds a market capitalisation of $29.56 billion with an average 3-month trading volume of 5.89 million shares. The price-to-earnings ratio stands at 11.71, offering a dividend yield of 4.50%, while the stock’s beta is a low 0.05, indicating minimal volatility. This stability may appeal to NZ investors seeking reliable income, even amid recent downward trends.

Our complete analysis of the General Mills stock

Having extensively reviewed General Mills’s (NYSE: GIS) latest financial results alongside its three-year stock trajectory, we have deployed our proprietary algorithmic framework—integrating quantitative indicators, technical signals, market data, and competitive benchmarks—to assess its position within the global defensive consumer goods sector. This multidimensional analysis uncovers several converging factors that point to improving market dynamics and emerging value. So, why might General Mills stock once again become a strategic entry point into the packaged food space in 2025?

Recent Performance and Market Context

General Mills’s share price closed at $53.99 on 30 May 2025, reflecting a modest intraday gain of 1.16%. Over the past week, the stock receded by 3.85%, and it remains in a corrective phase with a six-month drawdown of -18.52% and a twelve-month decrease of -18.8%. Despite this pronounced pullback, the stock stands just above its 52-week technical support at $52.39, indicating a possible inflection zone for long-term investors seeking to capitalise on depressed valuations in solidly cash-generative companies.

Fundamentally, the current U.S. and global macroeconomic context favours resilient, dividend-rich equities within the defensive consumer sector. While cyclical growth stocks have captured headlines, the appetite for steady, non-cyclical cash flows has been returning as volatility rises in more speculative market segments. In addition, the New Zealand investment landscape—historically favouring large-cap, income-stable international stocks—positions General Mills as a particularly relevant candidate for diversification beyond local staples.

On a corporate event front, several recent strategic moves—such as the acquisition of Whitebridge Pet Brands for $1 billion and the planned divestiture of the North American yoghurt business—demonstrate active portfolio management aimed at boosting margin durability and capital efficiency.

Technical Analysis

Despite the negative momentum year-to-date, technical indicators now suggest General Mills may be establishing a multi-month base that could mark the end of the recent down cycle.

• RSI (14 days): The neutral relative strength index implies the oversold state is receding, increasing the likelihood of mean reversion instead of further extended selling.
• MACD: The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator is now crossing into positive territory (0.01), typically an early confirmation that downward pressure is abating and positive short-term momentum is poised to accelerate.
• Moving Averages: With price action consolidating just above 52-week lows ($52.39), the longer-term moving averages are flattening, setting up the technical framework for a bullish reversal.
• Support & Resistance: The $52.39 level represents a robust technical floor, while the consensus target range of $61.64–$66.13 offers a potential upside of 18–22% from current levels. The 52-week high at $75.90 further underscores scope for material recovery in a re-rating scenario.

Investors seeking asymmetric opportunities often monitor such technical configurations, where the risk/reward profile shifts quickly to the upside after extended corrections—especially with dominant large-cap franchises.

Fundamental Analysis

The bedrock of the General Mills story remains its defensive cashflow profile, disciplined capital management, and structural brand equity.

• Revenue and Profitability: Despite Q3 2025 headwinds—with sales slipping by 5% (to $4.84 billion) and net profit down 7%—General Mills maintains annual revenues of $19.64 billion and a robust operating margin of 13.02%, highlighting its ability to withstand retail destocking and temporary snacking category slowdowns.
• Valuation: The current trailing P/E multiple of 11.71 and a dividend yield of 4.5% stand out as distinctly attractive against sector and multi-decade historical benchmarks. Adjusted for forward expectations, the discounted cashflow and price/sales ratios suggest substantial margin-of-safety, especially for income-seeking or value-oriented investors. Notably, analyst-derived price targets ($63.45-$66.13 range; +30% potential) reinforce the argument that current price levels do not fully incorporate medium-term earnings normalisation.
• Market Leadership: With globally recognised brands such as Cheerios, Betty Crocker, and Häagen-Dazs, and a top-three share in North American cereals and pet food, General Mills’ strategic focus on higher-margin categories (notably pet food and premium snacks) supports continued cashflow consistency—even as end-consumer preferences evolve.
• Financial Strength: A return on equity of 26.83% and annualised ROA of 7.2% point to both effective capital allocation and competitive capital structure.

The repositioning through divestitures and bolt-on acquisitions is expected to further enhance earnings resilience and operational focus—two traits highly valued in turbulent or shifting macro regimes.

Volume and Liquidity

With a three-month average trading volume of 5.89 million shares and a $29.56 billion market capitalisation, General Mills benefits from deep liquidity and steady institutional participation. Sustained volume at recent technical lows often signals market confidence and a potential inflection toward renewed demand, particularly as risk-averse investors seek defensive yield exposures.

The float of approximately 547.6 million shares affords both flexibility for active managers and dynamic valuation responses to fundamental news—ideal characteristics for New Zealand investors looking to access high-quality U.S. equity opportunities within the NZ regulatory framework.

Catalysts and Positive Outlook

Several company-specific and thematic catalysts could drive a re-rating in General Mills over the next 12–18 months:

• Pet Food Growth: The $1 billion acquisition of Whitebridge Pet Brands and accelerated investment in the Blue Buffalo franchise leverage robust global pet “humanisation” trends, with premiumisation and growth outpacing legacy food categories.
• Portfolio Rationalisation: The completed sale of Canadian yoghurt operations (generating a $96 million gain) and pending U.S. yoghurt transaction with Lactalis reinforce the company’s transition toward higher-margin, defensively positioned assets.
• Cost-Optimisation: General Mills’s ongoing Holistic Margin Management (HMM) and efficiency initiatives are expected to deliver at least 5% margin savings and a further $100 million in cost reductions during 2026, positioning the business to benefit disproportionately from even moderate revenue recovery.
• Innovation: Intensified R&D and pipeline expansion in on-trend grocery and snack categories (including health-focused and sustainable products), with increased capex planned for FY26, provides visibility on future top-line support.
• Sustainability and ESG: Elevated focus on ESG standards—spanning supply chain, packaging, and environmental stewardship—aligns well with global investor expectations and may attract capital flows into the stock, especially from institutions with mandates for responsible investing.

From a macro lens, fluctuating soft commodity prices, stabilising input costs, and shifting consumer emphasis toward home-centric convenience foods may collectively underpin sector sentiment, supporting renewed interest in “buried treasure” names that stand poised at value troughs.

Investment Strategies

General Mills’s current technical and fundamental set-up appears to offer a compelling case for entry across varying time horizons:

• Short Term (0–3 months):
• Investors may capitalise on the convergence of technical supports and low RSI readings, potentially positioning ahead of the next earnings release or corporate event.
• Recent upward momentum (+1.16% intraday, neutralising negative sentiment) suggests short-term traders could see meaningful rebounds toward the $61–$66 range as sentiment resets.
• Medium Term (6–12 months):
• With the execution of cost-saving programmes and the integration of Whitebridge Pet Brands, margin expansion and EPS upside could drive a gradual re-rating.
• The seasonally adjusted back half of 2025, traditionally stronger for food majors, offers the prospect of mean reversion and a return toward consensus targets.
• Long Term (12–36 months):
• The combination of sector-leading dividend yield (4.5%), structural re-prioritisation toward premium pet food, and a dominant pricing power platform (Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs etc.) supports ongoing wealth compounding.
• For NZ investors seeking global exposure to staple U.S. consumer names with attractive risk-adjusted returns, the post-correction entry point appears especially advantageous for portfolio anchoring and defensive balance.

Strategically, adding positions near well-tested technical lows, or incrementally prior to anticipated fundamental catalysts (e.g., major results or product launches), could optimise risk/reward for both tactical traders and long-term allocators.

Is it the Right Time to Buy General Mills?

Synthesising the technical, fundamental, and macro analyses, General Mills emerges as a high-quality, undervalued asset presently trading at an apparent cyclical low. The strength of its global consumer brands, prudent capital allocation, and forward-looking restructuring efforts significantly reinforce the case for renewed investor attention. Moreover, an attractive combination of reliable yield, discounted valuation metrics, and company-specific growth levers positions GIS as a standout within the global consumer staples universe.

With market sentiment stabilising, and multiple earnings and portfolio catalysts on the horizon, General Mills seems to represent an excellent opportunity for New Zealand investors seeking resilient, income-generating exposure to the U.S. defensive sector. While some near-term volatility remains possible, the current price levels and impending margin improvements justify renewed interest as the company enters what may be a new bullish phase.

In an environment where balance-sheet strength and margin-of-safety are paramount, General Mills’s stock appears set to stage a convincing recovery—making this moment one that investors may look back on as a strategic entry into a sector leader poised for upside realisation.

How to buy General Mills stock in New Zealand?

Buying shares of General Mills (NYSE: GIS) online is both easy and secure for investors in New Zealand, thanks to the reliable platforms provided by licensed, regulated brokers. You can typically choose between two main approaches: buying the shares directly (“spot/cash buying”)—making you a partial owner of General Mills—or trading Contracts for Difference (CFDs), which let you speculate on price movements with leverage. Both options are fully accessible from NZ via reputable online brokers. To help you decide which method fits your needs, you’ll find further down this page a comprehensive comparison of leading brokers and their fees.

Cash buying

A cash (or spot) purchase means you buy real General Mills shares on the US market and become a shareholder, entitled to dividends and voting rights. Most NZ-friendly brokers charge a fixed commission per US order, typically ranging from NZ$5 to NZ$15.

Example

Suppose the General Mills share price is US$53.99, and you wish to invest NZ$1,000 (about US$610 after currency exchange and small fees). With NZ$1,000, you can buy approximately 11 shares (US$53.99 × 11 ≈ US$593) after accounting for a brokerage fee of about NZ$8.

• Gain scenario: If the share price rises by 10% to US$59.39, your 11 shares are now worth around NZ$1,100.
• Result: +NZ$100 gross gain, or +10% on your investment.

Trading via CFD

CFDs (Contracts for Difference) allow you to trade on General Mills share price movements without owning the underlying shares. With CFDs, you use leverage—meaning you only put up a portion of your total position—and you pay the spread (difference between buy/sell price) and overnight financing costs if you hold your position overnight.

Example

You open a CFD position on General Mills with NZ$1,000 and 5x leverage, giving you NZ$5,000 exposure.

• Gain scenario: If the share price rises by 8%, your position gains 8% × 5 = 40%.
• Result: +NZ$400 gain on a stake of NZ$1,000 (excluding fees/spread/overnight charges).

Final advice

Before investing, it’s essential to compare the fees and details of different brokers, as charges and services can vary significantly for NZ investors. The best method—cash buying or CFDs—depends on your goals: long-term shareholders may prefer owning real shares and receiving dividends, while active traders may benefit from the flexibility and leverage of CFDs. To make an informed choice, see our broker comparison further down this page. Happy investing!

Our 7 tips for buying General Mills stock

The latest news about General Mills

General Mills maintains dividend stability with a 4.5% yield, offering attractive income for NZ investors. This stable and comparatively high dividend yield is notable for New Zealand-based portfolios prioritizing defensive and income-oriented US stocks, especially amidst global market uncertainties. The company’s annual dividend of $2.40 per share, paid quarterly, continues uninterrupted despite recent profit pressures, indicating strong cash flow management and reliability, which are crucial for long-term overseas investors dealing with currency and regulatory friction.

The recently completed $1 billion acquisition of Whitebridge Pet Brands strengthens General Mills’ global pet food segment, enhancing prospects for NZ importers and partners. This transaction, finalized in Q3 2025, reflects General Mills’ strategic shift toward high-growth and high-margin markets, an area with persistent global expansion. Pet food—already a focus for retail and distributor partners in New Zealand given growing consumer demand—will likely see increased product innovation and availability. Such expansion positions the company and associated NZ partners to benefit from global premiumization and new product flows in the category.

General Mills' leading consumer brands, including Häagen-Dazs and Betty Crocker, maintain strong retail presence in NZ, supporting resilient overseas sales channels. Despite a challenging FY25 with overall net sales and profit declines, flagship brands remain visible and in demand in New Zealand supermarkets, underscoring the company’s resilience and sustained relevance in export-led markets. These iconic products anchor General Mills’ trans-Tasman sales performance and serve as key revenue drivers benefiting both US-listed equity performance and New Zealand’s consumer goods ecosystem.

The MACD indicator turned positive this week and analysts set midrange targets above $63, signaling technical recovery potential. Technical analysis identified a MACD crossover to positive territory (+0.01), which could indicate a trend reversal or stabilization after a period of share price weakness. The consensus price target range of $61.64 to $66.13 reflects potential for upside in the medium term relative to the most recent closing price ($53.99), an encouraging datapoint for New Zealand investors evaluating entry points or reinforcement of positions in US-listed food staples.

Participation in the 5 June 2025 dbAccess Global Consumer Conference increases visibility and may foster strategic alliances in Asia-Pacific. General Mills’ presence at this prominent investor event highlights its emphasis on international growth, including in Asia-Pacific markets. For New Zealand institutional investors, distributors, and supply chain partners, such engagement facilitates fresh insights into corporate strategies, possible local partnership opportunities, and signals readiness to adapt to regional consumption trends—factors that support market confidence and long-term shareholder value.

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P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.