Based on the aggregated intelligence of 165,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, food giant General Mills (NYSE: GIS) has earned a respected four-star ranking.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at General Mills' business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.
General Mills facts
|
Headquarters (Founded) |
Minneapolis (1928) |
|
Market Cap |
$22.8 billion |
|
Industry |
Packaged foods and meats |
|
Trailing-12-Month Revenue |
$14.8 billion |
|
Management |
CEO Kendall Powell (since 2007) CFO Donal Mulligan (since 2007) |
|
Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years) |
24.7% |
|
Cash/Debt |
$678.0 million / $6.6 billion |
|
Dividend Yield |
3.2% |
|
Competitors |
Ralcorp (NYSE: RAH) Kellogg (NYSE: K) |
Sources: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.
On CAPS, 95% of the 999 members who have rated General Mills believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include shoaly and All-Star Aphexwolf, who is ranked in the top 5% of our community.
Late last month , shoaly tapped the stock as a tasty way to protect your portfolio: "Good defensive play in a turbulent market. Everyone needs the products [General Mills] makes. A great brand for a long term investment."
Kellogg continues to be top dog in the cereal business, as a whole, while General Mills and Ralcorp (NYSE: RAH) round out the top three. However, with roughly 12% of the market all to itself, General Mills' Cheerios remains the world's most popular cereal brand. Additionally, its Pillsbury subsidiary owns a whopping 70% of the refrigerated baked goods space.
With Mr. Market seemingly as manic as ever, CAPS All-Stars like Aphexwolf think General Mills is one of the safest bets you'll find:
A value and dividend stock for the long term. They've already established themselves as an icon brand and have continued to branch out into more products. If they keep their debt low and sales up, they should have many happy returns. Even after the recovery is over I believe there will be a higher proportion of Americans that will choose to eat at home more often than out. This recession has shaken many of our generation just as the Great Depression shook earlier generations to be more cautious with where their dollar goes for the rest of their lives.
What do you think about General Mills, or any other stock for that matter? If you want to retire rich, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future, and on Motley Fool CAPS, thousands of investors are working every day to find them. CAPS is 100% free, so get started!
