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DEO vs. GIS: Diageo vs. General Mills Stock Comparison

How do Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS) both fall under the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group, but DEO is classified in Beverages while GIS is classified in Food Products.

General Mills (GIS) trades as ordinary local shares, while Diageo (DEO) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS)
Profile ItemDEOGIS
NameDiageo plc Sponsored ADRGeneral Mills Inc.
Country/RegionUnited KingdomUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupFood, Beverage & TobaccoFood, Beverage & Tobacco
GICS IndustryBeveragesFood Products
GICS Sub-IndustryDistillers & VintnersPackaged Foods & Meats
Market Capitalization55.56 billion USD18.99 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 14, 1991March 17, 1980
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DEO
GIS
GSPC
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS)
MetricDEOGIS
Total Return (1Y)13.51%-20.22%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-11.57%-14.80%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-10.73%-7.41%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DEO
GIS
GSPC
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

General Mills (GIS) reports a negative beta of -0.01, suggesting inverse market sensitivity over the measurement window. That is uncommon for ordinary equities and can reflect commodity-linked or hedge-like exposure, but it can also come from statistical noise. Diageo (DEO) has a non-negative beta of 0.52.

Risk profile metrics for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS)
MetricDEOGIS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)33.21%30.85%
Beta (5Y)0.52-0.01
Max Drawdown (5Y)-63.41%-59.63%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.07M9.41M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DEO and GIS are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS)
MetricDEOGIS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.28-0.79
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.38-1.14

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

General Mills (GIS) reports a negative ROE of -10.50%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Diageo (DEO) reports 14.99%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

14.99%

Max
32.02%
Q3
16.61%
DEO
14.99%
Median
10.05%
Q1
4.10%
Min
-10.50%

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

-10.50%

Max
32.02%
Q3
16.61%
Median
10.05%
Q1
4.10%
GIS
-10.50%
Min
-10.50%
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their ROE against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

General Mills (GIS) reports a negative net margin of -4.89%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Diageo (DEO) reports 8.84%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

8.84%

Max
24.83%
Q3
11.22%
DEO
8.84%
Median
5.94%
Q1
2.05%
Min
-11.49%

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

-4.89%

Max
24.83%
Q3
11.22%
Median
5.94%
Q1
2.05%
GIS
-4.89%
Min
-11.49%
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their net margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Diageo (DEO) at 27.04% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of General Mills (GIS) at 15.24%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

27.04%

Max
34.91%
DEO
27.04%
Q3
17.57%
Median
11.06%
Q1
4.15%
Min
-15.06%

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

15.24%

Max
34.91%
Q3
17.57%
GIS
15.24%
Median
11.06%
Q1
4.15%
Min
-15.06%
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS)
MetricDEOGIS
ROE (TTM)14.99%-10.50%
ROA (TTM)7.48%5.65%
Net Margin (TTM)8.84%-4.89%
Operating Margin (TTM)27.04%15.24%
Gross Margin (TTM)59.82%33.73%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Diageo (DEO) at -2.97% and General Mills (GIS) at -5.45% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Diageo (DEO) at -26.30% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while General Mills (GIS) at -103.90% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS)
MetricDEOGIS
Revenue Growth (YoY)-2.97%-5.45%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.50%-2.85%
EPS Growth (YoY)-26.30%-103.90%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-27.84%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Diageo (DEO) at 1.60 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while General Mills (GIS) at 0.70 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for GIS.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.60

Max
4.01
Q3
2.35
DEO
1.60
Median
1.53
Q1
1.02
Min
0.33

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

0.70

Max
4.01
Q3
2.35
Median
1.53
Q1
1.02
GIS
0.70
Min
0.33
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Diageo (DEO) at 1.71 and General Mills (GIS) at 1.82 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.71

Max
2.19
DEO
1.71
Q3
1.11
Median
0.68
Q1
0.33
Min
0.00

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.82

Max
2.19
GIS
1.82
Q3
1.11
Median
0.68
Q1
0.33
Min
0.00
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS)
MetricDEOGIS
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.600.70
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.711.82
Net Debt / EBITDA3.183.86

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

General Mills (GIS) at 6.69% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Diageo (DEO) at 0.50% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, GIS the richer one.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

0.50%

Max
9.38%
Q3
3.77%
Median
1.76%
DEO
0.50%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

6.69%

Max
9.38%
GIS
6.69%
Q3
3.77%
Median
1.76%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Diageo (DEO) reports payout ratio above 100% at 106.52%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile General Mills (GIS) reports 59.41%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

106.52%

Max
199.19%
DEO
106.52%
Q3
81.03%
Median
41.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

59.41%

Max
199.19%
Q3
81.03%
GIS
59.41%
Median
41.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS)
MetricDEOGIS
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.50%6.69%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)106.52%59.41%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Diageo (DEO) trades at 31.97 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while General Mills (GIS) has no P/E ratio this period.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

31.97

Max
52.52
DEO
31.97
Q3
30.78
Median
18.76
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

--

Max
52.52
Q3
30.78
Median
18.76
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72
GIS
--
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): GIS does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; DEO is benchmarked against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

General Mills (GIS) at 1.04 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Diageo (DEO) at 2.83 sits in the pricier quartile — DEO costs more per dollar of sales.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

2.83

Max
4.64
DEO
2.83
Q3
2.27
Median
1.17
Q1
0.52
Min
0.00

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.04

Max
4.64
Q3
2.27
Median
1.17
GIS
1.04
Q1
0.52
Min
0.00
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

General Mills (GIS) at 2.55 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Diageo (DEO) at 91.95 prices above its benchmark range — DEO looks rich relative to book.

DEO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

91.95

DEO
91.95
Max
6.35
Q3
3.07
Median
1.58
Q1
0.82
Min
0.00

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

2.55

Max
6.35
Q3
3.07
GIS
2.55
Median
1.58
Q1
0.82
Min
0.00
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Diageo (DEO) vs. General Mills (GIS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Diageo (DEO) and General Mills (GIS)
MetricDEOGIS
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.97--
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.831.04
P/B Ratio (MRQ)91.952.55
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.62%6.86%