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GIS vs. HRL: General Mills vs. Hormel Foods Stock Comparison

How do General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL) 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

General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL) are both classified in the Packaged Foods & Meats sub-industry within the broader Food Products industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL)
Profile ItemGISHRL
NameGeneral Mills Inc.Hormel Foods Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupFood, Beverage & TobaccoFood, Beverage & Tobacco
GICS IndustryFood ProductsFood Products
GICS Sub-IndustryPackaged Foods & MeatsPackaged Foods & Meats
Market Capitalization18.99 billion USD12.08 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GIS
HRL
GSPC
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL), 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 General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL)
MetricGISHRL
Total Return (1Y)-20.22%6.06%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-14.80%-8.11%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-7.41%-9.33%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GIS
HRL
GSPC
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL), 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 General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL). 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. Hormel Foods (HRL) has a non-negative beta of 0.25.

Risk profile metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL)
MetricGISHRL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)30.85%29.42%
Beta (5Y)-0.010.25
Max Drawdown (5Y)-59.63%-59.13%
Avg. Volume (3M)9.41M5.23M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GIS and HRL 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 General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL)
MetricGISHRL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.790.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.140.09

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 Hormel Foods (HRL) reports 4.29%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

4.29%

Max
32.02%
Q3
16.61%
Median
10.05%
HRL
4.29%
Q1
4.10%
Min
-10.50%
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): 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 Hormel Foods (HRL) reports 2.82%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

2.82%

Max
24.83%
Q3
11.22%
Median
5.94%
HRL
2.82%
Q1
2.05%
Min
-11.49%
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their net margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both General Mills (GIS) at 15.24% and Hormel Foods (HRL) at 8.62% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

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%

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

8.62%

Max
34.91%
Q3
17.57%
Median
11.06%
HRL
8.62%
Q1
4.15%
Min
-15.06%
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL)
MetricGISHRL
ROE (TTM)-10.50%4.29%
ROA (TTM)5.65%4.63%
Net Margin (TTM)-4.89%2.82%
Operating Margin (TTM)15.24%8.62%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.73%15.74%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Hormel Foods (HRL) at 1.56% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while General Mills (GIS) at -5.45% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Hormel Foods (HRL) at -40.82% 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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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL)
MetricGISHRL
Revenue Growth (YoY)-5.45%1.56%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-2.85%-0.95%
EPS Growth (YoY)-103.90%-40.82%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---21.81%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Hormel Foods (HRL) at 1.88 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.

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

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.88

Max
4.01
Q3
2.35
HRL
1.88
Median
1.53
Q1
1.02
Min
0.33
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Hormel Foods (HRL) at 0.36 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while General Mills (GIS) at 1.82 uses more debt funding than most peers.

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

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

0.36

Max
2.19
Q3
1.11
Median
0.68
HRL
0.36
Q1
0.33
Min
0.00
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL)
MetricGISHRL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.701.88
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.820.36
Net Debt / EBITDA3.861.57

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both General Mills (GIS) at 6.69% and Hormel Foods (HRL) at 5.17% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

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%

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

5.17%

Max
9.38%
HRL
5.17%
Q3
3.77%
Median
1.76%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Hormel Foods (HRL) reports payout ratio above 100% at 188.31%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile General Mills (GIS) reports 59.41%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

188.31%

Max
199.19%
HRL
188.31%
Q3
81.03%
Median
41.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL)
MetricGISHRL
Dividend Yield (TTM)6.69%5.17%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)59.41%188.31%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Hormel Foods (HRL) trades at 35.40 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while General Mills (GIS) has no P/E ratio this period.

GIS

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

--

Max
52.52
Q3
30.78
Median
18.76
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72
GIS
--

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

35.40

Max
52.52
HRL
35.40
Q3
30.78
Median
18.76
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): GIS does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; HRL is benchmarked against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both General Mills (GIS) at 1.04 and Hormel Foods (HRL) at 0.99 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

0.99

Max
4.64
Q3
2.27
Median
1.17
HRL
0.99
Q1
0.52
Min
0.00
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both General Mills (GIS) at 2.55 and Hormel Foods (HRL) at 1.54 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

HRL

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.54

Max
6.35
Q3
3.07
Median
1.58
HRL
1.54
Q1
0.82
Min
0.00
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Hormel Foods (HRL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Hormel Foods (HRL)
MetricGISHRL
P/E Ratio (TTM)--35.40
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.040.99
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.551.54
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.86%5.15%