Seek Returns

GIS vs. KO: General Mills vs. Coca-Cola Stock Comparison

How do General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO) 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 Coca-Cola (KO) both fall under the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group, but GIS is classified in Food Products while KO is classified in Beverages.

Company profile comparison for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO)
Profile ItemGISKO
NameGeneral Mills Inc.The Coca-Cola Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupFood, Beverage & TobaccoFood, Beverage & Tobacco
GICS IndustryFood ProductsBeverages
GICS Sub-IndustryPackaged Foods & MeatsSoft Drinks & Non-alcoholic Beverages
Market Capitalization18.99 billion USD411.56 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GIS
KO
GSPC
Loading price history…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO)
MetricGISKO
Total Return (1Y)-20.22%39.33%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-14.80%22.59%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-7.41%14.43%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GIS
KO
GSPC
Loading price history…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO). 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. Coca-Cola (KO) has a non-negative beta of 0.27.

Risk profile metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO)
MetricGISKO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)30.85%18.90%
Beta (5Y)-0.010.27
Max Drawdown (5Y)-59.63%-17.27%
Avg. Volume (3M)9.41M16.05M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
GIS and KO 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 Coca-Cola (KO)
MetricGISKO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.791.85
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.143.17

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 Coca-Cola (KO) reports 40.59%, 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%

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

40.59%

KO
40.59%
Max
32.02%
Q3
16.61%
Median
10.05%
Q1
4.10%
Min
-10.50%
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): 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 Coca-Cola (KO) reports 28.65%, 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%

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

28.65%

KO
28.65%
Max
24.83%
Q3
11.22%
Median
5.94%
Q1
2.05%
Min
-11.49%
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): A comparison of their net margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Coca-Cola (KO) at 33.36% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of General Mills (GIS) at 15.24%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

33.36%

Max
34.91%
KO
33.36%
Q3
17.57%
Median
11.06%
Q1
4.15%
Min
-15.06%
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO)
MetricGISKO
ROE (TTM)-10.50%40.59%
ROA (TTM)5.65%9.59%
Net Margin (TTM)-4.89%28.65%
Operating Margin (TTM)15.24%33.36%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.73%62.32%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Coca-Cola (KO) at 1.87% 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.

Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Coca-Cola (KO) at 23.58% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while General Mills (GIS) at -103.90% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in earnings momentum.

Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO)
MetricGISKO
Revenue Growth (YoY)-5.45%1.87%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-2.85%3.69%
EPS Growth (YoY)-103.90%23.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--11.55%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Coca-Cola (KO) at 1.38 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

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.38

Max
4.01
Q3
2.35
Median
1.53
KO
1.38
Q1
1.02
Min
0.33
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Coca-Cola (KO) at 1.07 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

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

1.07

Max
2.19
Q3
1.11
KO
1.07
Median
0.68
Q1
0.33
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): 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 Coca-Cola (KO)
MetricGISKO
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.701.38
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.821.07
Net Debt / EBITDA3.861.48

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

General Mills (GIS) at 6.69% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Coca-Cola (KO) at 2.19% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, GIS the richer one.

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%

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

2.19%

Max
9.38%
Q3
3.77%
KO
2.19%
Median
1.76%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both General Mills (GIS) at 59.41% and Coca-Cola (KO) at 61.95% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

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%

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

61.95%

Max
199.19%
Q3
81.03%
KO
61.95%
Median
41.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO)
MetricGISKO
Dividend Yield (TTM)6.69%2.19%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)59.41%61.95%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Coca-Cola (KO) trades at 28.22 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
--

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

28.22

Max
52.52
Q3
30.78
KO
28.22
Median
18.76
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): GIS does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; KO is benchmarked against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

General Mills (GIS) at 1.04 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Coca-Cola (KO) at 8.06 clears its benchmark range — KO looks notably rich on sales.

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

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

8.06

KO
8.06
Max
4.64
Q3
2.27
Median
1.17
Q1
0.52
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): 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 Coca-Cola (KO) at 11.01 prices above its benchmark range — KO looks rich relative to book.

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

KO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

11.01

KO
11.01
Max
6.35
Q3
3.07
Median
1.58
Q1
0.82
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
General Mills (GIS) vs. Coca-Cola (KO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Coca-Cola (KO)
MetricGISKO
P/E Ratio (TTM)--28.22
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.048.06
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.5511.01
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.86%1.06%