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GIS vs. MO: General Mills vs. Altria Stock Comparison

How do General Mills (GIS) and Altria (MO) 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 Altria (MO) both fall under the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group, but GIS is classified in Food Products while MO is classified in Tobacco.

Company profile comparison for General Mills (GIS) and Altria (MO)
Profile ItemGISMO
NameGeneral Mills Inc.Altria Group, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupFood, Beverage & TobaccoFood, Beverage & Tobacco
GICS IndustryFood ProductsTobacco
GICS Sub-IndustryPackaged Foods & MeatsTobacco
Market Capitalization18.99 billion USD126.62 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GIS
MO
GSPC
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO), 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 Altria (MO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Altria (MO)
MetricGISMO
Total Return (1Y)-20.22%38.55%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-14.80%32.86%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-7.41%19.81%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GIS
MO
GSPC
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO), 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 Altria (MO). 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. Altria (MO) has a non-negative beta of 0.44.

Risk profile metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Altria (MO)
MetricGISMO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)30.85%25.52%
Beta (5Y)-0.010.44
Max Drawdown (5Y)-59.63%-25.83%
Avg. Volume (3M)9.41M8.44M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GIS and MO 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 Altria (MO)
MetricGISMO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.791.34
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.141.97

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Altria (MO) has no ROE value reported for this period; General Mills (GIS) reports a negative figure of -10.50%, which needs context because negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity.

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%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

--

Max
32.02%
Q3
16.61%
Median
10.05%
Q1
4.10%
Min
-10.50%
MO
--
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): MO does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; GIS is benchmarked against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

General Mills (GIS) reports a negative net margin of -4.89%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Altria (MO) reports 39.33%, 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%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

39.33%

MO
39.33%
Max
24.83%
Q3
11.22%
Median
5.94%
Q1
2.05%
Min
-11.49%
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their net margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Altria (MO) at 61.48% turns sales into operating profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while General Mills (GIS) at 15.24% operates 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%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

61.48%

MO
61.48%
Max
34.91%
Q3
17.57%
Median
11.06%
Q1
4.15%
Min
-15.06%
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Altria (MO)
MetricGISMO
ROE (TTM)-10.50%--
ROA (TTM)5.65%22.73%
Net Margin (TTM)-4.89%39.33%
Operating Margin (TTM)15.24%61.48%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.73%72.43%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both General Mills (GIS) at -5.45% and Altria (MO) at -1.49% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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

EPS Growth

Altria (MO) at -37.00% 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. Altria (MO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Altria (MO)
MetricGISMO
Revenue Growth (YoY)-5.45%-1.49%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-2.85%-0.89%
EPS Growth (YoY)-103.90%-37.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--8.90%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both General Mills (GIS) at 0.70 and Altria (MO) at 0.58 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

0.58

Max
4.01
Q3
2.35
Median
1.53
Q1
1.02
MO
0.58
Min
0.33
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: General Mills (GIS) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82 against its industry range, while Altria (MO) reports no figure this period.

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

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

--

Max
2.19
Q3
1.11
Median
0.68
Q1
0.33
Min
0.00
MO
--
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): MO does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; GIS is benchmarked against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Altria (MO)
MetricGISMO
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.700.58
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.82--
Net Debt / EBITDA3.861.66

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both General Mills (GIS) at 6.69% and Altria (MO) at 5.53% 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%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

5.53%

Max
9.38%
MO
5.53%
Q3
3.77%
Median
1.76%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

General Mills (GIS) at 59.41% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Altria (MO) at 88.45% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

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%

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

88.45%

Max
199.19%
MO
88.45%
Q3
81.03%
Median
41.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Altria (MO)
MetricGISMO
Dividend Yield (TTM)6.69%5.53%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)59.41%88.45%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Altria (MO) trades at 15.69 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
--

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

15.69

Max
52.52
Q3
30.78
Median
18.76
MO
15.69
Q1
12.77
Min
4.72
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): GIS does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; MO 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 Altria (MO) at 6.14 clears its benchmark range — MO 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

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

6.14

MO
6.14
Max
4.64
Q3
2.27
Median
1.17
Q1
0.52
Min
0.00
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Altria (MO) reports a negative P/B ratio of -56.93, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile General Mills (GIS) reports 2.55, ranking against industry peers normally.

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

MO

Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group

-56.93

Max
6.35
Q3
3.07
Median
1.58
Q1
0.82
Min
0.00
MO
-56.93
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General Mills (GIS) vs. Altria (MO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for General Mills (GIS) and Altria (MO)
MetricGISMO
P/E Ratio (TTM)--15.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.046.14
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.55-56.93
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.86%5.57%