GIS vs. WMT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at GIS and WMT, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | GIS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | General Mills, Inc. | Walmart Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Food Products | Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 27.04 billion USD | 822.48 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | August 25, 1972 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of GIS and WMT by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | GIS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.35% | -1.06% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -2.68% | 3.79% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -14.64% | 19.07% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -32.21% | 26.27% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.21% | -1.07% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -20.93% | 12.85% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 7.97M | 15.78M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 5.90M | 16.23M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 20.70% | 18.93% |
| Beta | -0.04 | 0.66 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
GIS
31.42%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 30.51%
- Q3
- 16.54%
- Median
- 10.46%
- Q1
- 6.76%
- Min
- -2.18%
GIS’s Return on Equity of 31.42% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Food Products industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
WMT
24.18%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 36.53%
- Q3
- 21.48%
- Median
- 13.14%
- Q1
- 8.11%
- Min
- -9.87%
In the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, WMT’s Return on Equity of 24.18% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
GIS
15.24%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 18.44%
- Q3
- 10.21%
- Median
- 6.29%
- Q1
- 3.53%
- Min
- -0.80%
A Net Profit Margin of 15.24% places GIS in the upper quartile for the Food Products industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
WMT
3.08%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 7.25%
- Q3
- 3.98%
- Median
- 2.77%
- Q1
- 1.73%
- Min
- -0.70%
WMT’s Net Profit Margin of 3.08% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
GIS
21.92%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 24.83%
- Q3
- 14.29%
- Median
- 9.64%
- Q1
- 6.11%
- Min
- 0.08%
An Operating Profit Margin of 21.92% places GIS in the upper quartile for the Food Products industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
WMT
4.18%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.42%
- Q3
- 5.61%
- Median
- 4.18%
- Q1
- 2.72%
- Min
- 0.23%
WMT’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.18% is around the midpoint for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | GIS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 31.42% | 24.18% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.83% | 8.07% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.24% | 3.08% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.92% | 4.18% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 34.39% | 38.66% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
GIS
0.66
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 3.99
- Q3
- 2.39
- Median
- 1.62
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.57
GIS’s Current Ratio of 0.66 falls into the lower quartile for the Food Products industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
WMT
0.79
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.76
- Q3
- 1.28
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.49
WMT’s Current Ratio of 0.79 falls into the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
GIS
1.52
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 1.92
- Q3
- 0.92
- Median
- 0.51
- Q1
- 0.25
- Min
- 0.00
GIS’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Food Products industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.52. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
WMT
0.56
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.61
- Q3
- 1.64
- Median
- 1.00
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
WMT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.56 is typical for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
GIS
6.41
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 65.06
- Q3
- 29.45
- Median
- 9.43
- Q1
- 4.70
- Min
- -1.69
GIS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 6.41 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Food Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
WMT
12.72
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.36
- Q3
- 13.75
- Median
- 5.79
- Q1
- 3.04
- Min
- -5.51
WMT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 12.72 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | GIS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.66 | 0.79 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.35 | 0.19 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.52 | 0.56 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 6.41 | 12.72 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
GIS
4.98%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 8.09%
- Q3
- 4.48%
- Median
- 2.69%
- Q1
- 1.66%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 4.98%, GIS offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Food Products industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
WMT
0.88%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.08%
- Q3
- 3.33%
- Median
- 1.77%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WMT’s Dividend Yield of 0.88% is consistent with its peers in the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
GIS
45.62%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 216.00%
- Q3
- 112.15%
- Median
- 72.83%
- Q1
- 41.56%
- Min
- 0.00%
GIS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 45.62% is within the typical range for the Food Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
WMT
33.30%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 172.48%
- Q3
- 103.93%
- Median
- 54.70%
- Q1
- 24.82%
- Min
- 0.00%
WMT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 33.30% is within the typical range for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | GIS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 4.98% | 0.88% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 45.62% | 33.30% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
GIS
9.16
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 41.70
- Q3
- 24.61
- Median
- 17.81
- Q1
- 12.59
- Min
- 3.07
In the lower quartile for the Food Products industry, GIS’s P/E Ratio of 9.16 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
WMT
37.92
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 47.99
- Q3
- 30.23
- Median
- 22.19
- Q1
- 16.85
- Min
- 4.52
A P/E Ratio of 37.92 places WMT in the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
GIS
1.40
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 3.33
- Q3
- 1.74
- Median
- 1.10
- Q1
- 0.66
- Min
- 0.11
GIS’s P/S Ratio of 1.40 aligns with the market consensus for the Food Products industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
WMT
1.17
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.79
- Q3
- 0.96
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.37
- Min
- 0.06
WMT’s P/S Ratio of 1.17 is in the upper echelon for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
GIS
2.77
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 5.01
- Q3
- 2.98
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- 0.47
GIS’s P/B Ratio of 2.77 is within the conventional range for the Food Products industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
WMT
8.68
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 8.68
- Q3
- 4.97
- Median
- 2.98
- Q1
- 1.86
- Min
- 0.46
WMT’s P/B Ratio of 8.68 is in the upper tier for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | GIS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 9.16 | 37.92 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 1.40 | 1.17 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.77 | 8.68 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 12.75 | 58.84 |