MINNEAPOLIS - General Mills (NYSE: NYSE:GIS) has confirmed its financial targets for fiscal year 2025, expecting organic net sales to be flat to up 1 percent, and an adjusted operating profit ranging from a 2 percent decline to flat in constant currency. This outlook includes a 2-point headwind from the resetting of incentive compensation following a lower payout in the prior year. Adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be down 1 percent to up 1 percent in constant currency, with free cash flow conversion anticipated to be at least 95 percent of adjusted after-tax earnings.
The announcement was made in relation to the company's participation at the 2024 Barclays (LON:BARC) Global Consumer Staples Conference. Jeff Harmening, Chairman and CEO of General Mills, remarked on the company's initial performance in fiscal 2025, noting sequentially improving retail sales trends in key categories. He emphasized the company's commitment to its priorities, which include accelerating organic sales growth, generating strong cost savings through Holistic Margin Management (HMM), and driving robust cash generation while maintaining disciplined capital allocation.
General Mills is executing its Accelerate strategy, aiming for sustainable, profitable growth and top-tier shareholder returns. This strategy is built on four pillars: boldly building brands, relentless innovation, unleashing scale, and standing for good. The company is focusing on core markets, global platforms, and local gem brands with the best prospects for profitable growth. It also plans to reshape its portfolio through strategic acquisitions and divestitures.
The company's leadership, including Harmening and Dana McNabb, Group President of North America Retail, will engage in a fireside chat at the Barclays conference on Thursday, September 5, 2024. Additionally, General Mills is set to report its fiscal 2025 first-quarter results on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, with a webcasted Q&A session to follow.
General Mills, known for brands like Cheerios, Nature Valley, and Blue Buffalo, reported net sales of $20 billion in fiscal 2024, with an additional $1 billion from non-consolidated joint venture net sales.
The financial targets provided by General Mills are based on non-GAAP measures due to unavailable information necessary for comparable GAAP measures. The company has stated that foreign currency exchange rates and completed acquisitions and divestitures prior to fiscal 2025 are not expected to materially impact net sales growth, and restructuring charges are anticipated to be immaterial.
This fiscal outlook is based on a press release statement from General Mills.
In other recent news, General Mills has seen a flurry of activity from various analyst firms. Jefferies raised the price target for General Mills from $66.00 to $69.00, maintaining a Hold rating, despite the company's recent decline in overall market share. This adjustment was made following the company's strategies to enhance marketing and brand engagement. Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) initiated coverage on the company with a Buy rating, emphasizing the strength of the company's diverse product portfolio. However, Argus downgraded General Mills' stock from Buy to Hold due to ongoing volume weaknesses and inflationary pressures.
General Mills has also made significant changes in its executive team, appointing Asheesh Saksena as Chief Strategy & Growth Officer. Saksena brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles at Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) and Best Buy (NYSE:BBY). In terms of financial performance, the company's fourth-quarter 2024 results exceeded consensus expectations, but it also revealed a significant revenue shortfall and weaker-than-anticipated guidance for fiscal year 2025. Despite these challenges, General Mills has outlined plans for significant investment to stimulate volume growth, with cost savings expected to offset inflationary pressures.
These recent developments underscore the company's focus on strategic growth and market resilience. As part of its capital allocation priorities, General Mills is considering potential mergers and acquisitions in the $1 billion to $1.5 billion range. This balanced approach to growth and investment demonstrates the company's commitment to navigating current market challenges while positioning itself for future success.
InvestingPro Insights
As General Mills (NYSE: GIS) sets its financial sights on fiscal year 2025, the company's stock performance and financial metrics provide insight into their market position and investor expectations. According to InvestingPro, General Mills has been demonstrating a strong commitment to shareholder returns, as indicated by the management's aggressive share buybacks and a consistent history of dividend payments, having raised its dividend for four consecutive years and maintained payments for 54 consecutive years. This is a testament to the company's stable financial management and long-term strategy.
From a valuation standpoint, General Mills currently holds a market capitalization of $40.24 billion, with a P/E ratio of 16.61, reflecting investor confidence in its earnings capacity. The adjusted P/E ratio for the last twelve months as of Q4 2024 stands slightly lower at 14.87, suggesting a more favorable valuation when considering certain adjustments. Additionally, the company's dividend yield as of late July 2024 is 3.32%, which is attractive to income-focused investors and underscores the company's ability to generate and return cash to shareholders.
InvestingPro data also highlights that General Mills' stock is trading near its 52-week high, with the price being 97.1% of the peak. This could be an indicator of strong market sentiment and the stock's robust performance over the past year. However, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) suggests the stock is in overbought territory, which could mean that the stock's price might be due for a correction.
For investors seeking more insights and detailed analysis, InvestingPro offers additional tips on General Mills. There are currently 6 more InvestingPro Tips available for General Mills, which can be accessed at https://www.investing.com/pro/GIS, providing investors with a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and stock performance.
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