General Mills(US:GIS) Benzinga·2025-12-17 14:15Core Viewpoint - General Mills Inc. reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings and revenue, reaffirming its fiscal 2026 outlook, indicating strong consumer demand and effective brand investments despite ongoing cost pressures [1][10]. Financial Performance - The company achieved second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.10, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $1.03 [2]. - Quarterly sales reached $4.86 billion, a 7% decline year over year, but exceeded the expected $4.781 billion [3]. - Organic net sales decreased by 1%, attributed to unfavorable price realization and product mix [3]. Segment Performance - North America Retail segment net sales fell 13% to $2.9 billion [5]. - North America Pet segment sales increased by 11% to $660 million [5]. - North America Foodservice segment sales decreased by 8% to $582 million [5]. - International segment net sales rose by 6% to $729 million, with organic net sales up 4%, driven by growth in Brazil, China, India, and North Asia [5]. Operational Metrics - Constant-currency net sales at Cereal Partners Worldwide fell by 1%, while Häagen-Dazs Japan remained flat year over year [6]. - Joint ventures reported a $60 million after-tax loss, a shift from a $30 million profit last year, due to an $85 million non-cash goodwill impairment related to CPW Australia [6]. - Adjusted gross margin decreased by 150 basis points to 34.8% of net sales, primarily due to higher input costs [7]. Future Outlook - The company anticipates organic net sales to range from a 1% decline to 1% growth [10]. - Adjusted operating profit and adjusted diluted EPS are projected to decline by 10% to 15% in constant currency [10]. - General Mills plans to invest in brand initiatives to drive volume-led organic sales growth, expecting a 25% increase in sales from new products in fiscal 2026 [10]. - Management indicated that brand investments are expected to support long-term growth despite short-term profit and EPS pressures [11][12].