This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain When the United States starts a trade war with your country, how do you fight back? For individuals, one option is to wage a personal trade war and boycott products from the US. President Donald Trump has said no nation will be exempt from his tariffs, and this includes both Australia and New ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is focusing on accelerating organic growth with a target of at least 5% HMM savings and an additional $100 million in cost savings for fiscal 2026 [5][6] - Consumer confidence indices indicate that consumer confidence is currently below levels seen three months ago and is comparable to 2008 [8][9] - The company expects to reinvest savings and efficiencies to return to growth, with a focus on improving competitiveness starting in the fourth quarter [16][17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is stepping up investments in pricing and marketing, particularly in the fruit snacks category, where consumers are seeking value [13][14] - New product innovations are being emphasized, with successful launches like Cheerios Protein and Nature Valley Granola Protein [31][32] - The company is experiencing challenges in the fruit snacks category due to increased competition and the introduction of private labels by major retailers [60][61] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The snacks category is facing a negative gap compared to previous performance, attributed to decreased consumer confidence and increased value-seeking behavior [49][50] - The company notes that food-at-home consumption has increased from 83% to 87% of occasions, indicating a shift in consumer behavior towards staples over discretionary items [52][55] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to focus on fewer but larger innovations in the upcoming fiscal year, aiming to support successful new products more robustly [32][33] - There is a commitment to improving marketing effectiveness across core brands and new product innovations [85][86] - The company is also addressing the need for better pricing strategies to align with consumer expectations and market conditions [41][42] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges that the consumer environment has not improved as expected, with consumers increasingly seeking value [7][8] - The company is optimistic about returning to growth, particularly in the cereal and soup categories, due to increased marketing and improved product offerings [93][94] - Management emphasizes the importance of understanding brand-specific needs and being agile in response to changing market conditions [45][46] Other Important Information - The company is facing a significant headwind from Yoplait, which is expected to impact profits by about 5 points [23][24] - There is a focus on building flexibility for additional investments in the upcoming fiscal year to drive growth [25][82] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the incremental investment needed for fiscal 2026? - Management indicated that the consumer environment has not improved as anticipated, leading to a focus on value and effective marketing strategies [7][8] Question: Can you outline the tailwinds and headwinds for next year? - Management acknowledged both tailwinds such as improved marketing and innovation, and headwinds including increased trade and competitive pressures [19][20] Question: How does the company plan to address innovation in the food space? - Management noted that while innovation in the packaged food category has not fully recovered to pre-COVID levels, the company is ramping up its innovation efforts [27][28] Question: What is the outlook for the cereal category? - Management expressed confidence in improving cereal performance in the fourth quarter due to increased media support and effective promotions [93][94] Question: What drove the unexpected retailer inventory headwinds? - Management explained that the inventory issues were primarily seen in the pet category and were influenced by the volatility of retailer inventory levels [98][99]

Core Viewpoint - General Mills Inc is set to report its fiscal third-quarter earnings, with analysts expecting earnings per share of 95 cents and revenue of $4.96 billion [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - General Mills' stock is currently down 0.1% at $59.79, having faced a decline since reaching a multi-month high of $64.95 [2] - The stock is on track for its fourth consecutive daily loss, contributing to a 6% year-to-date decline [2] Group 2: Earnings History and Expectations - Historically, General Mills' stock has either fallen or remained flat after five of its past eight earnings reports, with an average shift of 2.6% [3] - Traders are anticipating a larger-than-usual move of 6.5% for the shares following the upcoming earnings report [3] Group 3: Analyst Recommendations and Short Interest - There is potential for upgrades, as 13 out of 18 brokerage firms currently have a "hold" recommendation on the stock [4] - Short interest has increased by 17.2% over the past two reporting periods, representing 4.8% of the stock's total available float [4] Group 4: Options Activity - Bullish sentiment is evident in the options market, with a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 3.38, which is higher than 72% of annual readings [5] - General Mills has historically outperformed options traders' volatility expectations, as indicated by a Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard of 94 out of 100 [5]

Economic Overview - Concerns about a slowing economy have intensified, with the Federal Reserve unlikely to implement rate cuts soon due to persistent inflation [1][8] - Consumer confidence has dropped significantly, with the Conference Board's consumer survey index falling to 98.3 in February, below the expected 102.3 [7] Inflation Data - The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.5% in January, following a 0.4% increase in December, marking the largest jump since August 2023 [5] - Year-over-year, CPI increased by 3% in January, up from 2.9% in December, the highest annual gain since April 2024 [6] Consumer Staples Investment - Investing in consumer staples stocks is recommended as they are considered defensive during economic uncertainty [2] - Suggested stocks include Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV), Lancaster Colony Corporation (LANC), Tyson Foods (TSN), and Molson Coors Beverage Company (TAP), all carrying a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) [2] Company Profiles - **Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 7.2% for the current year, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.91, and a dividend yield of 1.12% [12][13] - **Lancaster Colony Corporation (LANC)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 6.1% for the current year, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.31, and a dividend yield of 1.99% [14][15] - **Tyson Foods (TSN)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 22.6% for the current year, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.72, and a dividend yield of 3.26% [16][17] - **Molson Coors Beverage Company (TAP)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 6.5% for the current year, Zacks Rank 1, beta of 0.81, and a dividend yield of 3.07% [18][19] Investment Strategy - The recommended investment strategy focuses on low-beta stocks with high dividend yields and favorable Zacks Ranks [3]

Mama's Creations (MAMA) 2025 Investor Day February 12, 2025 12:30 PM ET Company Participants Adam Michaels - CEO & ChairmanChris Darling - Chief Commercial OfficerLauren Sella - Chief Marketing OfficerSkip Tappan - Chief Operating OfficerAnthony Gruber - CFO Conference Call Participants Ryan Meyers - Senior Research AnalystEric Des Lauriers - Research Analyst Adam Michaels Welcome team. Hopefully everybody is well fed now. So first, I want to share a big thank you, big thank you for coming out here today. I ...