We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
General Mills (GIS) Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Sales Up Y/Y
Read MoreHide Full Article
General Mills, Inc. (GIS - Free Report) delivered second-quarter fiscal 2019 results, with earnings marking third straight beat. The top and the bottom line improved on a year-on-year basis. Further, management reiterated guidance for fiscal 2019. These aspects have boosted investors’ optimism in the stock as it gained almost 4.7% during the pre-market trading session on Dec 19.
Q2 Highlights
The company’s adjusted earnings per share of 85 cents advanced nearly 3.6% year on year and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents. On a constant-currency (cc) basis, earnings increased 2% year over year. The bottom line was fueled by an increase in adjusted operating profit and reduced effective tax rate, which was somewhat offset by escalated interest costs and higher shares outstanding.
Net sales of $4,411.2 million improved 5.1% year over year, backed by gains from Blue Buffalo. However, organic sales inched down 1% due to weakness in the North America Retail unit. The top line in the quarter fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,506 million. This marks the company’s fourth consecutive sales miss.
General Mills, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Adjusted gross margin increased 10 basis points (bps) to 34.5% owing to cost savings as well as gains from mix and price realization. These upsides were countered by higher input costs.
Further, adjusted operating profit of $765.2 depicted a rise of almost 7.6% from the year-ago quarter’s tally. This was mainly driven by improved sales and gross margin. Adjusted operating margin increased 40 bps to 17.3%.
Segmental Performance
North America Retail: Revenues in the segment came in at $2,677.1 million, down approximately 3.4% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The downside was caused by lower merchandising activity in the U.S. Cereal unit and weak volumes in U.S. Snacks. Further, organic sales in the segment declined 3%.
Convenience Stores & Food Service: Revenues inched up 0.4% year over year to $514.4 million. Growth in the Focus 6 platforms including frozen meals and snacks had a positive effect on the segment’s results. These were countered by weakness in bakery flour. Organically, sales were flat compared with the prior-year quarter’s figure.
Europe & Australia: On a year-over-year basis, the segment’s revenues declined close to 2.8% to $453.8 million due to unfavorable currency impacts. Further, sales were flat on an organic basis. Increased sales of Fibre One and Nature Valley snack bars along with Haagen-Dazs ice cream and Old El Paso Mexican food aided the segment’s performance in the quarter. These were offset by dismal performance in yoghurt.
Asia & Latin America: Revenues declined almost 3.9% to $430.7 million due to unfavorable currency movements. Further, sales rose 5% on an organic basis. Pillsbury, Nature Valley snack bars, Häagen-Dazs ice cream and Wanchai Ferry frozen dumplings were some of the products that performed well in the segment.
Pet Segment: Revenues came in at $335.2 million. Sales in the segment declined 7% on a pro-forma basis, thanks to tough year-on-year comparison. Nevertheless, in-market performance was sturdy.
Other Financial Aspects
This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $532.7 million, long-term debt of $12,208.6 million and total shareholders’ equity of $ 6,651.8 million.
General Mills generated $1,396.5 million as net cash from operating activities in the first half of the fiscal. During this period, the company made capital investments worth $254 million.
Further, General Mills paid dividends of roughly $589 million on a year-to-date basis.
Other Developments
Constant-currency sales from joint ventures of Cereal Partners Worldwide and Haagen-Dazs Japan inched up 2% and 1% in the second quarter, respectively.
Fiscal 2019 Guidance
Management is impressed with the in-market results from Blue Buffalo’s and continues to envision growth from this business. Further, the company is focused on its Consumer First strategy, cost reduction initiatives as well as focus on global growth to boost sales momentum. We hope that such efforts will aid uplifting the company’s shares that declined 16.4% in the past three months compared with the industry’s fall of 10.9%.
All said, the company reiterated guidance for fiscal 2019 and expects organic sales growth in the range of flat to up 1%. Including Blue Buffalo’s buyout, net sales are anticipated to rise 9-10% on cc basis. Currency translations are expected to weigh upon net sales by approximately 1-2%.
Adjusted operating profit (on cc basis) is expected to jump 6-9% year over year. Finally, the company envisions adjusted earnings per share (on cc basis) growth in the range of 3% decline to flat compared with the fiscal 2018 figure of $3.11.
Looking for More Consumer Staples Stocks? Check These
McCormick & Company, Inc. (MKC - Free Report) has long-term EPS growth rate of 9% and a Zacks Rank #2.
Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) , with a Zacks Rank #2, has long-term EPS growth rate of 11.8%.
Wall Street’s Next Amazon
Zacks EVP Kevin Matras believes this familiar stock has only just begun its climb to become one of the greatest investments of all time. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in pure genius.
Image: Bigstock
General Mills (GIS) Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Sales Up Y/Y
General Mills, Inc. (GIS - Free Report) delivered second-quarter fiscal 2019 results, with earnings marking third straight beat. The top and the bottom line improved on a year-on-year basis. Further, management reiterated guidance for fiscal 2019. These aspects have boosted investors’ optimism in the stock as it gained almost 4.7% during the pre-market trading session on Dec 19.
Q2 Highlights
The company’s adjusted earnings per share of 85 cents advanced nearly 3.6% year on year and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents. On a constant-currency (cc) basis, earnings increased 2% year over year. The bottom line was fueled by an increase in adjusted operating profit and reduced effective tax rate, which was somewhat offset by escalated interest costs and higher shares outstanding.
Net sales of $4,411.2 million improved 5.1% year over year, backed by gains from Blue Buffalo. However, organic sales inched down 1% due to weakness in the North America Retail unit. The top line in the quarter fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,506 million. This marks the company’s fourth consecutive sales miss.
General Mills, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
General Mills, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | General Mills, Inc. Quote
Adjusted gross margin increased 10 basis points (bps) to 34.5% owing to cost savings as well as gains from mix and price realization. These upsides were countered by higher input costs.
Further, adjusted operating profit of $765.2 depicted a rise of almost 7.6% from the year-ago quarter’s tally. This was mainly driven by improved sales and gross margin. Adjusted operating margin increased 40 bps to 17.3%.
Segmental Performance
North America Retail: Revenues in the segment came in at $2,677.1 million, down approximately 3.4% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The downside was caused by lower merchandising activity in the U.S. Cereal unit and weak volumes in U.S. Snacks. Further, organic sales in the segment declined 3%.
Convenience Stores & Food Service: Revenues inched up 0.4% year over year to $514.4 million. Growth in the Focus 6 platforms including frozen meals and snacks had a positive effect on the segment’s results. These were countered by weakness in bakery flour. Organically, sales were flat compared with the prior-year quarter’s figure.
Europe & Australia: On a year-over-year basis, the segment’s revenues declined close to 2.8% to $453.8 million due to unfavorable currency impacts. Further, sales were flat on an organic basis. Increased sales of Fibre One and Nature Valley snack bars along with Haagen-Dazs ice cream and Old El Paso Mexican food aided the segment’s performance in the quarter. These were offset by dismal performance in yoghurt.
Asia & Latin America: Revenues declined almost 3.9% to $430.7 million due to unfavorable currency movements. Further, sales rose 5% on an organic basis. Pillsbury, Nature Valley snack bars, Häagen-Dazs ice cream and Wanchai Ferry frozen dumplings were some of the products that performed well in the segment.
Pet Segment: Revenues came in at $335.2 million. Sales in the segment declined 7% on a pro-forma basis, thanks to tough year-on-year comparison. Nevertheless, in-market performance was sturdy.
Other Financial Aspects
This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $532.7 million, long-term debt of $12,208.6 million and total shareholders’ equity of $ 6,651.8 million.
General Mills generated $1,396.5 million as net cash from operating activities in the first half of the fiscal. During this period, the company made capital investments worth $254 million.
Further, General Mills paid dividends of roughly $589 million on a year-to-date basis.
Other Developments
Constant-currency sales from joint ventures of Cereal Partners Worldwide and Haagen-Dazs Japan inched up 2% and 1% in the second quarter, respectively.
Fiscal 2019 Guidance
Management is impressed with the in-market results from Blue Buffalo’s and continues to envision growth from this business. Further, the company is focused on its Consumer First strategy, cost reduction initiatives as well as focus on global growth to boost sales momentum. We hope that such efforts will aid uplifting the company’s shares that declined 16.4% in the past three months compared with the industry’s fall of 10.9%.
All said, the company reiterated guidance for fiscal 2019 and expects organic sales growth in the range of flat to up 1%. Including Blue Buffalo’s buyout, net sales are anticipated to rise 9-10% on cc basis. Currency translations are expected to weigh upon net sales by approximately 1-2%.
Adjusted operating profit (on cc basis) is expected to jump 6-9% year over year. Finally, the company envisions adjusted earnings per share (on cc basis) growth in the range of 3% decline to flat compared with the fiscal 2018 figure of $3.11.
Looking for More Consumer Staples Stocks? Check These
Chefs’ Warehouse (CHEF - Free Report) , with long-term EPS growth rate of 19%, carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
McCormick & Company, Inc. (MKC - Free Report) has long-term EPS growth rate of 9% and a Zacks Rank #2.
Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) , with a Zacks Rank #2, has long-term EPS growth rate of 11.8%.
Wall Street’s Next Amazon
Zacks EVP Kevin Matras believes this familiar stock has only just begun its climb to become one of the greatest investments of all time. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in pure genius.
Click for details >>