Shares of General Mills, Inc. (GIS) edged higher in premarket trading Tuesday. Why? The company just announced it's selling its entire business in Brazil.
Think of it as corporate spring cleaning. This isn't a random garage sale; it's a calculated move to sharpen the company's focus. The deal is part of General Mills' broader strategy to reshape its portfolio, a plan it calls its "Accelerate" strategy. The goal? To boost the company's operating profit margin by concentrating on what it does best.
The company isn't saying how much money is changing hands. What we do know is that General Mills bought this business, Yoki Alimentos S.A., back in 2012. The Brazilian operation isn't small potatoes—it contributed roughly $350 million to the company's net sales in fiscal 2025. The sale includes popular local brands like Yoki and Kitano, and everyone expects the deal to wrap up by the end of calendar 2026, assuming regulators give it the green light.
So, what's the new focus? The company wants to double down on its "priority global platforms." That's corporate-speak for super-premium ice cream, Mexican food, snack bars, and pet food. This sale is just the latest chapter in a major strategic shift. Since fiscal 2018, General Mills has turned over nearly one-third of its entire portfolio through a mix of buying and selling companies. That's a significant overhaul.
As of late November 2025, the company reported having $683.4 million in cash and equivalents on hand.
What the Charts Are Saying
Let's look at the stock's technical picture. It's a bit of a mixed bag. The stock is currently trading 10.1% below its 20-day simple moving average and 14.8% below its 100-day average. That paints a bearish trend. Over the past 12 months, shares have tumbled 36.04%, and they're currently hanging out much closer to their 52-week lows than their highs.
Now, here's where it gets interesting. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is sitting at 23.41. For the non-chartists in the room, that's deep in what's considered "oversold" territory. Historically, that can signal a potential rebound is due. However, the MACD indicator is at -1.6248, which is below its signal line. That suggests bearish pressure is still very much in play.
The takeaway? The stock is oversold (which could mean a bounce), but the overall trend is still pointing down. Traders might be watching the $46.00 level as a key resistance point to break.
For context, in fiscal 2025, a whopping 81% of General Mills' revenue came from the United States, though it also has operations in Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Latin America. Exiting Brazil fits the narrative of focusing on core markets that can drive what the company calls "long-term profitable growth."
Earnings Are Around the Corner
All of this is happening just before the company reports earnings. The countdown is on: General Mills is scheduled to release its results on March 18, 2026.
The expectations aren't exactly rosy. Analysts are forecasting earnings per share (EPS) of 75 cents, which is down from $1.00 in the prior period. Revenue estimates are also lower, at $4.45 billion compared to $4.84 billion. On the valuation front, the stock sports a P/E ratio of 8.4x, which some might see as a value opportunity in a beaten-down name.
What are the pros saying? The consensus analyst rating is a Hold, with an average price target of $49.88. Recent moves from big firms have been cautious:
- Barclays: Maintained an Equal-Weight rating but lowered its price target to $43.00 (March 16).
- Wells Fargo: Downgraded the stock to Underweight and slashed its target to $35.00 (March 12).
- Bernstein: Maintained a Market Perform rating but lowered its target to $48.00 (February 18).
