Stock Market Update: S&P 500 and Nasdaq Futures Decline as FOMC Interest Rate Decision Approaches—Focus on General Mills, New Fortress, and Cracker Barrel
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Sep 17 2025
0mins
Should l Buy GIS?
Source: Benzinga
Market Movements: U.S. stock futures showed mixed results following a negative trading session, with major indices like the Dow Jones and S&P 500 experiencing slight declines. Investors are anticipating the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, with a 100% likelihood of a rate cut expected.
Economic Indicators: Positive economic data revealed a 0.6% increase in U.S. retail sales for August and a 0.1% rise in industrial production, surpassing forecasts. The Federal Reserve's anticipated rate cut would be the first since December 2024, as markets remain near all-time highs.
Company Earnings: Notable company performances included Dave & Buster's reporting weaker-than-expected results, while General Mills and Cracker Barrel are set to release earnings reports. New Fortress Energy saw a significant surge after announcing a long-term gas supply agreement.
Global Market Trends: Asian markets closed mixed, with some indices rising while others fell. European markets opened higher, and commodities like crude oil and gold experienced slight declines in early trading.
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Analyst Views on GIS
Wall Street analysts forecast GIS stock price to rise
15 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
9 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 35.500
Low
47.00
Averages
52.38
High
63.00
Current: 35.500
Low
47.00
Averages
52.38
High
63.00
About GIS
General Mills, Inc. is a global manufacturer and marketer of branded consumer foods. Its segments include North America Retail; International; North America Pet, and North America Foodservice. The North America Retail segment reflects business with a variety of grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, drug, dollar and discount chains, convenience stores, and e-commerce grocery providers. The International segment consists of retail and foodservice businesses outside the United States and Canada. Its product categories include super-premium ice cream and frozen desserts, meal kits, salty snacks, snack bars, dessert and baking mixes, and shelf-stable vegetables. The North America Pet segment includes pet food products sold in the United States and Canada in national pet superstore chains, e-commerce retailers, and grocery stores. The North America Foodservice segment product categories include ready-to-eat cereals, snacks, and baking mixes.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
General Mills Releases 2026 Global Responsibility Report
- Sustainable Agriculture Progress: General Mills is advancing regenerative agriculture on over 800,000 acres, nearing its 2030 commitment, which enhances its leadership in sustainability and attracts environmentally conscious consumers.
- Food Safety Commitment: The company plans to remove certified colors from U.S. cereals and K-12 school foods by summer 2026, achieving the K-12 goal ahead of schedule, thereby enhancing product safety and consumer trust.
- Community Contributions: General Mills contributed over $83 million in food and charitable donations globally, enabling more than 7.9 billion meals, which strengthens its image in social responsibility and fosters good community relations.
- Employee Satisfaction Improvement: With 86% of employees rating General Mills as a great place to work and 82% feeling a strong sense of belonging, this not only boosts employee morale but also creates higher productivity and innovation for the company.
See More
Morgan Stanley Raises Gilead Price Target to $175, Maintains Overweight Rating
- Price Target Increase: Morgan Stanley raised Gilead's (GILD) price target from $171 to $175, reflecting an optimistic outlook on the company's future performance, which is expected to boost investor confidence and potentially drive the stock price higher.
- Rating Maintained: The firm continues to assign an Overweight rating to Gilead, indicating analysts' recognition of its long-term growth potential, which may attract more institutional investors to the stock.
- Model Adjustments: Morgan Stanley adjusted its models across its biopharma coverage to reflect IQVIA trends and intra-quarter updates, demonstrating keen insights into industry dynamics that will aid in more accurately forecasting the company's performance.
- Market Reaction Anticipation: With the first-quarter earnings report approaching, the heightened market focus on Gilead, combined with the analysts' positive rating and price target increase, is likely to stimulate stock price appreciation ahead of the earnings release, enhancing market confidence in its future performance.
See More
Investment Opportunities in Consumer Staples Stocks
- Dividend Durability: Despite short-term earnings pressure, General Mills (GIS) maintains a 127-year uninterrupted dividend payment history, currently yielding 6.7%, making it highly attractive for long-term income investors within the S&P 500.
- Brand Resilience: Hormel Foods (HRL) has raised its dividend for 59 consecutive years, and despite a 50% drop in share price since April 2022, its brands like Spam and Skippy remain market leaders, showcasing strong brand resilience and adaptability.
- Market Potential: Kenvue (KVUE), spun off from Johnson & Johnson in 2023, has seen its stock price drop about 30%, yet its product portfolio including Tylenol and Listerine shows a 3.2% revenue growth quarter-over-quarter, indicating defensibility and growth potential in consumer health.
- E-commerce Penetration: Church & Dwight (CHD) has achieved a 23% e-commerce channel share in global sales, with brands like Arm & Hammer contributing 70% of revenue, and is guiding for 3% to 4% organic sales growth in 2026, highlighting strong market prospects and investment value.
See More
Investment Opportunities in Consumer Stocks
- Market Confidence Decline: The consumer confidence index has dropped to 56.4, nearing recession levels, prompting a shift towards defensive businesses, and despite flat performance in consumer staples in 2025, there are opportunities to buy at low prices.
- General Mills' Investment Value: General Mills (GIS) is trading at a 15-year low with a year-to-date decline of about 21%, yet its 127-year uninterrupted dividend history and a 6.7% yield make it a reliable choice for long-term passive income.
- Hormel Foods' Resilience: Hormel Foods (HRL) has raised its dividend for 59 consecutive years, and despite a 50% drop from its 2022 peak, its brand leadership and dual position in private-label manufacturing provide a defensive edge.
- Kenvue's Market Potential: Kenvue (KVUE), spun off from Johnson & Johnson, is down 30% from its 52-week high, but its stable product portfolio and analyst support make it an investment worth considering.
See More
Four Consumer Stocks to Buy Now
- General Mills' Struggles: General Mills (NYSE: GIS) is trading at a 15-year low, having fallen over 50% in the past three years and approximately 21% year-to-date in 2026, despite a high dividend yield of 6.7%; however, with North American organic sales down 3% and adjusted operating profit down 32% in the latest quarter, the company faces short-term challenges, although its Blue Buffalo pet food segment shows double-digit growth in select categories, indicating long-term investment potential.
- Hormel Foods' Discount Opportunity: Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) has raised its dividend for 59 consecutive years, making it a Dividend King with a current yield above 5%, yet its stock price has dropped about 50% since its peak in April 2022 due to challenges like a chicken recall and a plant fire; nevertheless, its brands like Spam and Skippy remain market leaders, and its private-label business can offset declines in branded sales during economic downturns, showcasing unique market resilience.
- Kenvue's Potential: Kenvue (NYSE: KVUE), spun off from Johnson & Johnson, owns well-known brands like Tylenol and Listerine, trading near $17.50 with a dividend yield approaching 4.8%, and despite being down roughly 30% from its 52-week high, it reported a 3.2% revenue growth quarter-over-quarter, with analysts maintaining a positive outlook, highlighting its defensible product portfolio in consumer health.
- Church & Dwight's Steady Growth: Church & Dwight (NYSE: CHD) is the world's largest producer of baking soda, and while it lacks brand recognition, its brands like Arm & Hammer and OxiClean account for about 70% of revenue; the company recently acquired Touchland's hand sanitizer business and is guiding for 3% to 4% organic sales growth in 2026, demonstrating strong performance in e-commerce and long-term growth potential.
See More
General Mills Submits Pricing Term Sheet for Up to €1.7 Billion Offering of Two-Part Euro-Denominated Notes - SEC Filing
General Mills Filing: General Mills has filed a pricing terms sheet for the offering of two-part euro-denominated notes.
Offering Amount: The total amount for the notes being offered is up to €1.7 billion.
See More
General Mills Releases 2026 Global Responsibility Report
- Sustainable Agriculture Progress: General Mills is advancing regenerative agriculture on over 800,000 acres, nearing its 2030 commitment, which enhances its leadership in sustainability and attracts environmentally conscious consumers.
- Food Safety Commitment: The company plans to remove certified colors from U.S. cereals and K-12 school foods by summer 2026, achieving the K-12 goal ahead of schedule, thereby enhancing product safety and consumer trust.
- Community Contributions: General Mills contributed over $83 million in food and charitable donations globally, enabling more than 7.9 billion meals, which strengthens its image in social responsibility and fosters good community relations.
- Employee Satisfaction Improvement: With 86% of employees rating General Mills as a great place to work and 82% feeling a strong sense of belonging, this not only boosts employee morale but also creates higher productivity and innovation for the company.
See More
Morgan Stanley Raises Gilead Price Target to $175, Maintains Overweight Rating
- Price Target Increase: Morgan Stanley raised Gilead's (GILD) price target from $171 to $175, reflecting an optimistic outlook on the company's future performance, which is expected to boost investor confidence and potentially drive the stock price higher.
- Rating Maintained: The firm continues to assign an Overweight rating to Gilead, indicating analysts' recognition of its long-term growth potential, which may attract more institutional investors to the stock.
- Model Adjustments: Morgan Stanley adjusted its models across its biopharma coverage to reflect IQVIA trends and intra-quarter updates, demonstrating keen insights into industry dynamics that will aid in more accurately forecasting the company's performance.
- Market Reaction Anticipation: With the first-quarter earnings report approaching, the heightened market focus on Gilead, combined with the analysts' positive rating and price target increase, is likely to stimulate stock price appreciation ahead of the earnings release, enhancing market confidence in its future performance.
See More
Investment Opportunities in Consumer Staples Stocks
- Dividend Durability: Despite short-term earnings pressure, General Mills (GIS) maintains a 127-year uninterrupted dividend payment history, currently yielding 6.7%, making it highly attractive for long-term income investors within the S&P 500.
- Brand Resilience: Hormel Foods (HRL) has raised its dividend for 59 consecutive years, and despite a 50% drop in share price since April 2022, its brands like Spam and Skippy remain market leaders, showcasing strong brand resilience and adaptability.
- Market Potential: Kenvue (KVUE), spun off from Johnson & Johnson in 2023, has seen its stock price drop about 30%, yet its product portfolio including Tylenol and Listerine shows a 3.2% revenue growth quarter-over-quarter, indicating defensibility and growth potential in consumer health.
- E-commerce Penetration: Church & Dwight (CHD) has achieved a 23% e-commerce channel share in global sales, with brands like Arm & Hammer contributing 70% of revenue, and is guiding for 3% to 4% organic sales growth in 2026, highlighting strong market prospects and investment value.
See More
Investment Opportunities in Consumer Stocks
- Market Confidence Decline: The consumer confidence index has dropped to 56.4, nearing recession levels, prompting a shift towards defensive businesses, and despite flat performance in consumer staples in 2025, there are opportunities to buy at low prices.
- General Mills' Investment Value: General Mills (GIS) is trading at a 15-year low with a year-to-date decline of about 21%, yet its 127-year uninterrupted dividend history and a 6.7% yield make it a reliable choice for long-term passive income.
- Hormel Foods' Resilience: Hormel Foods (HRL) has raised its dividend for 59 consecutive years, and despite a 50% drop from its 2022 peak, its brand leadership and dual position in private-label manufacturing provide a defensive edge.
- Kenvue's Market Potential: Kenvue (KVUE), spun off from Johnson & Johnson, is down 30% from its 52-week high, but its stable product portfolio and analyst support make it an investment worth considering.
See More
Four Consumer Stocks to Buy Now
- General Mills' Struggles: General Mills (NYSE: GIS) is trading at a 15-year low, having fallen over 50% in the past three years and approximately 21% year-to-date in 2026, despite a high dividend yield of 6.7%; however, with North American organic sales down 3% and adjusted operating profit down 32% in the latest quarter, the company faces short-term challenges, although its Blue Buffalo pet food segment shows double-digit growth in select categories, indicating long-term investment potential.
- Hormel Foods' Discount Opportunity: Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) has raised its dividend for 59 consecutive years, making it a Dividend King with a current yield above 5%, yet its stock price has dropped about 50% since its peak in April 2022 due to challenges like a chicken recall and a plant fire; nevertheless, its brands like Spam and Skippy remain market leaders, and its private-label business can offset declines in branded sales during economic downturns, showcasing unique market resilience.
- Kenvue's Potential: Kenvue (NYSE: KVUE), spun off from Johnson & Johnson, owns well-known brands like Tylenol and Listerine, trading near $17.50 with a dividend yield approaching 4.8%, and despite being down roughly 30% from its 52-week high, it reported a 3.2% revenue growth quarter-over-quarter, with analysts maintaining a positive outlook, highlighting its defensible product portfolio in consumer health.
- Church & Dwight's Steady Growth: Church & Dwight (NYSE: CHD) is the world's largest producer of baking soda, and while it lacks brand recognition, its brands like Arm & Hammer and OxiClean account for about 70% of revenue; the company recently acquired Touchland's hand sanitizer business and is guiding for 3% to 4% organic sales growth in 2026, demonstrating strong performance in e-commerce and long-term growth potential.
See More
General Mills Submits Pricing Term Sheet for Up to €1.7 Billion Offering of Two-Part Euro-Denominated Notes - SEC Filing
General Mills Filing: General Mills has filed a pricing terms sheet for the offering of two-part euro-denominated notes.
Offering Amount: The total amount for the notes being offered is up to €1.7 billion.
See More
