Trump to Provide $12 Billion to Farmers: Stocks That May Benefit and Those That Won't.
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 08 2025
0mins
Should l Buy GIS?
Source: Barron's
- Support for Farmers: President Donald Trump is set to provide assistance to American farmers.
- Impact on Investors: The initiative will also offer some benefits to American investors.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy GIS?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on GIS
Wall Street analysts forecast GIS stock price to rise
15 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
9 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 37.420
Low
47.00
Averages
52.38
High
63.00
Current: 37.420
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.
- Rating Downgrade Impact: Analyst Chris Carey from Wells Fargo downgraded Conagra's rating from equal weight to underweight, leading to a more than 18% drop in stock price last month, reflecting a pessimistic outlook on the company's future performance.
- Increased Financial Pressure: Carey highlighted Conagra's high leverage and significant payouts for its high-yield dividend, which remains at $0.35 per share, yielding 8.9%, but also results in a high payout ratio that could jeopardize financial stability.
- Intensified Market Competition: As consumer preferences shift towards fresher foods, Conagra faces challenges in maintaining competitiveness, particularly with its core brands like Birds Eye and Hebrew National under pressure in the modern market, making brand refreshment increasingly urgent.
- Divergent Analyst Views: While UBS analyst Peter Grom maintains a neutral rating with a $20 price target for Conagra, he acknowledges that current market conditions are not ideal, suggesting that investors should carefully consider the company's future growth potential before making decisions.
See More
- Downgrade Impact: Analyst Chris Carey from Wells Fargo downgraded Conagra's rating from equal weight to underweight, resulting in a more than 18% drop in stock price last month, reflecting market concerns about the overall outlook for the food industry.
- Increased Financial Pressure: Carey highlighted that Conagra's high leverage and significant payouts for its high-yield dividend are straining its finances, particularly amid sluggish consumption trends and ongoing inflation, which could jeopardize the company's long-term stability.
- Changing Competitive Landscape: While Conagra has thrived on comfort food, modern consumers are increasingly favoring fresher options, posing challenges for the company as it competes against other food brands in a shifting market.
- Dividend Appeal vs. Risk: Conagra declared a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share, yielding 8.9%, but with a payout ratio of 8.86%, there are concerns about potential dividend cuts in the future, prompting investors to exercise caution.
See More
- Dividend Yield Analysis: Conagra's dividend yield stands at 8.9%, but with a recent 3% decline in organic sales and brand value write-downs, investors should approach this high yield with caution due to underlying risks.
- Competitor Performance: In contrast, General Mills offers a 6.5% dividend yield; despite a similar 3% drop in organic sales, its strategy of focusing on industry-leading brands enhances its competitive position in the market.
- Brand Strategy Adjustment: Following its 2018 acquisition of Blue Buffalo, General Mills successfully elevated its premium pet food line and recently exited the yogurt business, demonstrating its responsiveness to changing consumer preferences.
- Future Outlook: Entering fiscal 2026, General Mills has set goals for advertising, pricing adjustments, and portfolio reshaping, with management anticipating the next quarter as a turning point for improved financial results, suggesting that now may be a good time to invest.
See More
- Rising Dividend Yield: General Mills' dividend yield has surged to 6.6%, the highest in decades, attracting investors seeking passive income despite the stock's decline leading to negative total returns.
- Improving Financials: The company's cash and cash equivalents increased from $521.3 million in February 2025 to $785.5 million in February 2026, while long-term debt decreased from $11.84 billion to $10.99 billion, indicating a strengthening financial position driven by cost-cutting and a focus on high-margin segments.
- Business Restructuring Strategy: On March 17, General Mills announced the sale of its Brazilian business to bolster its balance sheet and focus on high-margin opportunities, having divested nearly one-third of its portfolio through acquisitions and divestitures since fiscal 2018 to optimize its brand and product categories.
- Market Competition Pressure: Despite General Mills' strong brand portfolio, ongoing shifts in consumer preferences towards healthier and non-processed foods have led to declining sales and profits, compounded by industry-wide slowdowns making it difficult for the company to pass rising costs onto consumers.
See More
- Dividend Stability: General Mills (GIS) has maintained its dividend for 127 years without cuts, although it hasn't raised payouts in recent years, demonstrating reliability in providing steady passive income despite a negative total return of 12.4% over the past decade.
- Industry Challenges: Facing a slowdown in the packaged food sector, General Mills is experiencing declining sales and profits, as shifting consumer preferences towards healthier, non-processed foods hinder the company's ability to pass rising costs onto consumers, impacting its market performance.
- Financial Stability Improvement: By selling its Brazilian business, General Mills aims to strengthen its balance sheet, having divested nearly one-third of its portfolio since fiscal 2018, focusing on high-margin brands, which is expected to further enhance cash flow.
- Investment Appeal: Despite ongoing challenges, General Mills' dividend remains affordable with a yield of 6.6%, and its stock price is trading below 11 times expected earnings, providing a compelling incentive for investors to hold the stock during this period.
See More










