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Investing.com - General Mills (NYSE:GIS) has warned of weak category sales growth and slipping income in its current fiscal year, as the packaged food giant grapples with a tariff-driven operating headwinds.
Like many consumer goods groups, the owner of brands like breakfast cereals like Cheerios and Chex has been facing a pullback in spending by price-conscious customers wary of the economic uncertainty stemming from sweeping U.S. tariffs.
In a statement on Wendesday, General mills said that it anticipates "less benefit" from pricing "amid a continued challenging consumer backdrop," adding that its category growth in its 2026 fiscal year is seen coming in "below its long-term projections."
However, the group said it would target "significant strategic investment" in its U.S. fresh pet food operations, as well as in consumer value, innovation and brand building. The spending, along with tariff-fueled input cost inflation and a "reset of corporate incentive," are all anticipated to outpace cost savings and benefits from an extra week during the fiscal year, General Mills said.
The divestitures of its U.S. and Canada yogurt businesses and acquisition of the North American Whitebridge Pet Brands is also expected to reduce adjusted operating profit growth by approximately five points.
Amid this environment, General Mills guided for organic net sales "to range between down one percent and up one percent," while adjusted operating profit is estimated to be down 10 to 15 percent in constant currency from a base of $3.4 billion in the previous year.
Net sales in its fourth quarter slipped by 3.3% versus a year ago to $4.56, compared with Bloomberg consensus estimates of $4.59 billion. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.74, above expectations of $0.71.