A O Smith Corp vs General Mills, Inc. — how do they compare? A O Smith Corp trades at $60.3 (market cap $8.33B), while General Mills, Inc. trades at $36.97 (market cap $19.33B). The key difference: General Mills, Inc. is far larger — about 2.3× A O Smith Corp's market cap, and General Mills, Inc. pays the higher dividend (6.74%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AOS | GIS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.33B | $19.33B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $80.47 | $51.60 |
52-Week Low | $55.78 | $32.17 |
Enterprise Value | $8.78B | $32.82B |
Dividend Yield | 2.35% | 6.74% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
A.O. Smith (AOS) trades at $60.44, up 2.41% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent leadership changes. The company reported mixed Q1 2026 earnings, missing EPS estimates at $0.85 versus $0.94 expected, while maintaining solid profitability with a 13.84% net margin. Cash flow trends show improving operations, and the stock offers a dividend with a recent $0.36 payout announced.
The outlook is cautious due to earnings volatility and bearish technicals, but valuation appears reasonable with a P/E of 16.12. Risks include China market weakness and competitive pressures, while analyst consensus leans hold with a $68 price target suggesting modest upside potential from current levels.
General Mills (GIS) trades at $36.22, up 1.03% on the day, near the analyst consensus price target of $36.14. The stock presents a mixed picture with a low P/E of 9.23 suggesting value, but profitability metrics like a negative net income margin and ROE for 2026 signal challenges. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations, yet the technical outlook is bearish, and news highlights sales pressure and a focus on cost savings to drive a margin recovery in fiscal 2027.
The investment outlook is cautious. The stock's low valuation and dividend yield offer potential value, but persistent sales softness, margin pressure from competition, and a high debt-to-asset ratio of 45% pose significant risks. Analyst sentiment is predominantly neutral to negative, with a majority hold rating, indicating a wait-and-see approach is warranted until clearer signs of sustainable growth emerge.
Trailing returns across standard periods
A.O. Smith Corporation manufactures and markets comprehensive lines of residential and commercial gas, gas tankless, and electric water heaters. Supplementary products include water heating equipment, condensing and noncondensing boilers, and water system tanks. The company's two operating segments are by geographic region: North America (majority of total revenue) and the Rest of the World. A material portion of sales in North America derive from replacing existing products, and the company utilizes a wholesale distribution channel and multiple selling locations. The Rest of the World segment sells primarily to Asian countries and operates sales offices to expand distribution and market its product portfolio.
Read more on AOS →General Mills is a leading global packaged food company that produces snacks, cereal, convenient meals, yogurt, dough, baking mixes and ingredients, pet food, and superpremium ice cream. Its largest brands are Nature Valley, Cheerios, Old El Paso, Yoplait, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, BLUE, and Haagen-Dazs. In fiscal 2022, 77% of its revenue was derived from the United States, although the company also operates in Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Latin America. While most of General Mills' products are sold through retail stores to consumers, the company also sells products into the food-service channel and the commercial baking industry.
Read more on GIS →