Food makers are dealing with several negatives right now. There’s the impact of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs on eating habits. The belt tightening as consumers deal with high costs and recession fears. And the overhang of high oil and fertilizer prices suggests that food maker margins could be squeezed in the coming quarters. It’s little wonder that investors are downbeat on so many food companies.
If you think in decades rather than days, the negativity on Wall Street toward food stocks could be a long-term buying opportunity. Conservative dividend investors might want to look at Coca-Cola (KO 0.23%), while more aggressive investors should consider General Mills (GIS 1.67%) and Hormel (HRL 0.65%). Here’s why.
Image source: Getty Images.
Coca-Cola continues to do well
Coca-Cola is one of the world’s largest consumer staples companies. It is a Dividend King, having rewarded investors with over 50 annual dividend increases. The dividend yield is currently 2.6%, well above the market’s 1.1% yield and the 2.1% average for the consumer staples sector. The real draw, however, is the company’s strong business performance despite the difficult market environment.
In 2025, Coca-Cola grew its case volume by 1% and increased its organic sales by 5%. In the first quarter of 2026, case volume increased by 3% and organic sales rose 10%. Wall Street is aware of how well Coca-Cola is doing, so the stock isn’t exactly cheap. But the stock doesn’t look particularly expensive, either, with both the price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios slightly below their five-year averages. A fair price for a well-run company with a relatively attractive yield is likely a good long-term opportunity for more conservative dividend investors.
Today’s Change
(-0.23%) $-0.18
Current Price
$78.58
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$338B
Day’s Range
$78.03 – $79.64
52wk Range
$65.35 – $82.00
Volume
13M
Avg Vol
17M
Gross Margin
61.82%
Dividend Yield
2.62%
General Mills knew it would be a tough year
General Mills is three-quarters of the way through fiscal 2026. Before the fiscal year even began, it told investors it would be an investment year as the company faced industrywide and company-specific headwinds. That’s exactly what has happened, with organic sales off by 3%, gross margin lower by two percentage points, and adjusted earnings off by 25% through the first nine months of the fiscal year.
But General Mills reaffirmed its full-year guidance, so the plan it has in place is still on track. Even so, investors are worried, and the dividend yield is a historically high 7%. That’s a long-term opportunity for more aggressive investors.
Today’s Change
(-1.67%) $-0.59
Current Price
$34.72
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$19B
Day’s Range
$34.52 – $35.87
52wk Range
$34.04 – $55.46
Volume
6.9M
Avg Vol
8.9M
Gross Margin
33.05%
Dividend Yield
7.03%
The company has paid a dividend for 127 years. While it doesn’t increase every year, the trend has been for a generally higher payment over time. From a big picture perspective, General Mills is going through a normal period of adjustment as it reworks its brand portfolio to better align with consumer trends. It is totally normal for food makers to do this, and decades from now, fiscal 2026 will likely look like little more than a blip.
Hormel Foods’ turnaround is gaining traction
Like Coca-Cola, Hormel Foods is a Dividend King. Like General Mills, Hormel Foods has a historically high yield of 5.4%. In some ways, it could be a good middle ground between the two other stocks on this list.
Hormel has been in turnaround mode for a few years, facing many of the same issues as General Mills. That said, Hormel’s organic growth has been rising for more than a year. That’s a sign that the actions management has taken are finally starting to gain traction. Earnings are still under pressure, but a business upswing may have begun.
Today’s Change
(-0.65%) $-0.14
Current Price
$21.33
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$12B
Day’s Range
$21.14 – $21.64
52wk Range
$20.32 – $31.86
Volume
3.5M
Avg Vol
4.7M
Gross Margin
15.33%
Dividend Yield
5.46%
What’s particularly interesting about Hormel is its focus on protein. That is very well aligned with current consumer trends, with increased protein intake an important way to help offset the muscle loss that can occur with GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. In addition, the philanthropic Hormel Foundation owns nearly 47% of Hormel’s stock, so the company doesn’t have to worry about appeasing short-term investors on Wall Street. Management can take its time and think long term, which should make most dividend investors happy today and over the decades to come.
Bad times are good times if you have 20 years to invest
The biggest benefit that small investors have is the ability to think long term. Institutional investors can’t do that, since they have boards of directors and performance-conscious customers breathing down their necks. While the “big guys” think about the next day, month, and quarter, you can think about the next decade and buy high-yield stocks like Coca-Cola, General Mills, and Hormel. Don’t miss the opportunity that short-term headwinds are offering up to long-term investors like you.
Leave a comment