Free cash flow
General Mills Free cash flow decreased by 56.3% to $295.50M in Q4 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 31.0%, from $428.00M to $295.50M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows relatively stable performance with a -1.7% CAGR. This decline may warrant attention — for this metric, higher values are generally preferred.
Analysis
How to read this metric
An increase suggests improved operational efficiency or reduced capital intensity, providing more flexibility for capital allocation. A decrease may indicate higher investment in R&D or infrastructure, or potential challenges in converting earnings into cash.
Detailed definition
Free cash flow represents the cash generated by a company after accounting for cash outflows to support operations and m...
Peer comparison
Large-cap medical device and pharmaceutical peers typically maintain strong, positive free cash flow, though levels vary based on the intensity of R&D spending and the lifecycle stage of major product lines.
free_cash_flowHistorical Data
| Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | Q2 '26 | Q3 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $590.90M | $265.80M | $1.01B | $604.00M | $869.90M | $297.90M | $676.10M | $701.70M | $413.40M | $236.40M | $965.50M | $751.40M | $575.20M | $483.90M | $989.60M | $428.00M | $391.40M | $287.50M | $675.70M | $295.50M |
| QoQ Change | — | -55.0% | +279.1% | -40.1% | +44.0% | -65.8% | +127.0% | +3.8% | -41.1% | -42.8% | +308.4% | -22.2% | -23.4% | -15.9% | +104.5% | -56.8% | -8.6% | -26.5% | +135.0% | -56.3% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +47.2% | +12.1% | -32.9% | +16.2% | -52.5% | -20.6% | +42.8% | +7.1% | +39.1% | +104.7% | +2.5% | -43.0% | -32.0% | -40.6% | -31.7% | -31.0% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is General Mills's free cash flow?
- General Mills (GIS) reported free cash flow of $295.50M in Q4 2025.
- How has General Mills's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- General Mills's free cash flow decreased by 31.0% year-over-year, from $428.00M to $295.50M.
- What is the long-term trend for General Mills's free cash flow?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), General Mills's free cash flow has grown at a -1.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $2.45B to $2.29B.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.