Stock Comparison
GIS vs HRL: A Protein Dividend King, or Packaged Food?
A head-to-head of Hormel Foods and General Mills covering dividends, product mix, and payout record.
Updated October 16, 2026
How these figures are calculated: methodology.
Best for
- GISInvestors who want higher current income (7.36% vs 5.74% for HRL).
- HRLInvestors who want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee.
Visual comparison
Key metrics
Projected income on $10K
Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.
Total returns
Total-return comparison unavailable. Complete history and a verified comparison for the published observation dates are unavailable. Previously baked performance values are withheld until they can be verified.
Side-by-side snapshot
| Metric |  GIS |  HRL |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | General Mills, Inc. | Hormel Foods Corporation |
| Issuer | — | — |
| Last Close | $33.13 as of October 16, 2026 | $20.40 as of October 16, 2026 |
| Distribution rate | 7.36% | 5.74% |
| Trailing 12-month yield | 7.36% | 5.74% |
| Distribution Safety Score™ | 97 | 95 |
| Safety-Adjusted Yield | 7.14% | 5.45% |
| Expense ratio | — | — |
| AUM | — | — |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| Underlying index | — | — |
| Objective | Manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide including cereals, snacks, yogurt, and pet food under brands like Cheerios and Häagen-Dazs. | Produces and markets branded meat and food products including Spam, Skippy, Planters, Jennie-O, and Hormel brands in the United States and internationally. |
| Asset class | Equity | Equity |
| Inception date | N/A | N/A |
| Beta | 0.02 | 0.289 |
| Last dividend | $0.61 declared, pays 11/02/2026 | $0.2925 declared, pays 11/16/2026 |
| Ex-dividend date | 10/13/2026 | 10/13/2026 |
Bottom lineChoose GIS if you want higher current income (7.36% vs 5.74% for HRL). Choose HRL if you want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee.
HRL vs GIS: protein king or packaged food?
Both are US food companies that pay quarterly. Hormel is a Dividend King; General Mills is a packaged-food payer with a shorter streak.
| GIS | HRL | |
|---|---|---|
| Mix | Protein and branded foods | Packaged foods |
| Payout | Quarterly dividend | Quarterly dividend |
| Distribution rate | 7.36% | 5.74% |
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Quick verdict
GIS (General Mills, Inc.) and HRL (Hormel Foods Corporation) are both quarterly-pay dividend-paying stocks, but they take different approaches.
GIS offers the higher yield at 7.36% vs 5.74% for HRL. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.
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Deep dive
Yield & income
On a $10,000 investment, GIS would generate roughly $184.00 cash per distribution, while HRL would produce $143.50 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.
Strategy & risk
GIS is a stock built around packaged foods exposure, while HRL is a stock built around packaged foods exposure. Beta is 0.02 for GIS and 0.289 for HRL, making GIS the less volatile of the two by this measure.
Security details
GIS (General Mills, Inc.) is a stock. HRL (Hormel Foods Corporation) is a stock.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between HRL and GIS for dividends?
Both are US food companies that pay a quarterly dividend. GIS (General Mills, Inc.) distributes 7.36% and HRL (Hormel Foods Corporation) distributes 5.74% as of October 2026. Hormel is a Dividend King protein company; General Mills is a packaged-food payer with a shorter streak. Compare mix and payout record, not a one-date yield race.
What is the current distribution rate for GIS and HRL?
GIS currently distributes 7.36% and HRL 5.74%, based on fund data updated October 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.
Is GIS or HRL better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. GIS currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.
What is the difference between GIS and HRL?
GIS (General Mills, Inc.) is a stock built around packaged foods exposure, while HRL (Hormel Foods Corporation) is a stock built around packaged foods exposure. They are issued by — and — respectively.
Can I hold both GIS and HRL?
Yes — nothing prevents holding both. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.
Is GIS or HRL safer?
By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — they are effectively tied: GIS scores 97, HRL scores 95. Neither has a clear safety edge on that measure. GIS has also shown lower price volatility (beta 0.02 vs 0.29 for HRL). No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.
How much income does $10,000 in GIS vs HRL generate?
At current rates, $10,000 in GIS would generate roughly $184.00 cash per distribution ($736.00 annually). The same in HRL would produce about $143.50 cash per distribution ($574.00 annually).
Which has performed better historically, GIS or HRL?
Total-return comparison unavailable. Complete history and a verified comparison for the published observation dates are unavailable. Previously baked performance values are withheld until they can be verified.
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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.