Kimberly-Clark (KMB)

Consumer Staples · $68.2B market cap · SEC CIK 0000055785

Next reports on Jan 25, 2027, after the close, with analysts expecting $1.55 in earnings per share.

52-week range $92.42 to $116.82. 5% below its 52-week high and 20% above its low.

The case for KMB

• Earns 166% on shareholder equity, a figure flattered by a small equity base.
• Earnings per share up 67.7%.
• Pays a 3.9% dividend while you wait.
• Moves less than the market (beta 0.25).
• Net margin of 20% is wider than 86% of Consumer Staples companies.

The case against

• Pricey for its growth: 20.7× earnings, where 0% a year of growth plus a 3.9% dividend would justify about 14×.
• Revenue was flat on the year (+0.6%).
• Revenue has shrunk 3.0% a year over five years.
• Current liabilities exceed current assets (ratio 0.89).
• Long-term debt of $6.5B against $688M of cash.
• Free-cash-flow yield of 2.4% is lower than 86% of Consumer Staples companies.

What the score is made of

Each factor is half a curve over reported figures and half a rank among the other Consumer Staples companies (momentum is judged against fixed thresholds only), and the five are blended by weight. The score is where that blend places it in the S&P 500. It describes the last filing and the current price. It is not a forecast.

• Each factor except momentum is half fixed thresholds, half rank among the 36 Consumer Staples companies.

The financials

The financials, five years deep

Pulled from Kimberly-Clark's XBRL filings on SEC EDGAR. Italic rows are worked out from the others.

What Kimberly-Clark says it does

Description of Kimberly-Clark Kimberly-Clark Corporation was founded in 1872 and incorporated in Delaware in 1928. We are a global company focused on delivering essential products and solutions that solve unmet consumer needs and provide Better Care for a Better World. We are principally engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of a wide range of products made from natural or synthetic fibers and materials using advanced technologies in fibers, nonwovens and absorbency. Kimberly-Clark and our trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries and territories. Our portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Plenitud, Sweety, Softex, Viva and WypAll, hold No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in approximately 70 countries and encompass five global daily-need product categories: Baby & Child Care, Adult Care, Feminine Care,…

Risk factors KMB lists in its 10-K

• Significant increases in prices for raw materials, energy, transportation or other necessary supplies or services, without corresponding increases in our selling prices, could adversely affect our financial results
• Failure of key technology systems, cyberattacks, privacy breaches or data breaches could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and reputation
• There is no guarantee that our ongoing efforts to reduce costs will be successful
• Our operations in Russia and the surrounding region are impacted by the war in Ukraine
• Damage to the reputation of Kimberly-Clark or to one or more of our brands could adversely affect our business
• Our inability to attract and retain key personnel could adversely impact our business
• Disruption in our supply chain or our manufacturing or distribution operations could adversely affect our business
• Our engagement in business development activities, including acquisitions or divestitures of product lines or businesses, could impact our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity
• Disruptions in the credit markets or changes to our credit ratings may adversely affect our business
• Climate change and other sustainability matters may adversely affect our business and operations
• Intense competition for sales of our products, changes in consumer purchasing patterns and the inability to innovate or market our products effectively could have an adverse effect on our financial results
• Increasing dependence on key retailers and the emergence of new sales channels may adversely affect our business
• Government regulations and enforcement, and potential litigation, could have an adverse effect on our financial results
• New or revised tax regulations could have an adverse effect on our financial results
• K-C stockholders and Kenvue stockholders, in each case as of immediately prior to the mergers, will have reduced ownership in the combined company and less influence over management
• The mergers may not be completed and the Merger Agreement may be terminated in accordance with its terms
• Failure to complete the mergers, or a delay in the closing of the mergers, could negatively impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and stock price
• Litigation relating to the mergers could result in an injunction delaying or preventing the closing of the mergers and/or substantial costs or otherwise negatively affect our business and operations
• We will continue to incur substantial transaction-related costs in connection with the mergers
• The market price of our common stock will continue to fluctuate after the mergers
• The market price of our common stock after the closing of the mergers may be affected by factors different from those that historically have affected or currently affect our common stock or Kenvue common stock
• The failure to integrate the businesses and operations of K-C and Kenvue successfully in the expected time frame may adversely affect the future results of the combined company
• The mergers may result in a loss of customers, distributors, service providers, suppliers, vendors, joint venture participants and other business counterparties and may result in the termination of existing contracts
• We may record goodwill and other intangible assets that could become impaired and result in material non-cash charges to our results of operations in the future

Filings

Other Consumer Staples companies