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Kimberly Clark Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 2.7 percent: Net sales were $4.2 billion, up 2.7 percent. Organic growth of 2.5 percent and currency of 2.0 percent were partly offset by a 1.8 percent drag from exiting the US private label diaper business. Source
  • Adjusted operating profit rose 3.7%: Adjusted operating profit was $732 million, up 3.7 percent from $706 million, on productivity savings, lower marketing, research and general expenses, and favorable currency. Source
  • Adjusted EPS fell on higher tax rate: Adjusted EPS from continuing operations was $1.60, a decline of 1.2 percent, mainly due to the higher adjusted tax rate. Source
  • North America operating profit fell: North America operating profit was $623 million, down 8.1 percent, with a 490 basis point headwind from business exits and higher advertising, partly offset by productivity savings. Source
  • International Personal Care sales up 9.1%: International Personal Care net sales were $1.5 billion, up 9.1 percent, including organic growth of 4.0 percent and favorable currency impacts. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin down 60 basis points: Adjusted gross margin was 37.9 percent, down 60 basis points, as productivity savings were more than offset by pricing net of cost inflation. Source
  • Adjusted tax rate rose to 26.2%: Adjusted effective tax rate was 26.2 percent versus 20.7 percent, mainly from discrete unfavorable factors this year against prior-year discrete benefits. Source
  • Preparing for Kenvue acquisition: Management said it is preparing Kimberly-Clark for the Kenvue acquisition, describing the value creation as generational. Source

“Our first quarter results highlight the strength and resilience of the growth engine we’ve built through Powering Care”

Kimberly-Clark Chairman and CEO Mike Hsu

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Reported net sales: private label diaper exit Source2026negative 50 basis pointsKept
Reported net sales: currency translation Source2026approximately 50 basis points favorableRaised from no meaningful impact
Adjusted operating profit Source2026, constant currencymid-to-high single-digit growth rateKept
Adjusted EPS from continuing operations Source2026, constant currencydouble-digit growth rateKept
Income from equity companies Source2026 versus 2025approximately 40 percent increaseRaised from approximately 30 percent increase
Adjusted EPS attributable to Kimberly-Clark Source2026, constant currencyflatKept
Earnings per share: currency translation effect Source2026favorable approximately 170 basis pointsRaised from favorable approximately 130 basis points
Adjusted effective tax rate Source2026approximately 23 percentKept
Net interest expense Source2026flat versus 2025Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Equity company income guidance raised to about 40 percent growth versus 2025, from about 30 percent in the prior release.
  • Guidance raised: Currency translation effect on earnings per share raised to about 170 basis points, from about 130 basis points.
  • Guidance raised: Currency translation on reported net sales moved from no meaningful impact to an approximately 50 basis point favorable impact.

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 2.7 percent: Net sales were $4.2 billion, up 2.7 percent. Organic growth of 2.5 percent and currency of 2.0 percent were partly offset by a 1.8 percent drag from exiting the US private label diaper business. Source
  • Volume-plus-mix led organic growth: Volume-plus-mix growth of 3.0 percent drove organic sales growth, the company reported. Source
  • Resilient demand and innovation cited: Management cited resilient consumer demand for the brands and the introduction of new products as drivers of the quarter's results. Source
  • Adjusted operating profit rose 3.7%: Adjusted operating profit was $732 million, up 3.7 percent from $706 million, on productivity savings, lower marketing, research and general expenses, and favorable currency. Source
  • Insurance benefit in reported profit: Reported operating profit was $753 million, up from $631 million. It included a $120 million insurance benefit and $99 million of 2024 Transformation Initiative and Kenvue charges. Source
  • Adjusted EPS fell on higher tax rate: Adjusted EPS from continuing operations was $1.60, a decline of 1.2 percent, mainly due to the higher adjusted tax rate. Source

Segments and regions

  • North America sales slightly lower: North America net sales were $2.7 billion, down 0.6 percent. A 2.7 percent hit from exiting US private label diapers offset organic growth of 1.8 percent, driven by broad-based volume. Source
  • North America operating profit fell: North America operating profit was $623 million, down 8.1 percent, with a 490 basis point headwind from business exits and higher advertising, partly offset by productivity savings. Source
  • International Personal Care sales up 9.1%: International Personal Care net sales were $1.5 billion, up 9.1 percent, including organic growth of 4.0 percent and favorable currency impacts. Source
  • International Personal Care profit up 21.9%: IPC operating profit was $245 million, up 21.9 percent, on volume- and mix-led gains and productivity savings, partly offset by negative pricing net of cost inflation. Source
  • IPC volume growth led organic growth: IPC organic growth of 4.0 percent was led by volume growth of 4.1 percent. Source

“We continued to deliver solid volume-plus-mix performance while building share momentum despite continued geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty.”

Kimberly-Clark Chairman and CEO Mike Hsu

Products and pricing

  • Pricing down 0.5 percent for trial: Pricing reduced organic sales by 0.5 percent. Management said the lower pricing drove trial of new products and enhanced value propositions. Source
  • Planned price:value investments: Management said gross margin reflected planned investments to drive new product trial and improve price:value tiers across the portfolio, as well as supply chain investments. Source
  • IPC price investments offset mix gains: IPC price investments of 1.5 percent partly offset gains in portfolio mix, which management tied to improved consumer value propositions. Source

Costs, margins and productivity

  • Adjusted gross margin down 60 basis points: Adjusted gross margin was 37.9 percent, down 60 basis points, as productivity savings were more than offset by pricing net of cost inflation. Source
  • Reported gross margin 36.8 percent: Gross margin was 36.8 percent versus 37.2 percent, including $42 million of 2024 Transformation Initiative charges, or about 110 basis points. Source
  • Overhead savings lowered marketing costs: Management linked lower marketing, research and general expenses to overhead savings, which helped adjusted operating profit. Source

“one of the strongest innovation and commercial activation lineups in our history set to launch in the second quarter”

Kimberly-Clark Chairman and CEO Mike Hsu

Tax and equity income

  • Adjusted tax rate rose to 26.2%: Adjusted effective tax rate was 26.2 percent versus 20.7 percent, mainly from discrete unfavorable factors this year against prior-year discrete benefits. Source
  • Equity company income rose: Net income of equity companies was $53 million versus $44 million, driven mainly by favorable currency translation. Source
  • Net interest expense slightly lower: Net interest expense was $53 million versus $57 million, primarily from lower interest expense. Source

Cash, debt and dividends

  • Operating cash flow rose: Cash provided by operations, including discontinued operations, was $745 million, against $327 million a year earlier. Source
  • Capital spending roughly doubled: Capital spending was $424 million in the first three months, against $204 million a year earlier. Source
  • Total debt declined slightly: Total debt was $7.1 billion at March 31, 2026, down from $7.2 billion at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Dividends declared rose 1.6%: Cash dividends declared were $1.28 per share, against $1.26 a year earlier. Source

Kenvue and IFP transactions

  • Preparing for Kenvue acquisition: Management said it is preparing Kimberly-Clark for the Kenvue acquisition, describing the value creation as generational. Source
  • IFP separation costs in discontinued income: Income from discontinued operations was $101 million, including $32 million of pre-tax separation costs, against $103 million a year earlier. Source
  • Discontinued adjusted income rose: Adjusted income from discontinued operations was $125 million, up 21.4 percent, mainly from lower depreciation and amortization of about $30 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 April 2026

  • Innovation lineup launches in Q2: Management said a large innovation and activation lineup is set to launch in the second quarter. Source
  • Live Q&A session on results day: The company said it would host a live Q&A session with investors and analysts on the results date, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Consolidated volume-plus-mix growth Source3.0 percent
Consolidated volume growth Source2.6 percent
North America volume growth Source1.9 percent
IPC volume growth Source4.1 percent

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Cost inflation and unfavorable pricing offset productivity gains in adjusted gross margin, according to management. Source
  • External: Management cited continued geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty as a backdrop to the quarter's results. Source
  • Regulatory: A US tax law change effective July 2025 was among the factors raising the adjusted tax rate. Source
  • Operational: The exit of the US private label diaper business reduced reported net sales by 1.8 percent in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the reduction in discontinued operations income reflects the expected mid-2026 close of the IFP transaction, with proceeds to help fund Kenvue. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.