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Kenvue Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 17 February 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter net sales rose 3.2%: Net sales were $3,780 million vs $3,662 million in the prior year period. Source
  • Full-year net sales declined 2.1%: Full-year net sales totalled $15,124 million vs $15,455 million in the prior year. Source
  • Self Care volume fell 3.1%: Self Care net sales were $1,592 million vs $1,569 million, with foreign currency adding 2.7%. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin up in quarter: Operating income margin was 14.2% vs 13.2%; savings from Our Vue Forward were partly offset by higher brand support. Source
  • Operating cash flow increased: Working capital improvements were cited as the main driver of the higher operating cash flow. Source
  • Shareholders approved the transaction: Shareholders of both companies approved the proposals needed for Kimberly-Clark to acquire Kenvue at special meetings on January 29, 2026. Source
  • No forward-looking guidance provided: No forward-looking guidance is provided while the transaction is pending, versus the full-year guidance affirmed in the previous release. Source

“We ended 2025 with stronger top- and bottom-line performance in the fourth quarter, which reflected both disciplined execution against our strategic priorities, as well as a more favorable year-ago comparison on sales,”

Kirk Perry, Chief Executive Officer

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance withdrawn: No forward-looking guidance was given, while the previous release had affirmed full-year 2025 guidance. Source
  • New: Shareholders of both companies approved the Kimberly-Clark acquisition proposals at special meetings on January 29, 2026. Source
  • New: The Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period on the transaction expired on February 4, 2026. Source

Fourth quarter and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter net sales rose 3.2%: Net sales were $3,780 million vs $3,662 million in the prior year period. Source
  • Full-year net sales declined 2.1%: Full-year net sales totalled $15,124 million vs $15,455 million in the prior year. Source
  • Quarter adjusted EPS edged up: Diluted EPS was $0.17 vs $0.15 in the prior year period, and adjusted diluted EPS was $0.27 vs $0.26. Source
  • Full-year diluted EPS rose to $0.76: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.08 vs $1.14 in the prior year period. Source

Segment and regional performance

  • Self Care volume fell 3.1%: Self Care net sales were $1,592 million vs $1,569 million, with foreign currency adding 2.7%. Source
  • Skin Health and Beauty sales grew 2.9%: Net sales were $1,040 million vs $1,011 million, with foreign currency adding 1.6%. Source
  • Essential Health sales up 6.1%: Net sales were $1,148 million vs $1,082 million, with volume growth of 1.3%. Source
  • Asia Pacific rebounded; North America fell: Net sales by region: North America $1,759 million vs $1,842 million; EMEA $949 million vs $863 million; Asia Pacific $703 million vs $635 million; Latin America $369 million vs $322 million. In Self Care, organic sales rebounded in Asia Pacific. Source

“As we look to 2026, we remain focused on continuing to enhance our performance, while progressing toward completion of our value-creating combination with Kimberly-Clark.”

Kirk Perry, Chief Executive Officer

Brands, products and customers

  • Tylenol trends improved in December: A late-quarter spike in United States flu incidences did not offset low incidences through the quarter; Tylenol consumption and share trends improved in December. Source
  • Slight share gain in seasonal lines: In aggregate, Kenvue gained slight share in its US seasonal businesses, and innovations continued to contribute. Source
  • Innovation drove growth outside North America: Innovations and commercial execution drove Skin Health and Beauty organic growth in every region outside North America. Source
  • Essential Health growth broad-based: Growth was broad across need states, with North America performance improving sequentially. Source

Margins, costs and tax

  • Gross margin flat, adjusted margin up: Adjusted gross profit margin rose 10 basis points to 58.8% from 58.7%, reflecting supply chain productivity savings and value realization. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin up in quarter: Operating income margin was 14.2% vs 13.2%; savings from Our Vue Forward were partly offset by higher brand support. Source
  • Full-year adjusted operating margin down: Adjusted gross profit margin declined 20 basis points to 60.2%; reported operating income margin was 16.0% vs 11.9%, with prior-year impairment charges significantly higher. Source
  • Quarter tax rate higher: Effective tax rate was 22.7% vs 15.3%; adjusted effective tax rate was 20.2% vs 17.7%. Source
  • Restructuring charges rose: Restructuring and operating model charges were $103 million vs $75 million in the quarter and $335 million vs $221 million for the year. R&D expenses were $98 million vs $106 million. Source

Cash flow, debt and capital

  • Operating cash flow increased: Working capital improvements were cited as the main driver of the higher operating cash flow. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $1.7 billion: Free cash flow was $1.7 billion vs $1.3 billion in the prior year, after capital spending. Source
  • Debt slightly lower; cash unchanged: Cash and cash equivalents were $1.1 billion at both year-end dates; net debt was $7.5 billion at both dates. Source

Kimberly-Clark transaction and reporting

  • HSR waiting period expired: The Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period under the transaction expired on February 4, 2026. Source
  • Shareholders approved the transaction: Shareholders of both companies approved the proposals needed for Kimberly-Clark to acquire Kenvue at special meetings on January 29, 2026. Source
  • No forward-looking guidance provided: No forward-looking guidance is provided while the transaction is pending, versus the full-year guidance affirmed in the previous release. Source
  • No quarterly conference call: No quarterly conference call will be held; the release is posted on the company website at investors.kenvue.com. Source

Coming up, as management said on 17 February 2026

  • Transaction close expected in H2 2026: Closing is expected in the second half of 2026, subject to foreign regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Volume change, fourth quarter 2025 Source-1.1%
Volume change, full year 2025 Source-2.3%

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Impairment of $23 million on the ORSL trade name followed regulatory changes in India. Source
  • Demand: Trade inventory reductions by some customers and low seasonal incidences, mainly in the United States, weighed on category growth. Source
  • External: Inflation, tariffs and transactional currency effects were headwinds that productivity savings and value realization helped offset. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the quarter's volume benefited from lapping the prior-year Asia Pacific disruption, as expected. Source
  • Delayed: Legal entity name change and certain other separation costs will run longer than originally anticipated. Source
  • Met: Information technology and other separation activities are substantially completed. 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.