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Kenvue Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 4.5% on currency: Net sales were $3,909 million vs $3,741 million in the prior year period, with foreign currency adding 3.8% and organic sales adding 0.7%. Source
  • Self Care sales fell organically: Self Care net sales rose 1.9% to $1,699 million, but organic sales fell 2.3%. Continued smoking cessation growth from Nicorette partly offset the decline. Source
  • Skin Health and Beauty grew: Skin Health and Beauty net sales rose 8.4% to $1,059 million, with organic growth in EMEA, Latin America and Asia Pacific and sequential improvement in North America. Source
  • Gross margin rose to 58.9%: Gross margin rose to 58.9% from 58.0%. Adjusted gross margin rose to 60.8% from 60.0%. Source
  • Operating margin rose to 19.6%: Operating margin rose to 19.6% from 14.9%. Adjusted operating margin rose to 24.0% from 19.8%. Source
  • Volume fell 0.3% in total: Organic growth came from 1.0% favorable value realization, partly offset by a 0.3% volume decrease. Source
  • Shareholders approved Kimberly-Clark merger: Shareholders of each company approved the transaction on January 29, 2026. The Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period expired on February 4, 2026. Source

“Our year is off to an encouraging start, as our continued efforts to strengthen the business and sharpen execution resulted in delivering net and organic sales growth for the second consecutive quarter”

Kirk Perry, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Restructuring charges SourceFiscal year 2026approximately $250 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: The company again gave no forward-looking guidance, citing the pending transaction with Kimberly-Clark, as in the prior release. Source
  • New guidance: The company quantified the 2026 Restructuring Initiative at about $250 million of pre-tax charges for fiscal 2026; the prior release gave no figure. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 4.5% on currency: Net sales were $3,909 million vs $3,741 million in the prior year period, with foreign currency adding 3.8% and organic sales adding 0.7%. Source
  • GAAP net income and operating income rose: Net income was $474 million vs $322 million. GAAP operating income was $767 million vs $558 million. Source

Segments and regions

  • Self Care sales fell organically: Self Care net sales rose 1.9% to $1,699 million, but organic sales fell 2.3%. Continued smoking cessation growth from Nicorette partly offset the decline. Source
  • Skin Health and Beauty grew: Skin Health and Beauty net sales rose 8.4% to $1,059 million, with organic growth in EMEA, Latin America and Asia Pacific and sequential improvement in North America. Source
  • Essential Health sales up 4.9%: Essential Health net sales rose 4.9% to $1,151 million. Baby Care, Oral Care and Wound Care grew, while Women’s Health declined. Source
  • Regional net sales mix: Net sales by region were: North America $1,860 million vs $1,857 million; EMEA $992 million vs $884 million; Asia Pacific $700 million vs $694 million; Latin America $357 million vs $306 million. Source
  • Segment adjusted operating income rose: Total segment adjusted operating income was $1,092 million vs $897 million. Skin Health and Beauty rose to $168 million from $92 million. Source

“We remain confident in our ability to navigate ongoing macro uncertainty, as we accelerate our organization and business transformation through our new strategic plans”

Kirk Perry, Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • Tylenol share strengthened sequentially: Tylenol market share and consumption strengthened sequentially in the quarter, with brand trust steady at early September levels. Source
  • Zyrtec sponsorship supported share: Zyrtec became the first Official Allergy Relief Sponsor of the PGA TOUR, supported by a campaign and retail execution, contributing to US share gains. Source
  • Listerine global restage rolled out: The global restage of Listerine began rolling out across select markets in the first quarter, alongside Listerine On-The-Go Alcohol Free Mouthwash Sachets. Source
  • Neutrogena Sun and OGX launches: Neutrogena Sun Care entered select EMEA markets, and OGX Pro Growth was introduced in North America and EMEA. Source
  • Baby Care grew across regions: Baby Care grew across major regions, with North America helped by expanded distribution and faster growth in the eCommerce channel. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rose to 58.9%: Gross margin rose to 58.9% from 58.0%. Adjusted gross margin rose to 60.8% from 60.0%. Source
  • Supply chain savings drove gross margin: The company attributed the gross margin gain to supply chain productivity savings and favorable value realization. Source
  • Operating margin rose to 19.6%: Operating margin rose to 19.6% from 14.9%. Adjusted operating margin rose to 24.0% from 19.8%. Source
  • SG&A fell on cost actions: SG&A fell to $1,453 million from $1,537 million, helped by cost actions and media cost improvements. Source
  • Restructuring costs rose to $78 million: Restructuring and operating model optimization costs were $78 million vs $67 million, including $48 million of employee-related costs and $30 million of IT and project costs. Source
  • Tax rate eased to 29.5%: Effective tax rate was 29.5% vs 29.7%, and adjusted effective tax rate was 27.2% vs 27.5%. The company cited jurisdictional mix and tax law changes. Source

Demand and volumes

  • Volume fell 0.3% in total: Organic growth came from 1.0% favorable value realization, partly offset by a 0.3% volume decrease. Source
  • United States consumption improved: In the United States, consumption trends improved sequentially and the company gained market share despite fewer seasonal incidences than a year earlier. Source
  • Latin America share gains: The company gained share across key brands in Latin America. A solid sun season there was amplified by Neutrogena Sun execution. Source

Cash flow and debt

  • Operating cash flow rose to $0.5 billion: Operating cash flow was $0.5 billion vs $0.4 billion, with the company citing higher net income. Source
  • Capex fell; free cash flow rose: Capital expenditures fell to $0.1 billion from $0.2 billion, and free cash flow rose to $0.4 billion from $0.2 billion. Source
  • Debt rose to $8.7 billion: Total debt was $8.7 billion vs $8.5 billion at year-end. Cash was $1.1 billion, and net debt was $7.6 billion vs $7.5 billion. Source
  • Interest expense edged up: Net interest expense was $95 million vs $94 million in the prior year period. Source

Strategy and the pending transaction

  • Shareholders approved Kimberly-Clark merger: Shareholders of each company approved the transaction on January 29, 2026. The Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period expired on February 4, 2026. Source
  • 2026 restructuring initiative under way: The Board-approved 2026 Restructuring Initiative aims to optimize the operating model, transform the supply chain, reduce complexity and drive efficiencies. Source
  • No quarterly conference call: The company will not host a quarterly conference call because of the pending transaction. The release is posted on its investor website. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 May 2026

  • Kimberly-Clark transaction expected to close: Management expects the Kimberly-Clark transaction to close in the second half of 2026, subject to foreign regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Volume change, total company Sourcedecrease of 0.3%
Volume change, Self Care Sourcedecrease of 3.9%
Volume change, Skin Health and Beauty Sourceincrease of 4.2%
Volume change, Essential Health Sourceincrease of 1.4%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said weak cold and flu seasons across major markets weighed on the Self Care business. Source
  • External: Management said inflation, tariffs and lower volumes were impacts that favorable value realization and productivity savings more than offset this quarter. Source
  • Regulatory: Closing of the Kimberly-Clark transaction remains subject to foreign regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The company refers to the 2026 Restructuring Initiative as previously disclosed. No progress status is given against it. Source
  • Not stated: The company refers to the merger agreement as previously announced. No progress status is given beyond the completed shareholder and antitrust steps. 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.