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Kenvue Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 3.0%: Net sales were $3,955 million vs $3,839 million. Organic sales growth of 1.6% and a 1.4% foreign currency benefit made up the increase. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $0.24: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.31 vs $0.29 in the prior-year quarter, an increase of 7%. Diluted weighted-average shares were 1,923 million vs 1,928 million. Source
  • Self Care organic sales grew 0.6%: Self Care net sales were $1,589 million vs $1,555 million. Segment adjusted operating income was $512 million vs $527 million, and volume fell 0.6%. Source
  • Skin Health and Beauty organic sales up 3.7%: Net sales were $1,113 million vs $1,059 million, and segment adjusted operating income was $186 million vs $149 million. Hair Care and Face Care drove growth; volume rose 1.0%. Source
  • Gross margin fell 0.7 points: Gross profit margin was 58.2% vs 58.9%. Productivity savings from supply chain optimization and favorable value realization partly offset cost pressures. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin declined: Adjusted operating income margin was 22.1% vs 22.7%. Brand support increased year over year, partly offset by savings from the 2026 Restructuring Initiative and Our Vue Forward. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $1.0 billion: Six-month free cash flow was $1.0 billion vs $0.8 billion in the prior-year period, after purchases of property, plant and equipment. Source
  • Shareholder and antitrust hurdles cleared: Shareholders of both companies approved the proposals on January 29, 2026. The Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period expired February 4, 2026. Source

“We delivered our third consecutive quarter of net and organic sales growth, with broad-based gains across every segment and region”

Kirk Perry, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Restructuring expenses (2026 Restructuring Initiative) Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately $250 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: FDA approved Tylenol with Naproxen, the first and only OTC fixed-dose combination of acetaminophen and naproxen sodium. Source
  • Guidance kept: No forward-looking guidance was given in either quarter; the company cites the pending Kimberly-Clark transaction. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 3.0%: Net sales were $3,955 million vs $3,839 million. Organic sales growth of 1.6% and a 1.4% foreign currency benefit made up the increase. Source
  • Organic growth came from value and volume: Value realization added 0.9% and volume added 0.7%. First-quarter organic growth was 0.7%, with volume down 0.3% and value up 1.0%. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $0.24: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.31 vs $0.29 in the prior-year quarter, an increase of 7%. Diluted weighted-average shares were 1,923 million vs 1,928 million. Source
  • Net income rose in both periods: Net income was $456 million vs $420 million for the quarter, and $930 million vs $742 million for the six months. Source

Segments and regions

  • Self Care organic sales grew 0.6%: Self Care net sales were $1,589 million vs $1,555 million. Segment adjusted operating income was $512 million vs $527 million, and volume fell 0.6%. Source
  • Skin Health and Beauty organic sales up 3.7%: Net sales were $1,113 million vs $1,059 million, and segment adjusted operating income was $186 million vs $149 million. Hair Care and Face Care drove growth; volume rose 1.0%. Source
  • Essential Health volume up 1.9%: Net sales were $1,253 million vs $1,225 million, and segment adjusted operating income was $315 million vs $351 million. Wound Care and Baby Care offset a decline in Oral Care. Source
  • Regional net sales all higher: North America $1,905 million vs $1,878 million; EMEA $956 million vs $929 million; Asia Pacific $723 million vs $706 million; Latin America $371 million vs $326 million. Source

“Our transformation is firmly on track. We remain focused on disciplined execution and continued business improvement while we work toward completing our value-creating combination with Kimberly-Clark in the fourth quarter of this year.”

Kirk Perry, Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • Tylenol with Naproxen product details: The combination pairs 650 mg of acetaminophen with 220 mg of naproxen sodium, begins working in under 30 minutes and provides relief for 12 hours. Source
  • Tylenol consumption improving in U.S.: U.S. Tylenol consumption trends improved sequentially, and the brand gained slight market share versus the prior-year period. Source
  • Zyrtec gained allergy share: Allergy activation behind Zyrtec helped the brand continue to gain share and strengthen its leadership position. Source
  • Neutrogena household penetration rising: In the U.S., brand building behind Neutrogena, the largest brand in the segment, improved household penetration for a third consecutive quarter across generational cohorts. Source
  • Pepcid continued to outperform market: Digestive Health execution enabled Pepcid to keep outperforming the category in the U.S. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin fell 0.7 points: Gross profit margin was 58.2% vs 58.9%. Productivity savings from supply chain optimization and favorable value realization partly offset cost pressures. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin declined: Adjusted operating income margin was 22.1% vs 22.7%. Brand support increased year over year, partly offset by savings from the 2026 Restructuring Initiative and Our Vue Forward. Source
  • Research and development spend up: Research and development expenses were $94 million vs $91 million, included in SG&A. Six-month spend was $178 million vs $190 million. Source

“Amidst a dynamic consumer and macro environment, our first-half 2026 results met or exceeded our expectations across key metrics, underscoring the strength and resilience of our people, brands, and new strategic plans.”

Kirk Perry, Chief Executive Officer

Interest, tax and earnings

  • Interest expense declined: Interest expense, net was $90 million vs $94 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Effective tax rate fell: Effective tax rate was 23.7% vs 28.6%. Management attributed the reduction to a valuation allowance release, jurisdictional mix and tax law changes. Source
  • Adjusted tax rate 22.9%: Adjusted effective tax rate was 22.9% vs 26.9%, after the tax effects of special items and taxes related to Deferred Markets. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow rose to $1.2 billion: Six-month operating cash flow was $1.2 billion vs $1.0 billion. Higher net income drove the increase, partly offset by higher working capital use. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $1.0 billion: Six-month free cash flow was $1.0 billion vs $0.8 billion in the prior-year period, after purchases of property, plant and equipment. Source
  • Capital spending lower: Capital expenditures were $0.2 billion in the six months, compared with $0.3 billion in the prior-year period. Source
  • Cash and debt balances little changed: Cash and cash equivalents were $1.1 billion at both dates. Total debt was $8.5 billion, and net debt was $7.4 billion vs $7.5 billion. Source

Pending transaction and restructuring

  • Shareholder and antitrust hurdles cleared: Shareholders of both companies approved the proposals on January 29, 2026. The Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period expired February 4, 2026. Source
  • 2026 restructuring charges recorded: Restructuring expenses were $59 million in the quarter. Restructuring and optimization charges totaled $69 million, with $147 million in the six months. Source
  • Transaction costs expensed: Pending transaction costs were $16 million in the quarter and $32 million in the six months, with none in the prior-year quarter. They are excluded from adjusted measures. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 August 2026

  • Kimberly-Clark close moved to Q4: Closing is now expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, rather than the second half of 2026, subject to foreign regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. Source
  • Tylenol with Naproxen reaches retailers: Management said the product is expected to be available soon at major U.S. retailers nationwide. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Organic volume growth, total Source0.7%
Self Care volume Source-0.6%
Skin Health and Beauty volume Source1.0%
Essential Health volume Source1.9%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management attributed the gross margin change mainly to inflation, tariffs and unfavorable transactional foreign exchange. Source
  • Demand: Historically low out-of-season incidence was cited as affecting the Pain and Cough and Cold businesses, despite sequential improvement. Source
  • External: Management cited a dynamic consumer and macro environment as context for the first-half results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the transformation is on track while it works toward the Kimberly-Clark combination. Source
  • Met: Management said first-half results met or exceeded its expectations across key metrics. Source
  • Not stated: The initiative was approved February 17, 2026, and is described as previously disclosed. 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.