Kimberly-Clark (NASDAQ:KMB) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.05 EPS

Kimberly-Clark (NASDAQ:KMB) announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The company reported $1.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.81 by $0.05, Zacks reports. Kimberly-Clark had a net margin of 10.89% and a return on equity of 183.11%. The company had revenue of $4.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.11 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.50 EPS. The business’s revenue was down .6% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from Kimberly-Clark’s conference call:

• Powering Care execution is delivering — Kimberly‑Clark reported its eighth consecutive quarter of volume‑plus‑mix growth, enterprise share gains, and said it has an accelerated innovation and marketing pipeline for 2026.
• The proposed Kenvue acquisition is on track (shareholder vote favorable, regulatory filings underway) and the company expects the deal to close in the back half of the year, positioning it for higher‑growth, higher‑margin categories.
• Management flagged near‑term headwinds including a ~60 basis‑point full‑year hit from partial loss of diapers/Pull‑Ups distribution in the North America club channel and ongoing pricing/mix pressure driven by channel shifts and promotional activity.
• For 2026 the company expects to expand margins (driven by ~6% gross productivity and neutral input costs), target organic growth at or above category (~±2%) with back‑half acceleration, and reiterates medium‑term goals of ~40% gross margin and 18%–20% operating margin by 2030.

Kimberly-Clark Trading Down 0.2%

Shares of NASDAQ KMB traded down $0.21 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $100.93. 3,294,838 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,370,917. Kimberly-Clark has a 12 month low of $96.26 and a 12 month high of $150.45. The company has a market capitalization of $33.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.11, a P/E/G ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.56. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $102.14 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $116.08.

Kimberly-Clark Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 5th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 5th were issued a $1.26 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 5th. This represents a $5.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.0%. Kimberly-Clark’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 85.28%.

Trending Headlines about Kimberly-Clark

Here are the key news stories impacting Kimberly-Clark this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat — KMB reported $1.86 EPS vs. $1.39 expected, driven by cost cuts and steady demand for core products; the profit beat lifted confidence in execution. Kimberly‑Clark beats profit estimates on cost cuts, essential products demand
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend hike — the board raised the regular quarterly dividend to $1.28/share, supporting income investors and signaling confidence in cash flow. Kimberly‑Clark Declares Dividend Increase
• Positive Sentiment: Management outlook & transformation progress — company flagged momentum from its Powering Care transformation, projecting double‑digit profit growth and continued reinvestment in brands. Kleenex Maker Kimberly‑Clark Hikes Dividend, Projects Double‑Digit Profit Growth Kimberly‑Clark Reports Strong Finish to Second Year of Transformation
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue slightly below estimates — Q4 sales were $4.08B vs. $4.11B expected and down ~0.6% year‑over‑year; EPS beat mainly reflects margin improvements rather than top‑line growth. Compared to Estimates, Kimberly‑Clark (KMB) Q4 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics
• Neutral Sentiment: Kenvue vote looming — the company reported results just ahead of a shareholder vote on its plan to buy Kenvue; the outcome could materially affect strategy but is uncertain near‑term. Kimberly‑Clark Posts Higher Profit Ahead of Kenvue Vote
• Negative Sentiment: Recent share weakness and investor concern — KMB has been down recently (article notes ~8% decline over three months), and volume was below average today, suggesting some investor caution despite the beat. KMB Stock Down 8% in 3 Months: What’s Next for Investors

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kimberly-Clark

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of KMB. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 2.9% during the 3rd quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,381 shares of the company’s stock worth $669,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in Kimberly-Clark during the third quarter worth $19,458,000. Advisory Services Network LLC lifted its stake in Kimberly-Clark by 34.0% in the third quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 32,226 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,007,000 after acquiring an additional 8,184 shares during the last quarter. Camelot Portfolios LLC grew its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 41.0% in the 3rd quarter. Camelot Portfolios LLC now owns 3,980 shares of the company’s stock valued at $495,000 after acquiring an additional 1,157 shares during the period. Finally, OmniStar Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 80.0% during the 3rd quarter. OmniStar Financial Group Inc. now owns 6,539 shares of the company’s stock worth $813,000 after purchasing an additional 2,907 shares during the last quarter. 76.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have weighed in on KMB. TD Cowen lowered their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $112.00 to $105.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $144.00 to $125.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $162.00 price objective on shares of Kimberly-Clark in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Kimberly-Clark in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Argus raised shares of Kimberly-Clark from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $120.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Kimberly-Clark has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $118.33.

Kimberly-Clark Company Profile

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is a U.S.-based multinational manufacturer of personal care and consumer tissue products. The company develops, produces and markets a range of consumer brands and professional products, including facial and bathroom tissues, disposable diapers and training pants, feminine care, incontinence products and workplace hygiene solutions. Known for consumer-facing names such as Kleenex, Huggies, Kotex, Cottonelle and Scott, as well as professional offerings under Kimberly-Clark Professional and KleenGuard, the company supplies goods to retail, healthcare and institutional customers.

Founded in 1872 in Neenah, Wisconsin, Kimberly-Clark has expanded from its 19th-century paper-making roots into a global household and workplace products company.