Kimberly-Clark Corporation · KMB · FY2025 Q3 · Calendar Q4 2025
KMB: Innovation and premiumization support share gains
The supplied analysis supports a constructive but conditional view: innovation, premiumization, digital and club-channel growth, and potential cost relief provide support for the operating trajectory, while competition, tariffs, promotional spending and consumer pressure could limit margin and growth durability.
Earnings scorecard
Reported versus consensusMarket reaction
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Transcript intelligence
What changed
The current analysis emphasizes continued volume-plus-mix growth, diaper share gains, a Q4 promotion shift, and expected cost support from tariff mitigation and the Suzano partnership. Relative to the prior analysis, the focus moved from the initial portfolio and productivity setup toward execution of innovation, premiumization and the IFP joint venture.
Guidance delta
Guidance sentiment was maintained; the supplied analysis does not identify a new numerical guidance change.
Key takeaways
- Management described a seventh consecutive quarter of volume-plus-mix growth.
- Diaper innovation and premiumization were identified as drivers of share gains and mix improvement.
- Promotional activity was shifted toward Q4 to support trial of new innovations.
- Management expects tariff mitigation and the Suzano fiber partnership to reduce cost volatility and support gross-margin expansion.
- Long-term gross-margin and operating-margin targets remained in place.
Management priorities
- Roll out additional diaper innovations and continue premiumization across tiers.
- Expand digital sales and club-channel growth.
- Complete the IFP joint venture and integrate related synergies.
- Use the Suzano partnership to stabilize fiber costs.
- Continue toward long-term gross- and operating-margin milestones.
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Analyst 52W Price Targets
Latest persisted target per named analyst; persisted previous close from FN2's market snapshot as of Oct 1, 2026. Not an FN2 forecast.
Firm-level rating actions
FMP grade actions identify the grading firm, not a named analyst.
| Firm | Rating | Prior rating | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B of A Securities | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Sep 25, 2026 |
| Piper Sandler | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Sep 11, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Equal Weight | Equal Weight | Maintain | Sep 10, 2026 |
| UBS | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Aug 5, 2026 |
| TD Cowen | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Barclays | Equal Weight | Equal Weight | Maintain | Jul 21, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Mar 30, 2026 |
| Citigroup | Sell | Sell | Maintain | Jan 14, 2026 |
| BNP Paribas Exane | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Dec 1, 2025 |
| Argus Research | Buy | Hold | Upgrade | Nov 13, 2025 |
| Morgan Stanley | Equal Weight | Equal Weight | Maintain | Nov 4, 2025 |
| Evercore ISI Group | In Line | Outperform | Downgrade | Nov 4, 2025 |
| JP Morgan | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Oct 31, 2025 |
| RBC Capital | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Apr 23, 2025 |
| HSBC | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Apr 24, 2024 |
| Goldman Sachs | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Apr 24, 2024 |
| Bernstein | Market Perform | Underperform | Upgrade | Oct 12, 2023 |
| Berenberg | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Apr 26, 2023 |
| Jefferies | Hold | Buy | Downgrade | Jan 4, 2023 |
| Bank of America | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Sep 27, 2019 |
| Atlantic Equities | Neutral | Underweight | Upgrade | Jul 24, 2019 |
| Macquarie | Outperform | Neutral | Upgrade | Apr 23, 2019 |
| Societe Generale | Hold | Buy | Downgrade | Aug 15, 2018 |
| B. Riley FBR | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | May 5, 2018 |
| Argus | Buy | Hold | Upgrade | May 5, 2018 |
| CLSA | Underperform | Outperform | Downgrade | Oct 26, 2016 |
| B. Riley Securities | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Jan 26, 2016 |
| B. Riley | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Jan 26, 2016 |
| BMO Capital | Outperform | Market Perform | Upgrade | Dec 23, 2014 |
| Credit Suisse | Underperform | Underperform | Maintain | Apr 22, 2013 |
| Bank oferica | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Apr 23, 2012 |
Named analyst price targets
Upside is calculated against the persisted previous close $97.43. FMP does not supply a rating on these named-analyst rows.
| Firm | Analyst | 52W target | Price when posted | Upside | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guggenheim | Analyst unavailable | $120 | $97.22 | +23.2% | Sep 25, 2026 |
| Piper Sandler | Analyst unavailable | $118 | $98.48 | +21.1% | Sep 11, 2026 |
| UBS | Peter Grom | $116 | $110.11 | +19.1% | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $115 | $108.48 | +18.0% | Jul 21, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $115 | $108.13 | +18.0% | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Piper Sandler | Analyst unavailable | $121 | $104.28 | +24.2% | Jun 17, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $106 | $97.4 | +8.8% | Apr 29, 2026 |
| Barclays | Lauren Lieberman | $99 | $97.1 | +1.6% | Apr 14, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $100 | $97 | +2.6% | Apr 8, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $110 | $109.41 | +12.9% | Feb 17, 2026 |
| UBS | Peter Grom | $110 | $100.51 | +12.9% | Jan 28, 2026 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $102 | $99.64 | +4.7% | Jan 16, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $107 | $98.86 | +9.8% | Jan 14, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $105 | $98.52 | +7.8% | Jan 5, 2026 |
| BNP Paribas | Analyst unavailable | $110 | $109.84 | +12.9% | Dec 1, 2025 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $125 | $99.79 | +28.3% | Nov 4, 2025 |
| Evercore ISI | Analyst unavailable | $120 | $102.27 | +23.2% | Nov 4, 2025 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $132 | $119.71 | +35.5% | Nov 3, 2025 |
| RBC Capital | Nik Modi | $162 | $121.45 | +66.3% | Oct 28, 2025 |
| UBS | Peter Grom | $130 | $120.8 | +33.4% | Oct 8, 2025 |
| Piper Sandler | Michael Lavery | $145 | $123.23 | +48.8% | Oct 2, 2025 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $131 | $124.34 | +34.5% | Oct 1, 2025 |
| Piper Sandler | Korinne Wolfmeyer | $156 | $133.4 | +60.1% | Apr 23, 2025 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $140 | $140.71 | +43.7% | Mar 28, 2025 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $144 | $140.56 | +47.8% | Mar 27, 2025 |
| CFRA | Ana Garcia | $151 | $137.75 | +55.0% | Oct 22, 2024 |
| Deutsche Bank | Steve Powers | $142 | $137.34 | +45.7% | Jul 24, 2024 |
| Piper Sandler | Korrine Wolfmeyer | $174 | $140.79 | +78.6% | Jul 11, 2024 |
| RBC Capital | Nik Modi | $165 | $133.3 | +69.4% | Jun 3, 2024 |
| Barclays | Lauren Lieberman | $136 | $137.78 | +39.6% | Apr 25, 2024 |
| Deutsche Bank | Steve Powers | $132 | $127.27 | +35.5% | Mar 28, 2024 |
| HSBC | Alejandro Zamacona | $146 | $127.27 | +49.9% | Mar 28, 2024 |
| Evercore ISI | Javier Escalante | $150 | $127.27 | +54.0% | Mar 28, 2024 |
| Piper Sandler | Korinne Wolmeyer | $152 | $127.27 | +56.0% | Mar 27, 2024 |
| Morgan Stanley | Dara Mohsenian | $153 | $128.98 | +57.0% | Aug 7, 2023 |
| Jefferies | Stephanie Wissink | $150 | $135.66 | +54.0% | Apr 6, 2023 |
| J.P. Morgan | Analyst unavailable | $124 | $136.74 | +27.3% | Jan 13, 2023 |
| Jefferies | Analyst unavailable | $139 | $137.11 | +42.7% | Jan 4, 2023 |
| Deutsche Bank | Analyst unavailable | $123 | $135.48 | +26.2% | Dec 6, 2022 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $120 | $112.54 | +23.2% | Oct 3, 2022 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $142 | $132.12 | +45.7% | Jul 27, 2022 |
| Deutsche Bank | Analyst unavailable | $134 | $132.14 | +37.5% | Jul 27, 2022 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $124 | $128.34 | +27.3% | May 23, 2022 |
| Barclays | Lauren Lieberman | $129 | $142.05 | +32.4% | Apr 28, 2022 |
| Deutsche Bank | Steve Powers | $138 | $143.92 | +41.6% | Apr 25, 2022 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $137 | $141.64 | +40.6% | Apr 25, 2022 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $135 | $138.51 | +38.6% | Apr 25, 2022 |
| J.P. Morgan | Andrea Faria Teixeira | $120 | $139.66 | +23.2% | Apr 25, 2022 |
| Goldman Sachs | Jason English | $124 | $125.03 | +27.3% | Apr 3, 2022 |
| UBS | Peter Grom | $138 | $136.25 | +41.6% | Jan 27, 2022 |
| BNP Paribas | Jeff Stent | $148 | $141.86 | +51.9% | Jan 11, 2022 |
| Deutsche Bank | Stephen Powers | $130 | $130.98 | +33.4% | Oct 26, 2021 |
| HSBC | Robert Price | $131 | $135.43 | +34.5% | Sep 9, 2021 |
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Start freeCompany context
Snapshot as of publicationKimberly-Clark Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets personal care products in the United States. It operates in two segments, North America and International Personal Care. The North America segment offers disposable diapers, training and youth pants, swimpants, baby wipes, feminine and incontinence care products, reusable underwear, facial and bathroom tissue, paper towels, napkins, wipers, tissue, towels, soaps and sanitizers, and other related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Goodnites, Kotex, Poise, Depend, Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle, Viva, Wypall , and other brand names.…
Historical context
All KMB earningsConsumer Defensive peers this season
Latest reports in the same sector| Company | Quarter | EPS surprise | Market move | Headline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAG Conagra Brands, Inc. | FY2027 Q1 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +44.4% | -4.9% | Conagra maintains outlook while increasing brand investment and simplifying SKUs |
| COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | FY2026 Q4 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +3.2% | +2.9% | Costco’s growth broadens as warehouses and digital sales accelerate |
| GIS General Mills, Inc. | FY2027 Q1 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +4.6% | +1.0% | General Mills leans on mix, innovation and e-commerce amid pressure |
| KR The Kroger Co. | FY2026 Q2 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +2.8% | +2.7% | Kroger: Strong digital growth offsets softer sales outlook |
| CPB Campbell Soup Company | FY2026 Q4 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +1.1% | -7.0% | Campbell’s leans on savings and innovation amid pressured demand |
| BF-A Brown-Forman Corporation | FY2027 Q1 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +3.0% | — | Brown-Forman holds FY27 outlook as RTD innovation offsets barrel pressure |
Latest beats and misses
Who reports nextBeat on EPS
- CAGFY2027 Q1 · September 30, 2026+44.4% EPS-4.9% move
- FDSFY2026 Q4 · September 30, 2026+3.9% EPS+3.8% move
- JBLFY2026 Q4 · September 30, 2026+8.1% EPS-10.0% move
- MUFY2026 Q4 · September 30, 2026+5.4% EPS+0.0% move
- CCLFY2026 Q3 · September 29, 2026+5.9% EPS+13.4% move
- COSTFY2026 Q4 · September 24, 2026+3.2% EPS+2.9% move
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Sources
- Earnings call transcript and parsed analysis · 2026-05-11T10:29:34.698584+00:00
- FN2 earnings calendar · 2026-07-26T00:37:12.209961+00:00
- Polygon adjusted daily market bars · 2026-10-01T10:46:11.901921+00:00
- Financial Modeling Prep analyst price-target consensus and quote snapshot · 2026-10-01T10:46:11.898963+00:00
Methodology
Reported and consensus figures come from FN2's earnings event records. Market reaction and volume are calculated from daily adjusted bars around the event; abnormal move subtracts the SPY move over the same window.
Analyst target low, average, and high values are derived at request time from each named analyst's latest persisted FMP target. The current-price marker comes from FN2's persisted market snapshot. They are sell-side estimates, not an FN2 valuation or recommendation.
Transcript intelligence is a structured synthesis of the current and prior earnings-call analyses. Missing values stay missing and are never estimated.
By FN2 Research · Updated · As of 2026-10-01. For educational purposes only; not investment advice.