On Wednesday, Kimberly-Clark announced quarterly results ahead of its own forecasts, but below market expectations, which weighed on its share price in pre-market trading.
The American consumer goods group, known for its Huggies, Kleenex, Scott and Cottonelle brands, said it had posted net earnings of $512 million, or $1.51 per share, in the fourth quarter, compared with $515 million ($1.50/share) a year earlier.
This profit was well below the $1.54 consensus that had been set by analysts.
Sales rose slightly to $4.97 billion from $4.96 billion in the fourth quarter of 2022, but this was again below the consensus of $4.98 billion.
The Dallas, Texas-based group said it planned to increase its quarterly dividend by more than 3% to $1.22 per share.
For fiscal year 2024, Kimberly-Clark expects organic growth in net sales of between 0% and 5%, and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of between 5% and 10% at constant exchange rates.
In pre-market trading on Wall Street, the share price fell by more than 4% in the wake of all these announcements.
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Kimberly-Clark Corporation specializes in the manufacturing and the marketing of hygiene products and personal care. Net sales break down by family products as follows:
- protection and personal care products (52.3%): disposable diapers, training pants, diapers, feminine protection products, etc. (Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Sweety, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Depend, Thinx, Poise, Plenitud, Softex and other brand names) ;
- household hygiene products (30.8%): tissues, toilet paper, paper towels, hand towels, paper napkins, wipes, etc. (Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle, Viva, Andrex, Scottex and other brand names);
- professional hygiene products (16.7%): hand towels, tissues, towels, apparel, disinfectants, industrial wipers, etc. (Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech, KleenGuard and other brand names);
- others (0.2%).
At the end of 2023, the group had 82 production sites worldwide.
Noth America accounts for 54.5% of net sales.
KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION 
