Kimberly-Clark posts USD 4.2 billion in net sales and 2.5% organic growth in Q3 2025

Kimberly-Clark has reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2025, posting net sales of USD 4.2 billion, in line with the same period last year. Organic growth of 2.5% was supported by a 2.4% increase in volume, driven by new product launches and the strengthening of the global portfolio.

According to the company’s Chairman and CEO, Mike Hsu, Kimberly-Clark remains committed to executing its long-term strategy despite a challenging operating environment. “The operating environment remains dynamic, but we continue to execute our strategy with discipline and excellence. Once again, we achieved broad-based growth driven by volume and mix, even as volume faced some challenges across the industry,” said the executive.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Operating profit for the quarter was USD 621 million, including USD 62 million in expenses related to the Transformation Initiative 2024. Excluding these costs, adjusted operating profit totaled USD 683 million, consistent with the same period in 2024. Adjusted earnings per share were USD 1.82, also flat year over year.

The adjusted gross margin was 36.8%, 1.7 percentage points lower than last year, reflecting productivity gains offset by additional costs and strategic investments to reposition price and value ranges across several portfolio categories.

 

GROWTH IN PERSONAL CARE CATEGORIES

The Personal Care segment remained one of Kimberly-Clark’s key global performance drivers. In North America, organic sales grew 2.7%, supported by a strong 2.6% increase in volume, driven by new activations and innovations in leading brands. Market share in value rose 30 basis points year to date, while volume share advanced 80 basis points.

In the International Personal Care business, sales increased 1.9%, with organic growth of 2.1%, led by volume growth and an improved portfolio mix. Segment operating profit rose 6.5% for the quarter, driven by productivity gains and optimization of operating expenses.

YEAR-TO-DATE RESULTS AND OUTLOOK

For the first nine months of 2025, the company recorded total sales of USD 12.4 billion, a 2.6% decline compared to the same period in 2024, impacted by the exit of the private-label diaper business in the U.S. and the discontinuation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) operations. Excluding these effects, organic growth was positive, reflecting resilient demand for personal care products.

For full-year 2025, Kimberly-Clark expects organic growth in line with the average of the categories in which it operates, around 2%, and anticipates low- to mid-single-digit growth in adjusted operating profit, despite the negative impacts of divestitures and currency fluctuations.

“We continue to move forward with decisive actions to transform Kimberly-Clark into a leading personal care company, well-positioned for sustainable long-term growth,” Hsu concluded.