Kimberly-Clark's Q2 Earnings Top Estimates, 2025 Outlook Raised

Core Insights - Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) reported second-quarter 2025 results that exceeded Zacks Consensus Estimates for both revenue and earnings, although both metrics declined compared to the previous year [1][2] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) were $1.92, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.68, but reflecting a 2% year-over-year decline due to reduced adjusted operating profit and net income from equity companies [3] - Total sales amounted to $4,163 million, a 1.6% decrease from $4,231 million in the prior-year quarter, yet beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,057 million [4] - Organic sales grew by 3.9%, driven by a 5% increase in volume, partially offset by a 1.2% impact from strategic pricing investments [5] Margin and Profitability - Adjusted gross margin was 36.9%, down 180 basis points year-over-year, primarily due to unfavorable pricing net of cost inflation and planned investments [6] - Adjusted operating profit fell 2.2% to $713 million, attributed to lower gross profit, although partially offset by reductions in marketing and general expenses [7] Segment Performance - North America segment net sales were $2,730 million, down 1.9% year-over-year, with organic sales increasing by 4.3% driven by a 5.2% volume increase [9] - International Personal Care segment net sales reached $1,433 million, up 0.4%, with organic sales growth of 3.3% supported by strong volume growth of 4.8% [11][12] Financial Health - The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $634 million, long-term debt of $6,470 million, and total stockholders' equity of $1,403 million [13] - For the first half of the year, cash provided by operations was $1,097 million, with capital spending of $401 million and $944 million returned to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks [13] Future Outlook - Kimberly-Clark raised its guidance for 2025, expecting organic sales growth to outpace market averages, despite anticipated negative impacts from currency translation and divestitures [15][16] - Adjusted EPS is projected to grow at a low-to-mid single-digit rate on a constant-currency basis, reflecting various headwinds including divestitures and currency translation [17][18]