STOCKHOLM, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hygiene and health company Essity has completed the acquisition of Edgewell Personal Care's feminine care business, including the Carefree, Stayfree and o.b. brands in North America and global feminine care rights for the Playtex brand. The purchase price for the assets amounts to USD 340m (approximately SEK 3bn) on a cash and debt-free basis. The acquisition supports Essity's strategy to focus on high margin categories and to grow market positions in the US, the worl ...

Core Insights - Essity has agreed to acquire Edgewell Personal Care's feminine care business for USD 340 million, enhancing its position in the North American hygiene market [1][3] - The acquisition includes well-known brands such as Carefree, Stayfree, and o.b., as well as global rights for Playtex and a production facility in Dover, Delaware [1][3] - The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals [1] Financial Summary - The purchase price of USD 340 million represents an EBITDA multiple of approximately 12.1x based on pro-forma IFRS as of June 30, 2025, and 8.3x when including estimated run-rate synergies [1] - For the 12 months ending June 30, 2025, the acquired business reported net sales of USD 261 million and a segment operating profit of USD 17 million [1] Strategic Implications - This acquisition aligns with Essity's strategy to focus on high-margin categories and strengthen its market position in the US, the largest hygiene market globally [1] - Essity aims to leverage its established success in the feminine care sector to grow the acquired brands [1]

Core Insights - Mistral, an AI startup based in Paris, is attracting talent from Meta, particularly from the team behind the Llama model, indicating a shift in the competitive landscape of AI development [1][4][14] - The exodus of researchers from Meta's AI team, particularly those involved in Llama, highlights a growing discontent with Meta's strategic direction and a desire for more innovative opportunities [3][9][12] - Mistral has quickly established itself as a competitor to Meta, leveraging the expertise of former Meta employees to develop models that meet market demands for deployable AI solutions [14][19] Talent Migration - The departure of Llama team members began in early 2023 and has continued into 2025, with key figures like Guillaume Lample and Timothée Lacroix founding Mistral AI [6][8] - Many of the departing researchers had significant tenure at Meta, averaging over five years, indicating a deeper ideological shift rather than mere job changes [9] Meta's Strategic Challenges - Meta's initial success with Llama has not translated into sustained innovation, as feedback on subsequent models like Llama 3 and Llama 4 has been increasingly critical [11][12] - The leadership change within Meta's AI research division, particularly the departure of Joelle Pineau, has led to a shift in focus from open research to application and efficiency, causing further discontent among researchers [13] Mistral's Growth and Challenges - Mistral achieved over $100 million in seed funding shortly after its founding and has rapidly developed multiple AI models targeting various applications [17] - Despite its high valuation of $6 billion, Mistral faces challenges in monetization and global expansion, with revenue still in the tens of millions and a primary focus on the European market [19][20]