Regarded as defensive investments, consumer staples stocks are generally safe bets in choppy markets. The flip side is that they frequently fall behind growth industries when times are good, and this perception became a reality over the past six months as the sector was down 8.3% while the S&P 500 was up 20.1%. Only some companies are subject to these dynamics, however, and a handful of high-quality businesses can deliver earnings growth in any environment. With that said, here is one consumer stock poise ...

Group 1: Joint Venture Announcement - Suzano S.A. and Kimberly-Clark Corporation are forming a $3.4 billion joint venture to manufacture consumer and professional tissue products, with Suzano owning 51% and Kimberly-Clark holding 49% [1][7] - The joint venture will be incorporated in the Netherlands and will operate 22 manufacturing facilities across 14 countries, with an annual tissue production capacity of approximately 1 million tons and projected net sales of $3.3 billion in 2024 [2][3][7] Group 2: Market and Employment Impact - The joint venture will market and distribute various tissue products in over 70 countries and is expected to create more than 9,000 job opportunities [3] - The transaction is anticipated to close in mid-2026, with Suzano set to pay $1.734 billion in cash at closing, subject to standard post-closing adjustments [4][7] Group 3: Suzano's Financial Performance - In Q1 2025, Suzano reported net sales of $1.97 billion, an increase from $1.91 billion in the same quarter of the previous year, with adjusted earnings rising to 87 cents compared to 3 cents in the prior year [5] - Over the past year, Suzano's shares have increased by 5.9%, while the industry has seen an 18.4% growth [6]