As the Q1 earnings season wraps, let’s dig into this quarter’s best and worst performers in the household products industry, including Kimberly-Clark (NASDAQ:KMB) and its peers.
Household products stocks are generally stable investments, as many of the industry's products are essential for a comfortable and functional living space. Recently, there's been a growing emphasis on eco-friendly and sustainable offerings, reflecting the evolving consumer preferences for environmentally conscious options. These trends can be double-edged swords that benefit companies who innovate quickly to take advantage of them and hurt companies that don't invest enough to meet consumers where they want to be with regards to trends.
The 10 household products stocks we track reported a slower Q1. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.2% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.
While some household products stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 3.2% since the latest earnings results.
Kimberly-Clark (NASDAQ:KMB)
Originally founded as a Wisconsin paper mill in 1872, Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) is now a household products powerhouse known for personal care and tissue products.
Kimberly-Clark reported revenues of $4.84 billion, down 6% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 1%. Overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with a miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates and adjusted operating income in line with analysts’ estimates.
"Building on the strong foundation we established in 2024, we made further progress across the three pillars of our Powering Care strategy in the first quarter of 2025," said Kimberly-Clark Chairman and CEO, Mike Hsu.
The stock is up 1.3% since reporting and currently trades at $141.85.
Read our full report on Kimberly-Clark here, it’s free.
Best Q1: Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL)
Formed after the 1928 combination between toothpaste maker Colgate and soap maker Palmolive-Peet, Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) is a consumer products company that focuses on personal, household, and pet products.
Colgate-Palmolive reported revenues of $4.91 billion, down 3.1% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. The business had a satisfactory quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but a miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.
Colgate-Palmolive achieved the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. However, the results were likely priced into the stock as it’s traded sideways since reporting. Shares currently sit at $91.93.
Is now the time to buy Colgate-Palmolive? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q1: Spectrum Brands (NYSE:SPB)
A leader in multiple consumer product categories, Spectrum Brands (NYSE:SPB) is a diversified company with a portfolio of trusted brands spanning home appliances, garden care, personal care, and pet care.
Spectrum Brands reported revenues of $675.7 million, down 6% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.2%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.
As expected, the stock is down 11.1% since the results and currently trades at $54.97.
Read our full analysis of Spectrum Brands’s results here.
Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG)
Founded by candle maker William Procter and soap maker James Gamble, Proctor & Gamble (NYSE:PG) is a consumer products behemoth whose product portfolio spans everything from facial tissues to laundry detergent to feminine care to men’s grooming.
Procter & Gamble reported revenues of $19.78 billion, down 2.1% year on year. This print came in 1.9% below analysts' expectations. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced a decent beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but full-year EPS guidance slightly missing analysts’ expectations.
The stock is up 1.3% since reporting and currently trades at $167.81.
Read our full, actionable report on Procter & Gamble here, it’s free.
Energizer (NYSE:ENR)
Masterminds behind the viral Energizer Bunny mascot, Energizer (NYSE:ENR) is one of the world's largest manufacturers of batteries.
Energizer reported revenues of $662.9 million, flat year on year. This result missed analysts’ expectations by 1%. Overall, it was a slower quarter as it also recorded EPS guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations.
The stock is down 15.4% since reporting and currently trades at $21.90.
Read our full, actionable report on Energizer here, it’s free.
Market Update
Thanks to the Fed’s series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump’s presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by potential trade policy changes and corporate tax discussions, which could impact business confidence and growth. The path forward holds both optimism and caution as new policies take shape.
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