Is Kimberly-Clark Stock Underperforming the Nasdaq?

With a market cap of $35.5 billion, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) is a global manufacturer and marketer of personal care and tissue products. Operating through segments in North America and international markets, the company offers a wide range of products under well-known brands such as Huggies, Kotex, Depend, Kleenex, and Scott.

Companies valued at $10 billion or more are generally classified as “large-cap” stocks, and Kimberly-Clark fits this criterion perfectly, exceeding the mark. Its products are distributed through retail channels like supermarkets and mass merchandisers, as well as professional and commercial outlets, including healthcare and public facilities.

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Shares of the Dallas, Texas-based company have pulled back 28.9% from its 52-week high of $150.45. Shares of Kimberly-Clark have declined nearly 17% over the past three months, lagging behind the Nasdaq Composite’s ($NASX) over 10% increase over the same time frame.

Longer term, KMB stock is down 18.4% on a YTD basis, underperforming NASX’s 21.3% gain. Moreover, shares of Kimberly-Clark have dipped 23.4% over the past 52 weeks, compared to NASX’s 20.7% return over the same time frame.

The stock has been trading mostly below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since late April.

Shares of Kimberly-Clark rose nearly 3% on Oct. 30 after the company reported better-than-expected Q3 2025 net sales of $4.15 billion and adjusted EPS of $1.82. Investor sentiment improved as overall volumes grew 2.4% and organic sales rose 2.7% in North America, showing resilient demand for household staples despite pricing pressures. The stock also benefited from confidence in Kimberly-Clark’s cost-control and product-mix strategies, which helped offset tariff-related margin declines.

In comparison, rival The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) has shown less pronounced decline than KMB stock. Shares of Procter & Gamble have decreased 18.8% over the past 52 weeks and 13% on a YTD basis.

Despite the stock’s weak performance, analysts are moderately optimistic about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the 16 analysts covering the stock, and the mean price target of $124.62 is a premium of 16.5% to current levels.

On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.

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