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KMB Stock vs the S&P 500: Returns, Risk and Crash History
Kimberly-Clark Corporation, consumer defensive (market value $35.1 billion), an S&P 500 member: how it compared with the S&P 500, how it behaved in every crash since 2008, its risk‑adjusted returns and what analysts said. Data as of Oct 30, 2026.
What changed since Oct 26
Exent re-checks this page every day. Ratings appear 30 days after they are published; the top‑ranked analysts’ calls are not counted here, they are in Gems.
38% Buy ratings (was 43%)15 analysts covering (was 17)−5.2% 1‑year return through Oct 30 (was −17.6%)
Key takeaways
- KMB returned +1.3% over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026 versus +75.9% for the S&P 500: it lagged the index.
- Its 5-year Sharpe ratio was −0.05 against 0.58 for the S&P 500.
- Its deepest crisis drawdown was −38.8% in the global financial crisis (2007–09) (S&P 500: −56.5%).
- Five‑year volatility was 20.1% and beta 0.25.
- 15 analysts rated it in the past year; 38% of their latest calls were Buy.
- KMB beat earnings estimates in 9 of its last 12 reports; the stock moved 3.7% on average, up or down, around each report.
What do the best‑ranked analysts on KMB say now? See it in Exent Gems →
In this article
- Did KMB beat the S&P 500?
- What Wall Street analysts say about KMB
- KMB returns by year vs the S&P 500
- KMB risk-adjusted returns: Sharpe, Sortino and volatility
- How KMB behaved in past crashes
- What moves with KMB, and what doesn’t
- Latest KMB upgrades, downgrades and price‑target changes
- Do analysts get KMB right?
- How KMB moves after earnings
- Where KMB’s revenue comes from
- Members of Congress who traded KMB
- Are KMB insiders buying or selling?
- How much of KMB is sold short?
- How many institutions own KMB?
- Is KMB diluting shareholders?
- KMB financial health scores
- What KMB talks about on earnings calls
- Which ETFs hold KMB?
- How much is KMB’s CEO paid?
- The right benchmark for KMB
- Other consumer defensive stocks
- Data and methodology
Did KMB beat the S&P 500?
Over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) returned +1.3% including dividends, versus +75.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY). It lagged the index by 74.6 percentage points, or +0.3% a year against +12.0%.
| Period | KMB | S&P 500 | KMB per year | S&P 500 per year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | −5.2% | +12.0% | −5.2% | +12.0% | Lagged |
| 3 years | +2.1% | +87.4% | +0.7% | +23.3% | Lagged |
| 5 years | +1.3% | +75.9% | +0.3% | +12.0% | Lagged |
| 10 years | +34.8% | +316.3% | +3.0% | +15.3% | Lagged |
- 1 year
- KMB
- −5.2%
- S&P 500
- +12.0%
- KMB per year
- −5.2%
- S&P 500 per year
- +12.0%
- Result
- Lagged
- 3 years
- KMB
- +2.1%
- S&P 500
- +87.4%
- KMB per year
- +0.7%
- S&P 500 per year
- +23.3%
- Result
- Lagged
- 5 years
- KMB
- +1.3%
- S&P 500
- +75.9%
- KMB per year
- +0.3%
- S&P 500 per year
- +12.0%
- Result
- Lagged
- 10 years
- KMB
- +34.8%
- S&P 500
- +316.3%
- KMB per year
- +3.0%
- S&P 500 per year
- +15.3%
- Result
- Lagged
Total return with dividends reinvested, from month-end prices to Oct 30, 2026. Beating the index on raw return is only half the story: the next section adjusts for the risk taken. See also how to beat the S&P 500.
KMB is in the S&P 500 (members as of Oct 20, 2026); the list shows every member’s return against the index.
What Wall Street analysts say about KMB
In the 12 months to 30 days ago, 15 analysts published 200 ratings on KMB. Their latest calls were 38% Buy, 62% Hold and 0% Sell. 1 of them rank 4★ or higher in Exent’s analyst scoring, which is based on each analyst’s past price‑target hit rate and returns.
The consensus 12‑month price target was $114.46 (range $90.00–$142.00), +5.7% from the last price. Remember that the average analyst’s target is hit only about half the time: how accurate are price targets?
| Top‑ranked analyst covering | Firm | Stars | Price‑target hit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| ??? | ??? | 4.7★ | 39.3% |
Ratings are shown with a 30‑day delay. Who the top‑ranked analysts on KMB are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts are in Exent Gems.
The average analyst’s target is reached about 53.1% of the time; Exent Gems is built on the top 50 of Exent’s ranking,where some reached 90% or more over the last two years. Unlock the top 50 analysts.
KMB returns by year vs the S&P 500
KMB beat the S&P 500 in 2 of the 9 full calendar years shown.
| Year | KMB | S&P 500 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Oct 30, 2026) | +11.1% | +11.7% | −0.6% |
| 2025 | −19.9% | +17.7% | −37.6% |
| 2024 | +11.8% | +24.9% | −13.1% |
| 2023 | −7.1% | +26.2% | −33.3% |
| 2022 | −1.6% | −18.2% | +16.6% |
| 2021 | +9.7% | +28.7% | −19.0% |
| 2020 | +0.9% | +18.3% | −17.4% |
| 2019 | +24.6% | +31.2% | −6.6% |
| 2018 | −2.1% | −4.6% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | +9.1% | +21.7% | −12.6% |
KMB risk-adjusted returns: Sharpe, Sortino and volatility
Over 5 years, KMB had a Sharpe ratio of −0.05 against 0.58 for the S&P 500, so it earned less return per unit of risk than the index. Its annualized volatility was 22.2% and its beta 0.25: it tended to move about 0.3× as much as the market.
| Metric | KMB | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return | +0.3% | +12.0% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 22.2% | 15.5% |
| Sharpe ratio | −0.05 | 0.58 |
| Sortino ratio | −0.07 | 0.91 |
| Max drawdown (month-end) | −29.9% | −23.9% |
| Beta to the S&P 500 | 0.25 | 1.00 |
Sharpe divides return above cash by total volatility; Sortino counts only downside volatility. Both use monthly returns and the 1–3 month T‑bill ETF (BIL) as the risk‑free rate.
How KMB behaved in past crashes
KMB’s deepest fall in the crises below was −38.8% in the global financial crisis (2007–09), against −56.5% for the S&P 500. The last column turns that into money: what a $100,000 position would have lost from peak to trough.
| Crisis | KMB | S&P 500 | Loss on $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global financial crisis (2007–09) | −38.8% | −56.5% | −$38,770 |
| 2018 trade-war selloff | −12.4% | −20.2% | −$12,390 |
| COVID crash (Feb–Mar 2020) | −24.2% | −34.1% | −$24,220 |
| 2022 inflation bear market | −24.2% | −25.4% | −$24,210 |
| 2025 tariff selloff | −9.6% | −19.0% | −$9,580 |
| Window | KMB max drawdown |
|---|---|
| Last 1 year | −31.4% |
| Last 3 years | −34.1% |
| Last 5 years | −34.1% |
| Last 10 years | −38.6% |
Peak‑to‑trough declines from daily prices inside each crisis window. A crash replay does not predict the next crisis; it shows how much room a holding needs. Run the same replay on a whole portfolio with the crash test.
What moves with KMB, and what doesn’t
Correlation runs from −1 (moves opposite) to +1 (moves in lockstep). Over the last 60 months of monthly returns, KMB’s correlation with the S&P 500 was 0.18, with the Nasdaq‑100 0.01, with long Treasuries (TLT) 0.28 and with gold (GLD) 0.07.
Adding a 5% KMB position to an S&P 500 portfolio would have moved its 5‑year volatility from 15.5% to 14.9%.
| Least correlated large caps | Correlation | Most correlated large caps | Correlation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NET | −0.24 | PG | 0.79 |
| PLTR | −0.22 | KO | 0.64 |
| AMZN | −0.21 | MDLZ | 0.56 |
| HOOD | −0.19 | MCD | 0.56 |
| GOOGL | −0.17 | PEP | 0.53 |
Holdings that are highly correlated behave like one position in a selloff. See how to find hidden overlap.
Latest KMB upgrades, downgrades and price‑target changes
| Date | Rating and target | Analyst |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 23 | New coverage Hold | Susan Anderson |
| Sep 25 | Target cut Buy | Anna Lizzul |
| Sep 14 | Target cut Hold | Lauren Lieberman |
| Sep 11 | Target cut Buy | Michael Lavery |
| Sep 10 | Target cut Hold | Christopher Carey |
Named analysts’ rating and price‑target changes on KMB in the 5 weeks to Oct 4, 2026, shown 30 days after publication (the free analysts’ calls 3 days after). The top‑ranked analysts’ calls are in Exent Gems. See all of the latest analyst upgrades and downgrades.
Do analysts get KMB right?
Of the 407 analyst price targets on KMB set from 2019 until a year ago, 62.2% were reached within 12 months (data to Oct 20, 2026), 6.4 points below the 68.6% hit rate of the median stock in Exent’s study of 794 stocks. Targets that were reached took a median of 45 days. The median target sat 3.7% above the share price on the day it was set.
Where analysts said KMB would be by now: a year ago, 11 analysts had a price target on KMB, and the median of their latest targets was $129.00. On Oct 20, 2026 KMB closed at $108.30, 16.0% below it.
62.2%of targets reached within 12 monthsMedian stock: 68.6%
45 daysmedian time to reach a target
−16.0%price now vs the median target set a year ago
| After | Calls | Move on the call | 3 months vs S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrades of KMB | 17 | +0.9% | −2.7% |
| Upgrades, all stocks | 11,514 | +2.5% | +3.4% |
| Downgrades of KMB | 12 | −0.7% | −1.8% |
| Downgrades, all stocks | 10,700 | −3.0% | −1.6% |
The move on the call runs from the close before the rating change to the close after it; the last column is the stock’s return minus the S&P 500’s over the next three months. Averages of rating changes on KMB through Sep 15, 2026; analysts are not named here. Do analyst upgrades move stocks?
How KMB moves after earnings
KMB beat the consensus earnings‑per‑share estimate in 9 of its last 12 quarterly reports, through the one on Aug 4, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 4 of 12. From the close before each report to the close after it, the stock moved 3.7% on average, up or down, against 6.8% for the average report across the 1,002 US stocks Exent tracks. It rose after 4 of the 12 reports. In 6 of the 9 beats the stock still fell. The next report is expected on Nov 5, 2026.
9/12earnings beats
±3.7%average move per report
Nov 5, 2026next report (expected)
| Report | EPS vs estimate | Revenue vs estimate | Stock move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 2026 | $1.80 vs $2.01 | −0.8% | +4.5% |
| Apr 28, 2026 | $1.97 vs $1.93 | +1.9% | −2.2% |
| Jan 27, 2026 | $1.86 vs $1.81 | −0.3% | −1.6% |
| Oct 30, 2025 | $1.82 vs $1.75 | +0.9% | +2.6% |
| Aug 1, 2025 | $1.92 vs $1.67 | −14.1% | +6.8% |
| Apr 22, 2025 | $1.93 vs $1.89 | −1.1% | −4.8% |
| Jan 28, 2025 | $1.50 vs $1.51 | +1.5% | −1.3% |
| Oct 22, 2024 | $1.83 vs $1.70 | −2.1% | −5.1% |
Reported earnings per share against the consensus estimate, revenue surprise in percent, and the stock’s price change over the two sessions around the report. How stocks move after earnings
Where KMB’s revenue comes from
In fiscal 2025 (the year to Dec 31, 2025), KMB’s largest reported region was the United States, with 100.0% of its $10.1 billion revenue.
By business, the largest segment was Diapers, with 41.5% of $16.3 billion revenue.
| Segment | Revenue | Share | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diapers | $6.8 billion | 41.5% | — |
| Consumer tissue products | $4.1 billion | 24.8% | — |
| Adult care products | $1.9 billion | 11.9% | — |
| Away from Home Professional Products | $1.8 billion | 11.3% | — |
| Feminine care products | $1.7 billion | 10.5% | — |
From KMB’s annual filings; segment growth compares fiscal 2025 with the year before. Regions are as each company reports them, so one company’s “Asia Pacific” is not another’s. China counts the regions a company reports as China, Greater China or Hong Kong; a separately reported Taiwan is not counted. Which S&P 500 companies depend most on China?
Members of Congress who traded KMB
As of Oct 20, 2026, 25 members of Congress had disclosed 78 trades in KMB (37 buys and 41 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate. The latest public trade is dated Aug 18, 2026.
| Trade date | Member | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2026 | Kevin Hern | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Jun 2, 2026 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| May 1, 2026 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Mar 30, 2026 | Alan Armstrong | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Jan 29, 2026 | Ro Khanna | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Jan 13, 2026 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Nov 12, 2025 | Gilbert Cisneros | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Sep 29, 2025 | Ro Khanna | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Sep 5, 2025 | Ro Khanna | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Jul 16, 2025 | Lisa McClain | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
Amounts are the ranges members report, not exact values. The STOCK Act gives members up to 45 days to disclose a trade, so trades appear weeks after they are made. See every member’s disclosed trades
One trade in KMB disclosed in the last 30 days is in Exent Radar.
Are KMB insiders buying or selling?
In the 12 months to Oct 20, 2026, KMB insiders made 1 open‑market purchase worth $1.0 million by 1 insider and 4 sales worth $1.0 million, according to SEC Form 4 filings.
After the 10 insider purchases of $10,000 or more since 2012, KMB lagged the S&P 500 by an average of 15.1 percentage points over the next 12 months; 22% of them were followed by a beat. Across all 17,865 insider purchases in Exent’s study, the average was +17.2% and the median +1.0% against the index.
| Date | Insider | Role | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 9, 2026 | Maclin Todd | Director | $1.0 million |
| Apr 9, 2025 | Maclin Todd | Director | $38,775 |
| Jan 29, 2024 | Smucker Mark T | Director | $24,194 |
| Jan 27, 2022 | Maclin Todd | Director | $272,020 |
| Nov 2, 2021 | Mahlan Deirdre | Director | $3,242 |
The table lists the latest open‑market purchases on record, leaving out the last 30 days. The chart counts Form 4 purchases and sales by calendar quarter. Purchases are open‑market buys; sales include planned sales under 10b5‑1 trading plans. Do insider buys beat the market?
How much of KMB is sold short?
As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 16.05% of KMB’s float was sold short: 53.2 million shares, or 14.2 days of average trading volume to cover. A year earlier (Oct 15, 2025) it was 2.51%. The median across the 997 US stocks Exent tracks was 4.77%, so KMB is more heavily shorted than most.
From FINRA short‑interest reports, filed twice a month; the bars show the short share of the float at each month‑end. Days to cover divides the shares short by the average daily volume. The most shorted stocks
How many institutions own KMB?
At the end of Q2 2026 (Jun 30, 2026), 1,765 institutions reported holding KMB in 13F filings, up 61 from the quarter before and down from 1,824 a year earlier. Their reported holdings add up to 100.2% of KMB’s shares. In the quarter 835 institutions added to their positions and 634 cut them.
1,76513F holders
204new positions
136positions closed
100.2%of shares held by 13F filers
Investment managers with over $100 million in US equities file 13F reports within 45 days of each quarter end, so this is the latest complete quarter. Holdings can add up to more than 100% when shares are lent and counted twice. Which stocks institutions are buying and selling
Is KMB diluting shareholders?
KMB’s diluted share count fell 2.7% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2025 and fell 1.2% in fiscal 2025 alone. Each share now owns a larger slice of the company. The median change across the 1,005 US stocks Exent tracks was −0.1%.
Stock‑based compensation was $140.0 million in fiscal 2025, 0.8% of revenue. KMB spent $141.0 million buying back shares, a buyback yield of 0.39% of its market value; stock pay equaled 99.3% of the buybacks.
−1.2%share count, 1 year
−2.7%share count, 5 years
0.8%stock pay as % of revenue
0.39%buyback yield
Weighted‑average diluted shares from KMB’s annual income statements; stock‑based compensation and buybacks from its cash‑flow statement. Stock dilution and stock‑based compensation, explained
KMB financial health scores
In Exent’s Oct 20, 2026 snapshot, KMB’s Altman Z‑score was 3.29, in the safe zone (where 465 of the 794 non‑financial US stocks Exent tracks sit). Its Piotroski F‑score was 6 out of 9; 62% of scored stocks reach 6 or more.
3.29Altman Z‑score: safe zone
6/9Piotroski F‑score
The Altman Z‑score combines five balance‑sheet and earnings ratios into one bankruptcy‑risk score: below 1.81 is the distress zone, 1.81–2.99 grey, above 2.99 safe. It is not meaningful for banks, insurers and REITs. The Piotroski F‑score counts nine yes/no tests of profitability, leverage and efficiency; 8–9 is strong, 0–2 weak. Both come from the latest annual statements. Which stocks have the highest bankruptcy risk?
What KMB talks about on earnings calls
On its latest earnings call (Aug 6, 2026), KMB’s executives and analysts did not mention AI, against 1 on the call before (Apr 28, 2026); the average across 455 S&P 500 calls that quarter was 12.9. After AI, the most mentioned topic was china (15).
| Mentions | Aug ’26 | Apr ’26 | Jan ’26 | Oct ’25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| AI agents | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Data centers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tariffs | 6 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| China | 15 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Recession | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- AI
- Aug ’26
- 0
- Apr ’26
- 1
- Jan ’26
- 0
- Oct ’25
- 0
- AI agents
- Aug ’26
- 0
- Apr ’26
- 0
- Jan ’26
- 0
- Oct ’25
- 0
- Data centers
- Aug ’26
- 0
- Apr ’26
- 0
- Jan ’26
- 0
- Oct ’25
- 0
- Tariffs
- Aug ’26
- 6
- Apr ’26
- 3
- Jan ’26
- 1
- Oct ’25
- 11
- China
- Aug ’26
- 15
- Apr ’26
- 3
- Jan ’26
- 5
- Oct ’25
- 6
- Recession
- Aug ’26
- 0
- Apr ’26
- 0
- Jan ’26
- 0
- Oct ’25
- 0
Word counts in the full transcript of each call, prepared remarks and Q&A, newest first. “AI” also counts generative AI and large language models; “AI agents” counts agentic AI. Which companies talk most about AI?
Which ETFs hold KMB?
As of Oct 20, 2026, 61 of the 304 ETFs Exent tracks held KMB. Its largest weight is in XLP (State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF), at 2.09% of the fund.
| ETF | Fund | Weight of KMB |
|---|---|---|
| XLP | State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.09% |
| DVY | iShares Select Dividend ETF | 1.62% |
| SDY | State Street SPDR S&P Dividend ETF | 1.50% |
| FSTA | Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF | 1.20% |
| FDL | First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 1.12% |
| SCHD | Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | 0.86% |
| HDV | iShares Core High Dividend ETF | 0.86% |
| WTV | WisdomTree U.S. Value Fund | 0.70% |
Owning several of these funds stacks the same position. How much do VOO, QQQ and VTI overlap?
How much is KMB’s CEO paid?
Michael D. Hsu, KMB’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, received total pay of $15.3 million for fiscal 2025, down 6.7% from $16.4 million for fiscal 2024, according to the company’s proxy statement filed with the SEC on Mar 23, 2026. 75% of it came as stock and option awards, valued when they were granted rather than when they pay out. The median CEO pay across the 378 S&P 500 companies Exent tracks was $17.2 million, so KMB’s CEO earned less than most.
| Pay component | Amount | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | $1.5 million | 9.8% |
| Stock and option awards | $11.5 million | 75.1% |
| Incentive plan (cash) | $1.6 million | 10.4% |
| Other | $723,992 | 4.7% |
| Other top executives | Role | Total pay, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Russell Torres | President and Chief Operating Officer | $6.3 million |
| Nelson Urdaneta | Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | $5.2 million |
| Zackery Hicks | Chief Digital and Technology Officer | $4.9 million |
| Jeffrey Melucci | Chief Strategy, Business Development and Administrative Officer | $4.9 million |
Figures from the summary compensation table of the proxy statement; awards count at their grant‑date value, so one large multi‑year grant can make a single year stand out. CEO pay across the S&P 500
The right benchmark for KMB
Exent matches every holding to the index with the most similar risk. For KMB that is SPY (the S&P 500). Comparing a holding with an index that carries very different risk makes good results look bad and risky ones look clever. Read why the S&P 500 is the wrong benchmark for most portfolios.
Other consumer defensive stocks
| Ticker | Name | 5‑year return | Volatility (5y) |
|---|---|---|---|
| WMT | Walmart Inc. | +164.0% | 21.7% |
| COST | Costco Wholesale Corporation | +117.3% | 23.1% |
| KO | The Coca-Cola Company | +93.2% | 16.0% |
| PG | The Procter & Gamble Company | +28.5% | 17.7% |
| PM | Philip Morris International Inc. | +177.9% | 22.6% |
| PEP | PepsiCo, Inc. | −0.1% | 18.3% |
| MO | Altria Group, Inc. | +159.8% | 20.7% |
| MNST | Monster Beverage Corporation | +122.8% | 24.5% |
Data and methodology
Returns are total returns from month‑end adjusted closing prices (dividends reinvested) through Oct 30, 2026. Crisis drawdowns and trailing maximum drawdowns use daily prices. Analyst coverage counts ratings published in the last 12 months, shown with a 30‑day delay. Full method: Exent methodology.
Company data as of Oct 20, 2026. The move around an earnings report runs from the close before it to the close after it; a price target counts as hit when the stock closed at or beyond it within 12 months (Exent analyst data). Revenue by region and segment, share counts and executive pay come from company filings; insider trades from SEC Form 4, short interest from FINRA, institutional ownership from 13F filings, Congress trades from STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate, federal contracts from USAspending.gov. Filings from the last 30 days are shown as counts only.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Historical figures are calculated by Exent from market data and are for education only; they are not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
Check KMB with Exent Gems
Wall Street’s average KMB price target is 5.7% above the latest share price. See what the best‑ranked analysts on KMB say now in Exent Gems.
- Exent ranks Wall Street analysts by their past price‑target hit rate and returns, and keeps the best‑ranked few.
- Gems shows who the top‑ranked analysts covering KMB are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts.
- Gems flags the stocks where several top‑ranked analysts agree: a starting point for your own research, not a promise.
Frequently asked questions
No. KMB returned +34.8% (+3.0% a year) over the 10 years to Oct 30, 2026, versus +316.3% (+15.3% a year) for the S&P 500, including dividends.
Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, KMB (Kimberly-Clark Corporation) is one of the 503 stocks in the S&P 500.
No. As of Oct 20, 2026, KMB (Kimberly-Clark Corporation) is not one of the 101 stocks in the Nasdaq-100.
KMB fell −38.8% from peak to trough during the global financial crisis (2007–09), versus −56.5% for the S&P 500.
KMB fell −24.2% from peak to trough during the covid crash (feb–mar 2020), versus −34.1% for the S&P 500.
KMB fell −24.2% from peak to trough during the 2022 inflation bear market, versus −25.4% for the S&P 500.
Over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026, KMB’s Sharpe ratio was −0.05 and its Sortino ratio −0.07, versus 0.58 and 0.91 for the S&P 500.
KMB’s 5‑year annualized volatility was 20.1%, higher than the S&P 500’s 17.0%, with a beta of 0.25.
Among large US stocks, the lowest correlations with KMB over the last 60 months were NET (−0.24), PLTR (−0.22), AMZN (−0.21). Its correlation with long Treasuries (TLT) was 0.28 and with gold (GLD) 0.07.
KMB beat the consensus earnings-per-share estimate in 9 of its last 12 quarterly reports through Aug 4, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 4 of 12. The stock moved 3.7% on average, up or down, from the close before each report to the close after it. Its next report is expected on Nov 5, 2026.
Michael D. Hsu, KMB’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, received $15.3 million in total pay for fiscal 2025, including a $1.5 million salary and $11.5 million in stock and option awards valued at grant, according to the proxy statement filed with the SEC on Mar 23, 2026. The median S&P 500 CEO received $17.2 million.
Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, 25 members of Congress had disclosed 78 trades in KMB (37 buys and 41 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate.
As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 16.05% of KMB’s float was sold short (53.2 million shares, 14.2 days to cover), according to FINRA short-interest reports. A year earlier it was 2.51%.
No. KMB’s diluted share count fell 2.7% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2025 and fell 1.2% in the latest year. Stock-based compensation was 0.8% of revenue, and buybacks totaled $141.0 million.
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