You’ve seen the logos every time you walk down the cleaning aisle. Huggies, Kleenex, Cottonelle—they’re basically the bedrock of the American household. But if you’re looking at the Kimberly Clark ticker symbol, which is KMB, things look a bit different on a stock chart than they do in your pantry.
Honestly, it’s been a rough ride lately. As of mid-January 2026, the stock is hovering around $99. That’s a far cry from the 52-week high of $150.45. It’s the kind of drop that makes you double-check your screen.
The Basics of the Kimberly Clark Ticker Symbol
So, if you want to find the company on an exchange, you’re looking for KMB. While it used to be a staple on the New York Stock Exchange, it’s currently listed on the NASDAQ.
Why does the symbol matter beyond just "typing it into Robinhood"? Because KMB is currently behaving like a "value trap" to some and a "generational bargain" to others. It’s a classic tug-of-war. On one hand, you have a company that has paid dividends for decades. On the other, you have a stock that’s down about 23% over the last year.
The market cap sits at roughly $32.9 billion. That’s big, but it’s lean compared to its rival Procter & Gamble (PG).
What’s Dragging the Price Down?
It isn't just one thing. It's a "perfect storm" sort of situation. In late 2025, the company missed revenue expectations. Specifically, Q1 sales dropped by about 6%.
They’ve been exiting certain businesses, like private-label diapers. They also exited a joint venture with Suzano. While these moves are meant to make the company "pure-play" personal care, the market usually hates the word "exit" because it means lower immediate revenue.
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Then there’s the inflation factor. Input costs—the literal stuff they use to make paper and diapers—have been volatile.
The Dividend: The Real Reason People Buy KMB
Most people aren't buying the Kimberly Clark ticker symbol for "to-the-moon" growth. They buy it for the check in the mail.
Right now, the dividend yield is looking pretty juicy at around 5.1%. For a consumer staple, that’s high. Usually, you see these guys in the 2% to 3% range.
- Annual Dividend: $5.04 per share.
- Quarterly Payment: $1.26.
- Next Ex-Dividend Date: Expected around March 6, 2026.
They’ve increased this dividend for over 50 years. That makes them a "Dividend King." Even when the stock price is bleeding, that history carries a lot of weight with retired folks and income-focused funds.
The Kenvue Factor
One of the biggest pieces of news hitting the wires is the plan to acquire Kenvue’s consumer health portfolio. Kenvue was the spin-off from Johnson & Johnson.
This move is huge. It’s expected to close in the second half of 2026.
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The goal? Transform KMB into a $32 billion health and wellness powerhouse. But acquisitions are risky. Investors are currently worried about "stranded costs"—basically $150 million in overhead that doesn't just disappear when you restructure.
Analyst Sentiment: Is It a Buy or a Bye?
Wall Street is currently "kinda" split.
Citigroup recently lowered their price target to $90 with a "Sell" rating. They’re worried about the downside. Meanwhile, Argus Research upgraded it to a "Buy" with a $120 target back in November 2025.
The average price target is sitting around $120. If you believe the analysts, there’s a 20% upside from these $99 levels. But you have to have the stomach for the current volatility.
Comparisons You Should Care About
If you’re looking at KMB, you’re probably also looking at these:
- Procter & Gamble (PG): The gold standard. Generally more expensive and lower yield.
- Colgate-Palmolive (CL): Often outperforms KMB on pure growth metrics.
- Clorox (CLX): Has had its own share of supply chain nightmares lately.
KMB currently wins on "Pricing Rank" and "Net Promoter Score." People love the brands. They just don't love the current earnings reports.
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What You Should Do Next
If you’re looking at the Kimberly Clark ticker symbol as a potential investment, don't just jump in because the yield is 5%.
First, check the upcoming earnings report scheduled for January 27, 2026. This is going to be the "make or break" moment for the stock's short-term direction. Management will likely give updates on the Kenvue integration and their "Powering Care" strategy.
Second, evaluate your own timeline. If you need the money in six months, this volatility is scary. If you’re looking for a place to park cash for ten years and collect a 5% yield while you wait for the turnaround, the $99 entry point looks a lot more attractive than the $150 peak.
Monitor the "stranded costs" updates. If management can prove they’re cutting the $150 million in waste they talked about at the Barclays conference, the stock could see a massive relief rally. Otherwise, we might be looking at the $90 support level Citigroup warned about.
Keep an eye on the KMB ticker during the last week of January. That's when the real story for 2026 begins.