KMB News & Events

Stock futures are under pressure this morning as investors digest rising geopolitical tension and a surge in oil prices. Crude has pushed above $100 per barrel following stalled Iran-related negotiations and continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, reintroducing inflation concerns just as markets had been leaning toward a more stable rate outlook.Despite the weaker open, the broader market backdrop remains surprisingly resilient. Major indexes are coming off record highs, driven largely by continued strength in AI-linked mega-cap technology names. Tech and semiconductor stocks are still anchoring gains, while consumer-facing sectors show signs of fatigue under the weight of higher energy costs and softer demand.The Federal Reserve begins its policy meeting today, with expectations for rates to remain unchanged but with heightened sensitivity to forward guidance given the renewed inflation risk from energy. At the same time, one of the busiest stretches of earnings season is underway.Globally, the tone is cautious. Asian markets declined and European equities are mixed, reflecting the same push and pull between strong earnings momentum and rising macro risks.In pre-market trading, S&P 500 futures fell 0.71%, Nasdaq futures fell 1.3% and Dow futures rose 0.07%.Check out this morning's top movers from around Wall Street, compiled by The Fly.HIGHER -Dynatraceup 5% after Starboard Value released a letter discussing its "substantial investment"UP AFTER EARNINGS -Coca-Colaup 3%Centeneup 2%BPup 2%Kimberly Clarkup 1%DOWN AFTER EARNINGS -Corningdown 11%Spotifydown 7%UPSdown 4%General Motorsdown 1%Zimmer Biometdown 1%LOWER -CoreWeaveand Oracledown 7% and 6%, respectively, after The Wall Street JournalOpenAI missed internal targets for weekly users and revenue, raising concerns about funding massive new data center spending

The company said, "Consistent with the Company's long term growth algorithm, it continues to expect 2026 Organic Sales Growth to grow in line to ahead of the weighted average growth in the categories and countries it competes, which for the latest twelve months grew at approximately two-and-a-half percent. Reported Net Sales are forecast to reflect a negative impact of 50 basis points from the exit of the company's private label diaper business in the US and an approximately 50 basis points favorable impact from currency translation. Adjusted Operating Profit is expected to grow at a mid-to-high single-digit rate on a constant-currency basis. Adjusted Earnings Per Share from Continuing Operations are expected to grow at a double-digit rate on a constant-currency basis driven by an approximately 40 percent increase in income from equity companies versus 2025, expectations of flat net interest expense, an Adjusted Effective Tax Rate of approximately 23 percent, and average shares outstanding essentially unchanged versus 2025. Adjusted Earnings Per Share Attributable to Kimberly-Clark are expected to be flat on a constant-currency basis reflecting a reduction in Income from Discontinued Operations in line with the expected close of the IFP transaction in mid-2026, the proceeds from which will be held to fund, in part, the Kenvue acquisition. Earnings Per Share are expected to be favorably impacted by currency translation of approximately 170 basis points."

Reports Q1 revenue $4.16B, consensus $4.09B. "Our first quarter results highlight the strength and resilience of the growth engine we've built through Powering Care," said Kimberly-Clark Chairman and CEO Mike Hsu. "We continued to deliver solid volume-plus-mix performance while building share momentum despite continued geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty. We accomplished this by driving consumer-inspired innovation, growing brand love, and executing exceptionally well as a team. Simultaneously, we continue to generate meaningful cost savings that reinforce our strong financial foundation and enable us to invest in our exciting future."