KMB vs. UL: Kimberly-Clark vs. Unilever Stock Comparison

July 2, 2026

How do Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL) both fall under the Household & Personal Products industry group, but KMB is classified in Household Products while UL is classified in Personal Care Products.

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) trades as ordinary local shares, while Unilever (UL) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL)
Profile Item	KMB	UL
Name	Kimberly-Clark Corporation	Unilever PLC Sponsored American Depositary Receipt
Country/Region	United States	United Kingdom
GICS Sector	Consumer Staples	Consumer Staples
GICS Industry Group	Household & Personal Products	Household & Personal Products
GICS Industry	Household Products	Personal Care Products
GICS Sub-Industry	Household Products	Personal Care Products
Market Capitalization	36.44 billion USD	129.46 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	March 17, 1980	March 25, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

KMB

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…

Trailing total returns for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL)
Metric	KMB	UL
Total Return (1Y)	-10.69%	-9.68%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

KMB

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL)
Metric	KMB	UL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	26.27%	21.73%
Beta (5Y)	0.26	0.41
Avg. Volume (3M)	4.84M	4.57M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

KMB and UL are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 111.73% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Unilever (UL) at 30.96%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

111.73%

KMB: 111.73%
Max: 31.30%
Q3: 30.96%
Median: 15.00%
Q1: 1.55%
Min: -13.94%

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

30.96%

Max: 31.30%
UL: 30.96%
Q3: 30.96%
Median: 15.00%
Q1: 1.55%
Min: -13.94%

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their ROE against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 12.80% and Unilever (UL) at 18.75% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

12.80%

Max: 19.16%
KMB: 12.80%
Q3: 11.34%
Median: 6.79%
Q1: 2.51%
Min: -9.20%

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

18.75%

Max: 19.16%
UL: 18.75%
Q3: 11.34%
Median: 6.79%
Q1: 2.51%
Min: -9.20%

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their net margin against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Unilever (UL) at 20.05% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 19.65%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

19.65%

Max: 23.17%
Q3: 19.85%
KMB: 19.65%
Median: 12.60%
Q1: 7.57%
Min: -5.14%

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

20.05%

Max: 23.17%
UL: 20.05%
Q3: 19.85%
Median: 12.60%
Q1: 7.57%
Min: -5.14%

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL)
Metric	KMB	UL
ROE (TTM)	111.73%	30.96%
ROA (TTM)	10.16%	8.43%
Net Margin (TTM)	12.80%	18.75%
Operating Margin (TTM)	19.65%	20.05%
Gross Margin (TTM)	37.15%	46.95%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth Metrics

Revenue growth metrics for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL)
Metric	KMB	UL
Revenue Growth (YoY)	-2.13%	-3.77%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-6.58%	-5.62%

EPS Growth

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth Metrics

EPS growth metrics for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL)
Metric	KMB	UL
EPS Growth (YoY)	-19.60%	67.69%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	1.94%	8.70%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 0.77 and Unilever (UL) at 0.79 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

0.77

Max: 6.27
Q3: 3.17
Median: 2.05
Q1: 1.00
KMB: 0.77
Min: 0.73

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

0.79

Max: 6.27
Q3: 3.17
Median: 2.05
Q1: 1.00
UL: 0.79
Min: 0.73

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Unilever (UL) at 1.61 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 3.71 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

3.71

KMB: 3.71
Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.61
Median: 0.81
Q1: 0.40
Min: 0.02

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

1.61

Max: 2.33
UL: 1.61
Q3: 1.61
Median: 0.81
Q1: 0.40
Min: 0.02

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL)
Metric	KMB	UL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.77	0.79
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	3.71	1.61
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.96	2.14

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 4.60% and Unilever (UL) at 3.23% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

4.60%

Max: 5.54%
KMB: 4.60%
Q3: 2.88%
Median: 1.22%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

3.23%

Max: 5.54%
UL: 3.23%
Q3: 2.88%
Median: 1.22%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 97.87% and Unilever (UL) at 78.60% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

97.87%

Max: 98.51%
KMB: 97.87%
Q3: 71.90%
Median: 37.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

78.60%

Max: 98.51%
UL: 78.60%
Q3: 71.90%
Median: 37.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL)
Metric	KMB	UL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	4.60%	3.23%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	97.87%	78.60%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 21.23 and Unilever (UL) at 20.38 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

21.23

Max: 35.53
Q3: 25.75
KMB: 21.23
Median: 20.10
Q1: 16.28
Min: 5.77

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

20.38

Max: 35.53
Q3: 25.75
UL: 20.38
Median: 20.10
Q1: 16.28
Min: 5.77

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 2.20 and Unilever (UL) at 2.56 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.20

Max: 5.15
Q3: 3.13
KMB: 2.20
Median: 1.71
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.27

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.56

Max: 5.15
Q3: 3.13
UL: 2.56
Median: 1.71
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.27

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Unilever (UL) at 7.39 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 20.29 prices even higher, above its industry range.

KMB

Household & Personal Products industry group

20.29

KMB: 20.29
Max: 12.20
Q3: 6.75
Median: 2.50
Q1: 1.26
Min: -3.08

UL

Household & Personal Products industry group

7.39

Max: 12.20
UL: 7.39
Q3: 6.75
Median: 2.50
Q1: 1.26
Min: -3.08

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Unilever (UL)
Metric	KMB	UL
P/E Ratio (TTM)	21.23	20.38
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.20	2.56
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	20.29	7.39
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.89%	4.85%