Kimberly-Clark (KMB) vs. Unilever (UL)

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 a standard ordinary-equity line, while Unilever (UL) is an ADR tied to a foreign-share or depositary-receipt structure — compare with FX exposure, program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Historical Performance

Historical Performance at a Glance

Profitability

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) leads with Return on Equity (TTM) of 143.64%, above its industry benchmark range, while Unilever (UL) at 56.82% also ranks strongly in the top quartile.

Both Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 12.80% and Unilever (UL) at 14.68% rank in the top quartile for Net Profit Margin (TTM) among industry peers, indicating both companies convert revenue into net income more strongly than typical competitors.

Unilever (UL) at 18.98% ranks in the top quartile for Operating Profit Margin (TTM), ahead of Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 14.93%, which sits closer to the industry mid-range.

Profitability at a Glance

Financial Strength

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

Unilever (UL) at 1.82 is around its industry mid-range for Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ), while Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 3.96 sits above its industry benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

Unilever (UL) at 22.84 ranks in the top quartile for Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM), ahead of Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 9.84, which sits around the industry mid-range.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Growth

Revenue Growth

Revenue Growth at a Glance

EPS Growth

EPS Growth at a Glance

Dividend

Both Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 5.23% and Unilever (UL) at 4.16% report Dividend Yield (TTM) in the top quartile of industry peers, indicating higher cash yield relative to share price than typical competitors.

Unilever (UL) at 47.03% maintains Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) around its industry median — a balanced dividend policy. Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 78.95% sits outside the typical mid-range, leaning toward more retention or more distribution than the industry median.

Dividend at a Glance

Valuation

Unilever (UL) at 11.30 trades in the lower-multiple quartile for Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM), while Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 15.11 sits around the industry midpoint — UL has a lower trailing earnings multiple relative to peers, though the gap should be read alongside growth and earnings quality.

Both Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 1.93 and Unilever (UL) at 1.79 post Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) near the typical industry midpoint — neither company stands out strongly from peers on trailing revenue multiple.

Unilever (UL) at 7.87 sits in the higher-multiple quartile for Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ), but Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 17.83 is higher still, above its industry benchmark range — both carry elevated book-value multiples relative to peers, with KMB higher.

Valuation at a Glance