KMB to Report Q3 Earnings: Should You Expect a Beat This Time?

Kimberly-Clark Corporation KMB is likely to register a decrease in both top and bottom lines when it reports third-quarter 2025 earnings on Oct. 30. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Kimberly-Clark’s quarterly revenues is pegged at $4.08 billion, which indicates a decline of 17.6% from the year-ago quarter.

The consensus mark for earnings has dropped from $1.59 to $1.45 in the past 30 days. The consensus estimate suggests a decrease of 20.8% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure. KMB delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 6.2%, on average.

Factors to Consider Ahead of KMB’s Upcoming Results

Kimberly-Clark enters its third-quarter 2025 earnings release facing a challenging operating backdrop. The company has been battling a dynamic consumer and retail environment, which is putting pressure on its performance. Demand has softened in several key international markets. In addition, emerging markets are facing heightened economic pressures, including currency headwinds and inflation, which have led to a reduced purchasing frequency. These pressures, combined with a generally cautious retail environment, are likely to have weighed on Kimberly-Clark’s top-line performance during the quarter.

Kimberly-Clark’s extensive global presence makes it highly susceptible to foreign currency volatility. For full-year 2025, the company expects net sales to be adversely impacted by nearly 100 basis points (bps) due to unfavorable currency rates. It also expects a 290-basis-point headwind from the divestiture of the PPE business and the exit from the U.S. private-label diaper business. Operating profit growth is also projected to be negatively impacted by approximately 100 bps from currency translation. Earnings per share (EPS) are expected to reflect an adverse impact of 150 bps from currency translation. These factors also raise concerns for the third quarter.

Margin performance may have also come under strain due to continued cost headwinds and higher brand investments. Management has maintained elevated levels of marketing and innovation spending to support new product launches and strengthen brand positioning, with advertising and promotional costs expected to rise to nearly 7% of sales in the second half, up from roughly 6.4% in the first half. While these initiatives are critical for sustaining long-term competitiveness, they may have constrained near-term profitability in the quarter under review.

On a positive note, Kimberly-Clark continues to benefit from its Powering Care strategy, which focuses on driving innovation, optimizing cost structures and enhancing operational efficiency. The company achieved 5.8% productivity savings in the second quarter and remains on track toward its multiyear $3 billion savings target. These ongoing efficiency gains, along with disciplined cost management and portfolio reshaping, are likely to have helped offset part of the external pressures, providing some cushion to quarterly results.

Earnings Whispers for KMB Stock

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Kimberly-Clark this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here. 

Kimberly-Clark has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) and an Earnings ESP of -4.99%. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Stocks With the Favorable Combination

Here are some companies worth considering, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.

Vital Farms VITL currently has an Earnings ESP of +8.84% and a Zacks Rank of 1. The company is expected to register growth in both top and bottom lines when it reports third-quarter 2025 results. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $191.1 million, which indicates an increase of 31.8% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Vital Farms’ quarterly earnings per share of 29 cents implies a surge of 81.3% from 16 cents reported in the year-ago quarter. VITL delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 35.8%, on average.

The Hershey Company HSY currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.19% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The company is likely to register a jump in the top line when it reports third-quarter 2025 numbers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hershey’s quarterly revenues is pegged at $3.12 billion, which indicates a rise of 4.3% from the prior-year quarter. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly earnings per share is pegged at $1.08, implying a 53.9% decrease from the year-ago period. HSY delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.5%, on average.

Monster Beverage MNST currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.82% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The company is expected to register growth in both top and bottom lines when it reports third-quarter 2025 results. The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $2.10 billion, which calls for a jump of 11.9% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Monster Beverage’s quarterly earnings per share of 48 cents implies an increase of 20% from 40 cents reported in the year-ago quarter. MNST delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 0.2%, on average.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research