Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) vs The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | PG | 0.3% revenue growth vs KMB's -14.2% |
| Value | KMB | Lower P/E (14.7x vs 24.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | PG | 19.3% net margin vs KMB's 11.7% |
| Stability / Safety | KMB | Beta 0.04 vs PG's 0.12 |
| Dividends | KMB | 4.5% yield, 27-year raise streak, vs PG's 2.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | PG | -1.4% vs KMB's -18.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PG | 12.9% ROA vs KMB's 11.7%, ROIC 20.1% vs 23.2% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Kimberly-Clark is a global manufacturer of personal care and consumer tissue products sold under well-known brands like Huggies, Kleenex, and Scott. It generates revenue primarily through three segments: Personal Care (~50% of sales), Consumer Tissue (~35%), and K-C Professional (~15%), selling to retailers, distributors, and commercial customers. The company's competitive advantage lies in its powerful portfolio of essential household brands with strong consumer loyalty and extensive global distribution networks.
Procter & Gamble is a global consumer goods giant that sells everyday household products across beauty, grooming, health, fabric care, and baby care categories. It generates revenue primarily through product sales across its five main segments — Fabric & Home Care (~35% of sales), Baby & Family Care (~25%), Health Care (~15%), Beauty (~15%), and Grooming (~10%). Its competitive moat lies in its massive portfolio of iconic, trusted brands — like Tide, Pampers, and Gillette — that enjoy deep consumer loyalty and dominate retail shelf space worldwide.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
PG leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). KMB leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
PG is the larger business by revenue, generating $85.3B annually — 5.0x KMB's $17.2B. PG is the more profitable business, keeping 19.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to KMB's 11.7%. On growth, PG holds the edge at +1.5% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $17.2B | $85.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $3.3B | $22.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $2.0B | $16.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $2.4B | $14.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +35.6% | +50.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +14.5% | +23.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.7% | +19.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +13.8% | +17.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -17.2% | +1.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +11.9% | -5.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.4x trailing earnings, KMB trades at a 29% valuation discount to PG's 25.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, KMB's 14.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PG's 17.8x.
| Metric | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $37.0B | $388.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $43.5B | $414.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.36x | 25.68x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 14.71x | 24.01x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 4.59x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 14.00x | 17.79x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.15x | 4.61x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 21.12x | 7.85x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 22.57x | 27.66x |
Profitability & Efficiency
KMB delivers a 115.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $115 in annual profit, vs $31 for PG. PG carries lower financial leverage with a 0.68x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to KMB's 4.08x.
| Metric | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +115.0% | +30.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.7% | +12.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +23.2% | +20.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +25.3% | +23.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 4.08x | 0.68x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $6.5B | $25.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $688M | $9.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $7.2B | $35.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 9.73x | 52.82x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PG five years ago would be worth $14,991 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $10,537 for KMB. Over the past 12 months, PG leads with a -1.4% total return vs KMB's -18.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PG at 9.2% vs KMB's 0.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +9.9% | +18.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -18.0% | -1.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +0.8% | +30.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.4% | +49.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +19.1% | +150.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +0.3% | +9.2% |
Risk & Volatility
KMB is the less volatile stock with a 0.04 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PG's 0.12 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. PG currently trades 92.9% from its 52-week high vs KMB's 74.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.04x | 0.12x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $150.45 | $179.99 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $96.26 | $137.62 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +74.1% | +92.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 66.5 | 66.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 5.0M | 9.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates KMB as "Hold" and PG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 10.4% upside for KMB (target: $123) vs 0.3% for PG (target: $168). For income investors, KMB offers the higher dividend yield at 4.47% vs PG's 2.41%.
| Metric | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $123.00 | $167.67 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 31 | 51 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.5% | +2.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 27 | 36 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $4.98 | $4.02 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.4% | +1.7% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | 100 | 70.52 | -29.5% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | 100 | 128.13 | +28.1% |
The Procter & Gambl… (PG) returned +50% over 5 years vs Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB)'s +5%. A $10,000 investment in PG 5 years ago would be worth $14,991 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | $18.2B | $17.2B | -5.4% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | $65.3B | $84.3B | +29.1% |
Kimberly-Clark Corporation's revenue grew from $18.2B (2016) to $17.2B (2025) — a -0.6% CAGR. The Procter & Gamble Company's revenue grew from $65.3B (2016) to $84.3B (2025) — a 2.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | 11.9% | 11.7% | -1.4% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | 16.1% | 19.0% | +17.8% |
Kimberly-Clark Corporation's net margin went from 12% (2016) to 12% (2025). The Procter & Gamble Company's net margin went from 16% (2016) to 19% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | 18.9 | 16.6 | -12.2% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | 16.4 | 22 | +34.1% |
Kimberly-Clark Corporation has traded in a 17x–28x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~18x. The Procter & Gamble Company has traded in a 16x–87x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~26x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | 5.99 | 6.07 | +1.3% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | 3.69 | 6.51 | +76.4% |
Kimberly-Clark Corporation's EPS grew from $5.99 (2016) to $6.07 (2025) — a 0% CAGR. The Procter & Gamble Company's EPS grew from $3.69 (2016) to $6.51 (2025) — a 7% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Kimberly-Clark Corporation generated $2B FCF in 2025 (-5% vs 2021). The Procter & Gamble Company generated $14B FCF in 2025 (-10% vs 2021).
KMB vs PG: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is KMB or PG a better buy right now?
Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) offers the better valuation at 18.4x trailing P/E (14.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) a "Buy" — based on 51 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — KMB or PG?
On trailing P/E, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) is the cheapest at 18.4x versus The Procter & Gamble Company at 25.7x. On forward P/E, Kimberly-Clark Corporation is actually cheaper at 14.7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — KMB or PG?
Over the past 5 years, The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) delivered a total return of +49.9%, compared to +5.4% for Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB). A $10,000 investment in PG five years ago would be worth approximately $15K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PG returned +150.1% versus KMB's +19.1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — KMB or PG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) is the lower-risk stock at 0.04β versus The Procter & Gamble Company's 0.12β — meaning PG is approximately 237% more volatile than KMB relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 68% versus 4% for Kimberly-Clark Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — KMB or PG?
The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is the more profitable company, earning 19.0% net margin versus 11.7% for Kimberly-Clark Corporation — meaning it keeps 19.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PG leads at 24.3% versus 14.5% for KMB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PG leads at 51.2%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is KMB or PG more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) trades at 14.7x forward P/E versus 24.0x for The Procter & Gamble Company — 9.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KMB: 10.4% to $123.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — KMB or PG?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) offers the highest yield at 4.5%, versus 2.4% for The Procter & Gamble Company (PG).
08Is KMB or PG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.12), 2.4% yield, +150.1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PG: +150.1%, KMB: +19.1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between KMB and PG?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: KMB is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; PG is a large-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.