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PG vs KMB
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Household & Personal Products
PG vs KMB — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Household & Personal Products | Household & Personal Products |
| Market Cap | $338.64B | $32.26B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $86.72B | $16.54B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $12.72B | $2.12B |
| Gross Margin | 50.3% | 35.9% |
| Operating Margin | 23.2% | 13.3% |
| Forward P/E | 21.0x | 12.9x |
| Total Debt | $35.46B | $7.17B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $9.56B | $688M |
PG vs KMB — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | 100 | 125.0 | +25.0% |
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | 100 | 68.7 | -31.3% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: PG vs KMB
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
PG carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 36 yrs, beta 0.10, yield 2.8%
- Rev growth 0.3%, EPS growth 8.1%, 3Y rev CAGR 1.7%
- 120.1% 10Y total return vs KMB's 11.0%
KMB is the clearest fit if your priority is defensive.
- Beta 0.14, yield 5.1%, current ratio 0.75x
- Lower P/E (12.9x vs 21.0x)
- 12.5% ROA vs PG's 10.0%, ROIC 23.3% vs 20.1%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 0.3% revenue growth vs KMB's -14.2% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (12.9x vs 21.0x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 14.7% margin vs KMB's 12.8% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.10 vs KMB's 0.14, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 2.8% yield, 36-year raise streak, vs KMB's 5.1% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | -6.1% vs KMB's -21.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 12.5% ROA vs PG's 10.0%, ROIC 23.3% vs 20.1% |
PG vs KMB — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
PG vs KMB — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
PG leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
PG is the larger business by revenue, generating $86.7B annually — 5.2x KMB's $16.5B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 14.7% (PG) to 12.8% (KMB). On growth, PG holds the edge at +7.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $86.7B | $16.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $21.9B | $2.8B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $12.7B | $2.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $15.0B | $2.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +50.3% | +35.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +23.2% | +13.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +14.7% | +12.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +17.3% | +15.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.4% | -14.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.8% | +17.6% |
Valuation Metrics
KMB leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 16.0x trailing earnings, KMB trades at a 28% valuation discount to PG's 22.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, KMB's 12.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PG's 15.6x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $338.6B | $32.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $364.5B | $38.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 22.26x | 16.01x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 20.97x | 12.93x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 3.98x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 15.65x | 12.48x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.02x | 1.87x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.80x | 19.60x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 24.11x | 19.69x |
Profitability & Efficiency
KMB leads this category, winning 6 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
KMB delivers a 131.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $132 in annual profit, vs $24 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 4.34x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +23.8% | +131.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +10.0% | +12.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +20.1% | +23.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +23.0% | +25.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.68x | 4.34x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $25.9B | $6.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $9.6B | $688M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $35.5B | $7.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 487.21x | 9.67x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
PG leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in PG five years ago would be worth $12,310 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,939 for KMB. Over the past 12 months, PG leads with a -6.1% total return vs KMB's -21.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PG at 0.2% vs KMB's -8.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +3.7% | -2.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -6.1% | -21.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +0.7% | -22.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +23.1% | -10.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +120.1% | +11.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +0.2% | -8.3% |
Risk & Volatility
PG leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
PG is the less volatile stock with a 0.10 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than KMB's 0.14 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. PG currently trades 84.8% from its 52-week high vs KMB's 67.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.10x | 0.14x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $170.99 | $144.31 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $137.62 | $92.42 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +84.8% | +67.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.4 | 42.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 7.3M | 4.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — PG and KMB each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PG as "Buy" and KMB as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 13.2% upside for KMB (target: $110) vs 11.7% for PG (target: $162). For income investors, KMB offers the higher dividend yield at 5.13% vs PG's 2.78%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $161.88 | $110.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 52 | 31 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.8% | +5.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 36 | 27 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $4.02 | $4.98 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.9% | +0.4% |
PG leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Total Returns). KMB leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
PG vs KMB: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PG or KMB a better buy right now?
For growth investors, The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is the stronger pick with 0.
3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -14. 2% for Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB). Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) offers the better valuation at 16. 0x trailing P/E (12. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) a "Buy" — based on 52 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 — PG or KMB?
On trailing P/E, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) is the cheapest at 16.
0x versus The Procter & Gamble Company at 22. 3x. On forward P/E, Kimberly-Clark Corporation is actually cheaper at 12. 9x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PG or KMB?
Over the past 5 years, The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) delivered a total return of +23.
1%, compared to -10. 6% for Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PG returned +120. 1% versus KMB's +11. 0%. 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 — PG or KMB?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
10β versus Kimberly-Clark Corporation's 0. 14β — meaning KMB is approximately 37% more volatile than PG 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 is growing faster — PG or KMB?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is pulling ahead at 0.
3% versus -14. 2% for Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Procter & Gamble Company grew EPS 8. 1% year-over-year, compared to -19. 6% for Kimberly-Clark Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, PG leads at 1. 7% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — PG or KMB?
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.
07Is PG or KMB more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) trades at 12.
9x forward P/E versus 21. 0x for The Procter & Gamble Company — 8. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KMB: 13. 2% to $110. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — PG or KMB?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) offers the highest yield at 5. 1%, versus 2. 8% for The Procter & Gamble Company (PG).
09Is PG or KMB 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.
10), 2. 8% yield, +120. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PG: +120. 1%, KMB: +11. 0%), 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.
10What are the main differences between PG and KMB?
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: PG is a large-cap quality compounder stock; KMB is a mid-cap deep-value 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.
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