New York, Jan 28, 2026, 11:05 EST — Regular session
- KVUE down 0.3% at $17.44 in late morning trade
- Kenvue declares $0.2075 quarterly dividend, payable Feb. 25
- Investors focus on Jan. 29 vote on Kimberly-Clark’s planned takeover
Kenvue Inc shares were down 0.3% at $17.44 in late morning trade on Wednesday as investors looked ahead to a takeover vote that could decide the company’s next chapter. Kimberly-Clark, its would-be buyer, fell 0.7% while Procter & Gamble was little changed.
Shareholders vote on Jan. 29, and Kimberly-Clark CEO Mike Hsu said votes already returned were “in excess of 90% in favor.” He called the Kenvue purchase “a powerful next step” and said the company still expects to close in the second half of 2026, with international antitrust filings due by early February. Kimberly-Clark’s COO Russ Torres said Kenvue was set to report results on its usual timing, “early to mid-February.” (SEC)
Kenvue on Wednesday declared a quarterly dividend of $0.2075 a share, payable Feb. 25 to shareholders on record Feb. 11, the company said. Kenvue calls itself the world’s largest pure-play consumer health company by revenue and lists brands including Aveeno, Band-Aid, Listerine, Neutrogena and Tylenol. (Kenvue Investors)
Under the merger agreement, each Kenvue share would be converted into the right to receive 0.14625 shares of Kimberly-Clark stock plus $3.50 in cash. The 0.14625 figure is the exchange ratio — the fixed number of buyer shares attached to each Kenvue share — which means the offer value moves with Kimberly-Clark’s share price; based on Wednesday’s level near $100, the implied value comes out around $18.12, leaving Kenvue about 4% below that mark. (SEC)
Kimberly-Clark on Tuesday beat quarterly profit estimates on cost controls, and Morningstar analyst Erin Lash said the company’s comments leaned on “consumer-valued innovation and marketing” while showing “reluctance to rent share via promotions.” Procter & Gamble also topped quarterly estimates last week, helped by demand for its higher-priced health products, the report noted. (Reuters)
But the deal is not locked. A filing showed Kenvue and its board have been hit with shareholder complaints tied to the merger disclosures, with plaintiffs seeking to halt the vote or the transaction until more information is provided; the company said it issued supplemental disclosures to reduce the risk of delay.
If the vote fails or regulators drag out the process, Kenvue’s shares would be left to trade on the stand-alone story — sales trends, margins and litigation noise — rather than the deal math. That can reprice fast in either direction.
The next hard catalyst is the Jan. 29 shareholder vote. After that, traders will track regulatory milestones and the near-term calendar around Kenvue’s dividend record date on Feb. 11 and the company’s expected results window in early to mid-February.
