NEW YORK, Feb 9, 2026, 09:07 EST — Premarket
- Kenvue shares edged about 0.4% higher in premarket action, sitting near $18.
- The stock remains under the implied value of Kimberly-Clark’s cash-and-stock bid.
- This week, investors are watching the Feb. 11 dividend record date. Results land after the close on Feb. 17.
Kenvue Inc picked up roughly 0.4% before the bell Monday, trading at $18.13. Investors tracked the stock with the company’s pending sale in the background and a packed slate of U.S. economic releases ahead.
Not much movement across the broader market. Wall Street futures barely budged in early trading, coming off a sharp rally late last week that snapped a rough spell for big tech stocks. Investors are still trying to gauge just how much the AI wave will demand in terms of spending. 1
Kenvue’s short-term picture hinges on the deal. Kimberly-Clark sits near $104.33, and based on the offer, that spits out about $19.15 per Kenvue share. Early action has Kenvue trailing the implied price by about a buck. 2
Merger-arb traders make their bets on that gap: the difference between the offer’s value and Kenvue’s price. Whenever investors factor in legal risk, possible delays, or a turn in the market, that spread can blow out fast.
On Jan. 29, both Kimberly-Clark and Kenvue reported that shareholders gave a resounding yes to the deal. Kenvue CEO Kirk Perry described it as “strong support,” with both groups of investors clearing a path for the companies to move ahead and finish the transaction before year-end. 3
The deal still needs to clear several hurdles. According to a regulatory filing, U.S. antitrust approval is required along with other sign-offs, and an “outside date” has been set for Nov. 2, 2026. That deadline could be pushed back if regulators take longer to review.
Kenvue will post its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 numbers after the bell on Feb. 17, but there won’t be a conference call this time. The company cited the pending deal as the reason. 4
Dividends getting attention again: Kenvue’s board declared a quarterly payout of $0.2075 a share, with the check set to go out Feb. 25. The cutoff to qualify is Feb. 11—investors need to be listed as shareholders by then. 5
Still, the trade comes with its share of risk. The company is dealing with lawsuits over Tylenol and other products, while Texas has tried to stop a Kenvue dividend before, suing over what it called deceptive acetaminophen marketing. That history clouds both the timing and investor sentiment around any potential takeover. 6
Kenvue’s stock often moves in step with the broader market—think shifts in rates or sentiment toward consumer staples. Still, deal mechanics usually call the shots: what’s happening with the acquirer’s share price, the ticking clock, or any sign of trouble in the approval process.
