New York, Jan 9, 2026, 14:56 EST — Regular session
Procter & Gamble (PG) shares were up 0.3% at $141.92 Friday afternoon. The consumer-products company agreed to tweak packaging and marketing for Kid’s Crest children’s toothpaste after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton pushed it to show the “appropriate amount” for kids. New packaging started rolling out on Jan. 1, and P&G has to stay in compliance for five years, Paxton’s office said. 1
P&G said it was “fully committed to delivering safe, reliable products” and agreed to make sure its artwork matches recommended dosing levels for children. Paxton last May issued civil investigative demands — a kind of subpoena used in consumer-protection probes — to P&G and Colgate, saying they marketed fluoride toothpaste in ways that led to unsafe use. Colgate-Palmolive struck a similar deal in September, and a federal judge in Chicago in October turned down P&G’s request to dismiss a private lawsuit over Kid’s Crest labels. 2
The legal noise is hitting as Wall Street wants signs big consumer staples can keep growing without relying on price hikes. TD Cowen analyst Robert Moskow on Thursday cut his price target on P&G to $150 from $168, reiterated a buy rating, and said 2026 looks “challenging” for large-cap staples, with volume growth unlikely to improve much from negative 0.9% in 2025 and pricing “muted.” 3
U.S. stocks rose after data showed job growth cooled more than expected in December, and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.4%. Traders were still pricing about 54 basis points — just over half a percentage point — of Federal Reserve easing in 2026, based on LSEG data. “This is a report that’s somewhat within the range of expectations of investors, so they’re not reacting,” said Mark Hackett, chief market strategist at Nationwide. 4
P&G said it will webcast a discussion of its second-quarter fiscal 2025/26 earnings results on Jan. 22 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Investors are expected to watch for commentary on pricing, volumes and input costs, and for any signal on whether the company sees knock-on risk from tougher scrutiny of marketing aimed at children. 5
But the toothpaste dispute probably won’t be wrapped up with fresh artwork. The private Chicago case is still moving after the judge declined to throw it out, leaving a household-name brand stuck in label-by-label battles that can stretch on. 6
Procter & Gamble, based in Cincinnati, makes Tide detergent, Pampers diapers and Crest toothpaste, and sells products spanning beauty, grooming and health care. Colgate-Palmolive is a major rival in oral care. 7
Next week’s big print is the December U.S. consumer price index on Tuesday, a gut check for rate-cut wagers that can knock defensive stocks around. For P&G, the next firm marker is the Jan. 22 earnings conference call and webcast. 8
