December 16, 2025 — Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE: PG) is in focus as its stock attempts to build a base after a volatile December. Shares closed Monday at $145.13, up 1.60% for a fifth straight gain, even as broader U.S. indexes slipped—an outperformance that has attracted fresh attention from both long-term dividend investors and shorter-term traders. [1]
Early Tuesday, PG traded around $146.20 (up roughly 0.7% on the session), positioning the stock to potentially extend that streak. [2]
Behind the move: a fresh executive retirement disclosure, the approaching CEO handoff scheduled for January 1, 2026, and renewed debate over whether the consumer-staples bellwether is now “priced for pessimism” or still vulnerable to sluggish volumes and tariff-driven costs.
P&G Stock Price Today: Where PG Trades on December 16, 2025
PG’s recent rebound comes after a sharp early-December downdraft. Data tracked by Investing.com shows the stock’s 52-week range spans roughly $138.14 to $179.99, underscoring the magnitude of the pullback from this year’s highs and why bargain-hunters have begun to circle. [3]
Key recent levels investors are watching:
- Recent low: ~$138.14 (early December) [4]
- Monday close: $145.13, with trading volume cited around 12.9 million shares [5]
- Tuesday trading: around $146.20 intraday [6]
In plain terms: PG is stabilizing, but it’s still well below its 2025 peak—one reason today’s headlines matter more than usual.
The Biggest PG Catalyst Hitting the Tape: A New Executive Retirement Filing
One of the most concrete pieces of current company news is a leadership update inside P&G’s Health Care unit.
In a filing dated December 15, 2025, Procter & Gamble disclosed that Jennifer Davis, currently Chief Executive Officer – Health Care, notified the company on December 9, 2025 of her intent to retire effective June 30, 2026, after more than 33 years of service. [7]
Market takeaway: while the retirement is not immediate, executive transitions inside major business units can raise questions about continuity—especially at a time when P&G is already preparing for a broader, top-of-house CEO handoff (more on that below). Some market coverage also notes that the filing did not detail a successor plan. [8]
The Larger Leadership Story: P&G’s CEO Change Arrives January 1, 2026
P&G’s bigger leadership milestone is now just weeks away. The company has said Shailesh Jejurikar (a long-time executive and Chief Operating Officer) will become CEO, while outgoing CEO Jon Moeller transitions to executive chairman. Reuters has described this as part of a planned and orderly transition, consistent with P&G’s tradition of promoting leaders internally. [9]
Why investors care:
- CEO transitions can bring subtle changes in capital allocation priorities (buybacks vs. reinvestment), brand strategy, and cost discipline.
- For a “steady compounder” like P&G, any perceived change in predictability can move the stock’s valuation multiple—sometimes more than near-term earnings do.
FY2026 Guidance: What P&G Itself Is Forecasting Right Now
For investors searching for a clear “forecast” anchor beyond daily market noise, P&G’s most recent guidance remains the most important baseline.
In its Fiscal Year 2026 first-quarter results materials, P&G reiterated:
- All-in sales growth:1% to 5%
- Organic sales growth: in-line to up ~4%
- Diluted EPS growth:3% to 9% vs. FY2025 diluted EPS of $6.51
- Core EPS:$6.83 to $7.09 (midpoint ~$6.96) [10]
P&G also outlined key headwinds and tailwinds embedded in that outlook, including:
- Commodity cost headwind: about $100 million after tax
- Tariff-related costs: about $400 million after tax
- FX tailwind: about $300 million after tax (as of that forecast) [11]
Separately, Reuters reporting earlier in FY2026 coverage emphasized how tariff uncertainty and consumer sensitivity were influencing guidance ranges and pricing strategy. [12]
What Wall Street Forecasts Say: Analyst Price Targets and Rating Mix
As of December 16, investors are also leaning on the Street’s consensus view to frame upside/downside.
Investing.com’s compiled consensus shows:
- Overall consensus: “Buy”
- Rating split:14 Buy, 10 Hold, 0 Sell
- Average 12-month price target:$168.50 (roughly +15% upside from current levels)
- Target range: approximately $148 (low) to $186 (high) [13]
That same dataset also lists several notable firm targets/stances in recent updates, including (among others) a Barclays “Hold” stance with a $151 target and a Deutsche Bank “Buy” stance with a $171 target, both referenced with actions dated Dec. 8, 2025 in the table. [14]
MarketBeat’s consensus numbers are broadly in the same neighborhood:
- Consensus rating: Moderate Buy
- Average price target:$171.40 (with a cited high of $209 and low of $151) [15]
Important nuance for readers: price targets move as macro conditions shift (rates, FX, commodities) and as the market re-prices “defensive” earnings streams. So the direction of revisions can matter as much as the targets themselves.
Dividend and Shareholder Returns: Why Income Investors Keep Coming Back to PG
Even with leadership headlines and tariff talk, P&G remains a cornerstone holding for dividend-focused portfolios—and the company continues to lean into that identity.
At its October 2025 board meeting, P&G declared a quarterly dividend of $1.0568 per share (payable on or after Nov. 17, 2025 to shareholders of record Oct. 24, 2025). The company also highlighted a long record of shareholder returns: 135 consecutive years of dividend payments and 69 consecutive years of increases. [16]
That dividend profile becomes especially relevant when the stock sells off: a lower share price can mechanically lift yield, pulling in income buyers and, at times, helping create a price “floor.”
Institutional Positioning: Mixed Signals in New Filings
Beyond corporate news and analyst notes, institutional activity is also part of the December 16 narrative.
MarketBeat reported that Corient Private Wealth LLC trimmed its stake by 1.5% (selling 40,304 shares) in the second quarter, ending with about 2.57 million shares worth roughly $408.8 million, while also summarizing a broader institutional ownership picture. [17]
On its own, one filing doesn’t “explain” a stock’s move. But in a name like PG—where ownership is heavily institutional—filing season can amplify the market’s sense of whether the smart money is rotating into consumer staples or reallocating away from them.
What to Watch Next: The Next Earnings Date and the “Proof Point” for the Rebound
If you’re tracking PG into year-end, the next major scheduled catalyst is earnings.
P&G’s investor relations calendar lists an anticipated Q2 FY2026 earnings conference call on January 22, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET. [18]
Why that date matters now:
- PG’s December rally attempt is happening ahead of the next results print.
- Investors will likely look for confirmation that pricing power remains intact, volumes are not deteriorating, and cost headwinds (including tariffs/commodities) remain manageable within guidance.
Risks and Opportunities: The Near-Term Debate Around P&G Stock
What bulls are emphasizing
- Defensive earnings + global brand moat: In a choppy tape, household essentials can regain favor.
- Management forecast still intact: P&G has maintained its FY2026 framework for sales and EPS growth. [19]
- Dividend reliability: The company’s dividend track record remains a key differentiator. [20]
What bears are emphasizing
- Leadership transition stack: A CEO handoff plus a major business unit CEO retirement can inject uncertainty. [21]
- Tariff and consumer pressure: Reuters reporting has underscored how tariffs and consumer caution can influence both costs and demand. [22]
- Valuation sensitivity: Even “defensive” stocks can de-rate if growth slows or if the market demands a higher risk premium.
Bottom Line on Dec. 16, 2025: PG Is Stabilizing, But the Next Narrative Shift Likely Comes From Earnings
As of December 16, Procter & Gamble stock is making a credible attempt to rebound from its early-December low, supported by the market’s renewed appetite for defensives and by PG’s durable dividend profile. [23]
But investors are also digesting real governance and leadership transitions—including a Health Care division CEO retirement slated for 2026 and a CEO handoff on January 1, 2026—making the coming weeks a “trust and execution” test. [24]
With consensus analyst targets clustering around the high-$160s/low-$170s and the next earnings event penciled in for January 22, PG’s next decisive move may depend less on headlines—and more on whether results and guidance updates validate the stock’s newfound footing. [25]
References
1. www.marketwatch.com, 2. www.investing.com, 3. www.investing.com, 4. www.investing.com, 5. www.marketwatch.com, 6. www.investing.com, 7. www.sec.gov, 8. www.investing.com, 9. www.reuters.com, 10. www.pginvestor.com, 11. www.pginvestor.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.investing.com, 14. www.investing.com, 15. www.marketbeat.com, 16. www.pginvestor.com, 17. www.marketbeat.com, 18. www.pginvestor.com, 19. www.pginvestor.com, 20. www.pginvestor.com, 21. www.sec.gov, 22. www.reuters.com, 23. www.marketwatch.com, 24. www.sec.gov, 25. www.investing.com
