Stock Analysis on Net

Kimberly-Clark Corp. (NYSE:KMB)

$22.49

This company has been moved to the archive! The financial data has not been updated since April 23, 2021.

Economic Value Added (EVA)

Microsoft Excel

EVA is registered trademark of Stern Stewart.

Economic value added or economic profit is the difference between revenues and costs,where costs include not only expenses, but also cost of capital.

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Economic Profit

Kimberly-Clark Corp., economic profit calculation

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018 Dec 31, 2017 Dec 31, 2016
Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT)1
Cost of capital2
Invested capital3
 
Economic profit4

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31).

1 NOPAT. See details »

2 Cost of capital. See details »

3 Invested capital. See details »

4 2020 Calculation
Economic profit = NOPAT – Cost of capital × Invested capital
= × =


Over the five-year period ending December 31, 2020, the financial performance, as measured by economic profit, exhibited fluctuations alongside changes in net operating profit after taxes, cost of capital, and invested capital. A general upward trend in economic profit is apparent, though not consistently maintained year-over-year.

Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
NOPAT demonstrated an initial increase from US$2,399 million in 2016 to US$2,464 million in 2017. A subsequent decline to US$1,883 million occurred in 2018, followed by recoveries to US$2,321 million in 2019 and US$2,602 million in 2020. This indicates some volatility in core operational profitability.
Cost of Capital
The cost of capital remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 9.69% and 10.02% throughout the period. A slight decrease was observed in 2020, potentially reflecting changes in market conditions or the company’s capital structure. The consistency suggests a stable risk profile for the business.
Invested Capital
Invested capital generally increased over the period, rising from US$11,778 million in 2016 to US$12,877 million in 2020. A decrease was noted in 2018, coinciding with the dip in NOPAT, potentially indicating a recalibration of capital allocation. The increase in 2020 suggests renewed investment activity.
Economic Profit
Economic profit increased from US$1,230 million in 2016 to US$1,302 million in 2017. It then decreased to US$779 million in 2018, mirroring the decline in NOPAT. Subsequent increases were observed in 2019 (US$1,179 million) and 2020 (US$1,355 million), reaching the highest level in the observed period. This suggests that the company generated value for its investors, although the amount varied depending on operational performance and capital employed.

The correlation between NOPAT and economic profit is evident. Years with higher NOPAT generally corresponded with higher economic profit, and vice versa. The relatively stable cost of capital suggests that changes in economic profit were primarily driven by fluctuations in operational profitability and the level of invested capital.


Net Operating Profit after Taxes (NOPAT)

Kimberly-Clark Corp., NOPAT calculation

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018 Dec 31, 2017 Dec 31, 2016
Net income attributable to Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)1
Increase (decrease) in allowance for doubtful accounts2
Increase (decrease) in LIFO reserve3
Increase (decrease) in restructuring liabilities4
Increase (decrease) in equity equivalents5
Interest expense
Interest expense, operating lease liability6
Adjusted interest expense
Tax benefit of interest expense7
Adjusted interest expense, after taxes8
Interest income
Investment income, before taxes
Tax expense (benefit) of investment income9
Investment income, after taxes10
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT)

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31).

1 Elimination of deferred tax expense. See details »

2 Addition of increase (decrease) in allowance for doubtful accounts.

3 Addition of increase (decrease) in LIFO reserve. See details »

4 Addition of increase (decrease) in restructuring liabilities.

5 Addition of increase (decrease) in equity equivalents to net income attributable to Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

6 2020 Calculation
Interest expense on capitalized operating leases = Operating lease liability × Discount rate
= × =

7 2020 Calculation
Tax benefit of interest expense = Adjusted interest expense × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =

8 Addition of after taxes interest expense to net income attributable to Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

9 2020 Calculation
Tax expense (benefit) of investment income = Investment income, before tax × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =

10 Elimination of after taxes investment income.


The analysis of the annual financial data over the five-year period reveals several notable trends regarding the company's profitability metrics.

Net Income Attributable to Kimberly-Clark Corporation (US$ in millions)
Over the period from 2016 to 2020, net income shows some volatility with an overall upward trend. Net income started at 2,166 million USD in 2016, increased to 2,278 million USD in 2017, then experienced a significant decline in 2018 to 1,410 million USD. Following this decline, net income recovered considerably, reaching 2,157 million USD in 2019 and further increasing to 2,352 million USD in 2020. This pattern suggests a temporary setback in 2018, followed by a strong recovery and growth in the subsequent years.
Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT) (US$ in millions)
NOPAT exhibits a similar pattern to net income, indicating a correlation between operational efficiency and overall profitability. The values start at 2,399 million USD in 2016, rise slightly in 2017 to 2,464 million USD, then decline sharply in 2018 to 1,883 million USD. From 2018 onwards, NOPAT increased steadily to 2,321 million USD in 2019 and 2,602 million USD in 2020, surpassing the initial levels reported at the start of the period. This trend shows an initial operational challenge in 2018, followed by a robust performance improvement.

Overall, the data indicates that the company faced a period of decreased profitability in 2018, reflected in both net income and NOPAT, likely due to operational or market challenges. However, the subsequent years demonstrated effective recovery strategies and strong financial performance, with profitability exceeding prior peak levels by 2020. The close alignment between net income and NOPAT trends suggests that operational improvements directly influenced the bottom line.


Cash Operating Taxes

Kimberly-Clark Corp., cash operating taxes calculation

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018 Dec 31, 2017 Dec 31, 2016
Provision for income taxes
Less: Deferred income tax expense (benefit)
Add: Tax savings from interest expense
Less: Tax imposed on investment income
Cash operating taxes

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31).


Provision for income taxes
The provision for income taxes shows a downward trend from 2016 to 2018, declining from 922 million US dollars to 471 million US dollars. This is followed by an increase in the subsequent years, rising to 576 million US dollars in 2019 and further to 676 million US dollars in 2020. Overall, the provision decreased initially but then experienced a moderate recovery, ending lower in 2020 than the initial 2016 figure.
Cash operating taxes
Cash operating taxes exhibit a similar trend to the provision for income taxes, starting at 1,053 million US dollars in 2016 and declining steadily to 526 million US dollars in 2018. From 2018 onward, cash operating taxes increased each year, reaching 604 million US dollars in 2019 and 686 million US dollars in 2020. Although the amounts increased after 2018, the 2020 value remained below the initial 2016 level.
Overall tax-related trends
Both provision for income taxes and cash operating taxes show a clear pattern of decline during the period 2016 to 2018, followed by a partial rebound from 2019 to 2020. The recovery phase, however, does not fully restore the tax figures to their peak 2016 levels. This pattern may suggest changes in taxable income, tax planning strategies, or other tax-related factors impacting the reported amounts over time.

Invested Capital

Kimberly-Clark Corp., invested capital calculation (financing approach)

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018 Dec 31, 2017 Dec 31, 2016
Debt payable within one year
Long-term debt, excluding payable within one year
Operating lease liability1
Total reported debt & leases
Total Kimberly-Clark Corporation stockholders’ equity
Net deferred tax (assets) liabilities2
Allowance for doubtful accounts3
Excess of FIFO or weighted-average cost over LIFO cost4
Restructuring liabilities5
Equity equivalents6
Accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss, net of tax7
Redeemable preferred securities of subsidiaries
Noncontrolling interests
Adjusted total Kimberly-Clark Corporation stockholders’ equity
Construction in progress8
Invested capital

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31).

1 Addition of capitalized operating leases.

2 Elimination of deferred taxes from assets and liabilities. See details »

3 Addition of allowance for doubtful accounts receivable.

4 Addition of LIFO reserve. See details »

5 Addition of restructuring liabilities.

6 Addition of equity equivalents to total Kimberly-Clark Corporation stockholders’ equity.

7 Removal of accumulated other comprehensive income.

8 Subtraction of construction in progress.


Debt Levels
The total reported debt and leases demonstrate relative stability from 2016 through 2019, fluctuating between approximately $7.9 billion and $8.1 billion. There is a notable increase in 2020, where the debt rises to $8.92 billion, indicating an increased leverage or possibly additional financing taken during that year.
Stockholders' Equity
Stockholders’ equity shows considerable volatility over the five-year period. The figures reveal negative values in most years, with a drastic decline in 2017 reaching -$287 million. A recovery trend appears afterward with values improving to -$33 million in 2019 and then increasing sharply to $626 million in 2020, suggesting a significant improvement in net assets or changes in accounting treatment or capital structure.
Invested Capital
Invested capital remains relatively consistent between 2016 and 2019, ranging from $11.2 billion to $11.9 billion. In 2020, there is a marked increase to $12.88 billion, which corresponds with the rise in total debt and equity changes, indicating increased total resources committed to the business. This growth in invested capital may reflect expansion efforts or new investments.
Overall Trends and Insights
The data suggest that while debt levels remained steady initially, the company took on more debt in 2020. The stockholders’ equity, although negative for much of the period, shows signs of improvement in the last year, which could reflect enhanced profitability, asset revaluation, or capital restructuring. The rise in invested capital alongside debt and equity changes implies an overall expansion in the financial base of the company during 2020. These trends point to a possible strategic shift or response to external conditions impacting capital structure and financing.

Cost of Capital

Kimberly-Clark Corp., cost of capital calculations

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt3 ÷ = × × (1 – 35.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 35.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt3 ÷ = × × (1 – 35.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 35.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »


Economic Spread Ratio

Kimberly-Clark Corp., economic spread ratio calculation, comparison to benchmarks

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018 Dec 31, 2017 Dec 31, 2016
Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions)
Economic profit1
Invested capital2
Performance Ratio
Economic spread ratio3
Benchmarks
Economic Spread Ratio, Competitors4
Procter & Gamble Co.

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31).

1 Economic profit. See details »

2 Invested capital. See details »

3 2020 Calculation
Economic spread ratio = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Invested capital
= 100 × ÷ =

4 Click competitor name to see calculations.


The period under review demonstrates fluctuating performance in economic profit and invested capital, resulting in a corresponding variation in the economic spread ratio. Overall, the economic spread ratio exhibits a generally positive trend, though with notable volatility.

Economic Spread Ratio
The economic spread ratio began at 10.44% in 2016, increasing to a peak of 10.92% in 2017. A significant decline followed in 2018, with the ratio falling to 6.93%. Subsequent years saw recovery, reaching 10.34% in 2019 and 10.52% in 2020. This indicates that the company’s returns on invested capital relative to its cost of capital varied considerably over the five-year period.

Economic profit showed an initial increase from US$1,230 million in 2016 to US$1,302 million in 2017. It then decreased substantially to US$779 million in 2018 before recovering to US$1,179 million in 2019 and further increasing to US$1,355 million in 2020. This pattern directly influences the economic spread ratio.

Invested Capital
Invested capital generally increased over the period, moving from US$11,778 million in 2016 to US$12,877 million in 2020. However, a decrease was observed between 2017 (US$11,929 million) and 2018 (US$11,239 million). The consistent upward trend in invested capital, coupled with the fluctuations in economic profit, contributes to the observed changes in the economic spread ratio.

The largest decrease in the economic spread ratio coincided with the largest decrease in economic profit in 2018. The subsequent recovery in economic profit in 2019 and 2020 correlated with a recovery in the economic spread ratio, although it did not fully return to the levels seen in 2016 and 2017. The increase in invested capital in 2020 did not prevent the economic spread ratio from reaching a high of 10.52%, suggesting strong profitability relative to the capital employed.


Economic Profit Margin

Kimberly-Clark Corp., economic profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018 Dec 31, 2017 Dec 31, 2016
Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions)
Economic profit1
Net sales
Performance Ratio
Economic profit margin2
Benchmarks
Economic Profit Margin, Competitors3
Procter & Gamble Co.

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31).

1 Economic profit. See details »

2 2020 Calculation
Economic profit margin = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Net sales
= 100 × ÷ =

3 Click competitor name to see calculations.


The economic profit margin exhibited fluctuations over the five-year period. Initial values demonstrated a positive trend, followed by a decline, and then a subsequent recovery.

Economic Profit Margin Trend
The economic profit margin began at 6.76% in 2016 and increased to 7.13% in 2017, indicating improving profitability relative to sales. A significant decrease was then observed in 2018, with the margin falling to 4.21%. This represents the lowest value within the observed timeframe. The margin partially recovered in 2019, reaching 6.39%, and continued to improve in 2020, reaching 7.08%, nearly matching the 2017 level.

Economic profit itself generally increased over the period, with the exception of 2018. However, the growth in net sales did not consistently align with the changes in economic profit, contributing to the observed margin fluctuations.

Relationship between Net Sales and Economic Profit Margin
Net sales showed a modest increase from 2016 to 2020, moving from US$18,202 million to US$19,140 million. While net sales generally increased, the economic profit margin did not follow a consistent upward trajectory. The decline in margin in 2018 occurred despite a rise in net sales, suggesting that costs or capital charges increased at a faster rate than revenue. The margin’s recovery in 2019 and 2020 coincided with continued sales growth and potentially improved cost management or capital efficiency.

The variation in economic profit margin suggests a dynamic relationship between profitability, revenue generation, and the cost of capital. Further investigation into the underlying drivers of these fluctuations would be beneficial.