Kimberly-Clark Corporation's sales of $4.6 billion in the 2Q 2015 were down 6% compared to the year-ago period. 2Q operating profit was a loss of $544 million in 2015 and profit of $775 million in 2014. For the first six months of 2015, sales of $9.3 billion decreased 5% compared to the year-ago period, as changes in foreign currency exchange rates reduced sales 9%.

Tissue Paper

Kimberly-Clark decreased 2Q sales by 6%, to $4.6 billion

Jul 25, 2015. /Lesprom Network/. Kimberly-Clark Corporation's sales of $4.6 billion in the 2Q 2015 were down 6% compared to the year-ago period. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates reduced sales 10% as a result of the weakening of most currencies relative to the U.S. dollar. Organic sales rose 4%, as volumes increased 3% and product mix/other was favorable by 1%, the company said in the press release received by Lesprom Network.

2Q operating profit was a loss of $544 million in 2015 and profit of $775 million in 2014. Adjusted operating profit was $790 million in the 2Q 2015 compared to $777 million in the year-ago period. Adjusted results in 2015 exclude $1,322 million of charges for pension settlements and $12 million of 2014 Organization Restructuring costs. Adjusted results in 2014 exclude $2 million of restructuring costs for European strategic changes.

For the first six months of 2015, sales of $9.3 billion decreased 5% compared to the year-ago period, as changes in foreign currency exchange rates reduced sales 9%. Organic sales rose 4%, as volumes increased 3% and product mix/other was favorable by 1%.

Year-to-date operating profit was $204 million in 2015 versus $1,486 million in 2014. Adjusted operating profit of $1,605 million in 2015 increased 4 percent compared to $1,537 million in 2014. Adjusted operating profit comparisons benefited from organic sales growth, FORCE cost savings of $195 million and $30 million of savings from the 2014 Organization Restructuring.

Chairman and CEO Thomas J. Falk said, "We continue to execute our Global Business Plan strategies well. In the second quarter, we delivered mid-single digit growth in organic sales and adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations. We also achieved significant cost savings and improvements in adjusted gross and operating margins. In addition, we made further progress with targeted growth initiatives, launched product innovations and allocated capital in shareholder-friendly ways. In terms of our full-year earnings outlook, we are raising the low end of our previous guidance by 5 cents per share. This reflects our strong performance in the first half of the year, additional cost savings and more investments behind our brands and growth initiatives than we previously planned. We continue to be optimistic about our prospects to generate attractive returns to shareholders."

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is an American personal care corporation that produces mostly paper-based consumer products.