Kenvue reports second quarter 2024 results

SKILLMAN, N.J. August 6, 2024 – Kenvue Inc. (NYSE: KVUE) (“Kenvue”), today announced financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended June 30, 2024.

“We are on track to deliver the financial targets we set for 2024, and while we are in the early days, our work to transform Kenvue into a bolder, more agile organization focused on profitable growth is producing results,” said Thibaut Mongon, Chief Executive Officer. “With the progress we have made in the first half of the year to increase productivity and free up resources, we are accelerating investment behind our global portfolio of iconic brands to reach more consumers and deliver on our long-term value creation algorithm.”

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Net Sales and Organic Growth

Second quarter Net sales decreased 0.3% following a 5.4% increase in the prior year period. Organic growth^c was 1.5% over 7.7% Organic growth in the prior year period. Organic growth was comprised of 2.1% value realization (price and mix) and (0.6)% volume.

Value realization was driven by a combination of both carry-over pricing and new price actions. The slight volume declines were driven primarily by Skin Health and Beauty and Self Care, partially offset by growth in Essential Health.

Gross Profit Margin and Operating Income Margin

Second quarter Gross profit margin expanded 360 basis points to 59.1% from 55.5% in the prior year period. Adjusted gross profit margin¹ expanded 410 basis points to 61.6% from 57.5% in the prior year period. The year-over-year improvement primarily reflects productivity gains attributable to our global supply chain efficiency initiatives, including commodity pricing, and to value realization.

Second quarter Operating income margin was 3.9% vs 17.5% in the prior year period. Charges related to Dr.Ci:Labo^® asset impairment (see details below), brand investment, and restructuring charges, were partially offset by efficiency gains.

Second quarter Adjusted operating income margin¹ was 22.8% vs 23.1% in the prior year period as significant year-over-year margin expansion was more than offset by increased brand investment.

Interest expense, net and Taxes

Second quarter Interest expense, net was $92 million.

The second quarter Effective tax rate was 10.8% vs 32.7% in the prior year period, driven by the reversal of a deferred tax liability related to the Dr.Ci:Labo^® non-cash asset impairment. The Adjusted effective tax rate¹ was 25.7% vs. 30.8% in the prior year period, primarily due to the remeasurement of state deferred taxes.

Net income per share (“Earnings per share”)

Second quarter Diluted earnings per share was $0.03 vs. $0.23 in the prior year period and Adjusted diluted earnings per share¹ was $0.32 vs. $0.31 in the prior year period. The Diluted earnings per share decline was primarily due to the aforementioned asset impairment charge. Adjusted diluted earnings per share was slightly higher year-over-year as profit growth and normalizing taxes were offset by accelerated investment in our brands and an increase in weighted average share count.

Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charge

In the second quarter, the Company took a non-cash charge of $488 million ($337 million after-tax) to adjust the carrying value of long-lived assets related to the Dr.Ci:Labo^® business. The impairment was a result of updates in our strategy to reach more consumers and appropriately address evolving market dynamics, including shifts in consumer sentiment in China as well as changing shopping patterns in the region. The Company continues to believe in the strength of the brand and is investing in its long-term growth opportunities.

2024 Outlook

Based on current spot rates, the Company reaffirms its outlook for 2024, including Net sales growth of 1.0%-3.0% (2.0%-4.0% Organic growth), and Adjusted diluted earnings per share in the range of $1.10-$1.20.

Kenvue is not able to provide the most directly comparable GAAP measures or reconcile Adjusted diluted earnings per share or Organic growth to comparable GAAP measures on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable efforts given the unpredictability of the timing and amounts of discrete items such as foreign exchange, acquisitions, or divestitures.

Webcast Information

As previously announced, Kenvue will host a conference call with investors to discuss its second quarter results on Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 877-407-8835 from the U.S. or +1 201-689-8779 from international locations. A live webcast of the conference call can also be accessed at investors.kenvue.com, with a replay made available after the live event.

About Kenvue

Kenvue is the world’s largest pure-play consumer health company by revenue. Built on more than a century of heritage, our iconic brands, including Aveeno®, BAND-AID® Brand, Johnson’s®, Listerine®, Neutrogena® and Tylenol®, are science-backed and recommended by healthcare professionals around the world. At Kenvue, we believe in the extraordinary power of everyday care and our teams work every day to put that power in consumers’ hands and earn a place in their hearts and homes. Learn more at www.kenvue.com.

¹Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to supplement the financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. There are limitations to the use of the non-GAAP financial measures presented herein. These non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP nor do they have any standardized meaning under U.S. GAAP. In addition, other companies may use similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures that are calculated differently from the way the Company calculates such measures. Accordingly, the non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to such similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on these non-GAAP financial measures, but instead to consider them with the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure. These non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered supplements to, not substitutes for, or superior to, the corresponding financial measures calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

The Company believes the presentation of these measures is relevant and useful for investors because it allows investors to view performance in a manner similar to the method used by management. The Company believes these measures help improve investors’ ability to understand the Company’s operating performance and makes it easier to compare the Company’s results with other companies. In addition, the Company believes these measures are also among the primary measures used externally by the Company’s investors, analysts, and peers in its industry for purposes of valuation and comparing the operating performance of the Company to other companies in our industry.

Below are definitions and the reconciliation to the most closely related GAAP measures for the non-GAAP measures used in this press release and the related prepared materials and webcast.

Adjusted diluted earnings per share: We define Adjusted diluted earnings per share as Adjusted net income divided by the weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding. Management views this non-GAAP measure as useful to investors as it provides a supplemental measure of the Company’s performance over time.

Adjusted EBITDA margin: We define the non-GAAP measure EBITDA as U.S. GAAP Net income adjusted for interest, provision for taxes, and depreciation and amortization. We define Adjusted EBITDA, another non-GAAP financial measure, as EBITDA adjusted for restructuring expenses and operating model optimization initiatives, costs incurred in connection with our establishment as a standalone public company (“Separation-related costs”), conversion of stock-based awards, stock-based awards granted to individuals employed by Kenvue as of October 2, 2023 (“Founder Shares”), impairment charges, the impact of the deferred transfer of certain assets and liabilities from Johnson & Johnson in certain jurisdictions (the “Deferred Markets”), litigation expense, and losses on investments. We define Adjusted EBITDA margin as Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of Net sales. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors as it provides a supplemental perspective to the Company’s operating efficiency over time.

Adjusted effective tax rate: We define Adjusted effective tax rate as U.S. GAAP Effective tax rate adjusted for the tax effects on special item adjustments including amortization, restructuring expenses and operating model optimization initiatives, Separation-related costs, conversion of stock-based awards, Founder Shares, impairment charges other than the Dr.Ci:Labo^® asset impairment, litigation expense, losses on investments, and interest income from a related party note. We also exclude taxes related to the Deferred Markets, taxes related to the Dr.Ci:Labo^® asset impairment charges, certain one-time tax only adjustments which includes the removal of tax effects from the carve-out methodology and the impact of the interest expense from the debt issuance, which reduced the Company’s capacity to utilize foreign tax credits against U.S. foreign source income. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors as it provides a supplemental measure of the Company’s performance over time.

Adjusted gross profit margin: We define Adjusted gross profit margin as U.S. GAAP Gross profit margin adjusted for amortization, Separation-related costs, conversion of stock-based awards, Founder Shares, and operating model optimization initiatives. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors as it provides a supplemental perspective to the Company’s operating efficiency over time.

Adjusted net income: We define Adjusted net income as U.S. GAAP Net income adjusted for amortization, restructuring expenses and operating model optimization initiatives, Separation-related costs, conversion of stock-based awards, Founder Shares, impairment charges, the impact of the Deferred Markets, litigation expense, losses on investments, interest income from a related party note, and their related tax impacts (i.e. special items). Adjusted net income excludes the impact of items that may obscure trends in our underlying performance. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors as the Company uses Adjusted net income for strategic decision making, forecasting future results, and evaluating current performance.

Adjusted operating income: We define Adjusted operating income as U.S. GAAP Operating income adjusted for amortization, restructuring expenses and operating model optimization initiatives, Separation-related costs, conversion of stock-based awards, Founder Shares, impairment charges, the impact of the Deferred Markets, and litigation expense. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors as management uses Adjusted operating income to assess the Company’s financial performance.

Adjusted operating income margin: We define Adjusted operating income margin as Adjusted operating income as a percentage of Net sales. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors as it provides a supplemental perspective to the Company’s operating efficiency over time.

Free cash flow: We define Free cash flow as U.S. GAAP Net cash flows from operating activities adjusted for Purchases of property, plant, and equipment. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors as it provides a view of the Company’s liquidity after deducting capital expenditures, which are considered a necessary component of our ongoing operations.

Organic growth: We define Organic growth as the period-over-period change in U.S. GAAP Net sales excluding the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and the impact of acquisitions and divestitures. Management believes Organic growth provides investors with additional, supplemental information that is useful in assessing the Company’s results of operations by excluding the impact of certain items that we believe do not directly reflect our underlying operations.

The non-GAAP measures as presented herein have been prepared as if our operations had been conducted independently from Johnson & Johnson prior to May 4, 2023, the date Kenvue’s common stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange, and therefore they include certain Johnson & Johnson corporate and shared costs allocated to us. Management believes the cost allocations are a reasonable reflection of the utilization of services provided to, or the benefit derived by, us during the periods presented, though the allocations may not be indicative of the actual costs that would have been incurred if we had been operating as a standalone company.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, statements about management’s expectations of Kenvue’s future operating and financial performance, product development, market position and business strategy. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “plans,” “expects,” “will,” “anticipates,” “estimates” and other words of similar meaning. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Kenvue and its affiliates. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the inability to execute on Kenvue’s business development strategy; economic factors, such as interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the ability to successfully manage local, regional or global economic volatility, including reduced market growth rates, and to generate sufficient income and cash flow to allow Kenvue to effect any expected share repurchases and dividend payments; Kenvue’s ability to access capital markets and maintain satisfactory credit ratings, which could adversely affect its liquidity, capital position and borrowing costs; competition, including technological advances, new products and intellectual property attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product research and development; uncertainty of commercial success for new and existing products and digital capabilities; challenges to intellectual property protections including counterfeiting; the ability of Kenvue to successfully execute strategic plans, including Our Vue Forward and other restructuring initiatives; the impact of business combinations and divestitures, including any ongoing or future transactions; manufacturing difficulties or delays, internally or within the supply chain; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; significant adverse litigation or government action, including related to product liability claims; changes to applicable laws and regulations and other requirements imposed by stakeholders; changes in behavior and spending patterns of consumers; natural disasters, acts of war (including the Russia-Ukraine War and conflicts in the Middle East) or terrorism, catastrophes, or epidemics, pandemics, or other disease outbreaks; financial instability of international economies and legal systems and sovereign risk; the inability to realize the benefits of the separation from Kenvue’s former parent, Johnson & Johnson; and the risk of disruption or unanticipated costs in connection with the separation. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Kenvue’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings, available at www.kenvue.com or on request from Kenvue. Any forward-looking statement made in this release speaks only as of the date of this release. Kenvue undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or developments or otherwise.

Contacts

Investor Relations:
Jim Giannakouros, CFA
kenvue_IR@kenvue.com

Media Relations:
Melissa Witt
media@kenvue.com

Kenvue Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations

(Unaudited; In Millions Except Per Share Data)

Non-GAAP Financial Information
Organic Growth

The following tables present a reconciliation of the change in Net sales, as reported, to Organic growth for the periods presented:

⁽¹⁾ Acquisitions and divestitures did not materially impact the reported Net sales change.
⁽²⁾ Non-GAAP financial measure. Excludes the impact of foreign currency exchange and the impact of Acquisitions and divestitures.
⁽³⁾ Price/Mix reflects value realization.

Total Segment Net Sales and Adjusted Operating Income

Segment Net sales and Adjusted operating income for the periods presented were as follows:

⁽¹⁾ For the second fiscal quarter of 2024, the Company adjusted the allocation for certain Research & development costs within Selling, general, and administrative expenses to align with segment financial results as measured by the Company, including the chief operating decision maker (the “CODM”). Accordingly, the Company has updated its segment disclosures to reflect the updated presentation in all prior periods. Total Adjusted operating income did not change as a result of this update.
⁽²⁾ Includes the provision for taxes and minority interest expense related to Deferred Markets recognized within Other operating expense (income), net, which are payable to Johnson & Johnson through interim agreements until these Deferred Markets can be transferred to the Company. Deferred Markets are local businesses in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions in which the transfer from Johnson & Johnson of certain assets and liabilities were deferred in order to ensure compliance with applicable law, to obtain necessary governmental approvals and other consents, and for other business reasons.
⁽³⁾ Costs incurred in connection with our establishment as a standalone public company are defined as “Separation-related costs.”

The following tables present reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP for the periods presented:

The following tables present reconciliations of the Effective tax rate, as reported, to Adjusted effective tax rate for the periods presented:

The following table presents a reconciliation of Effective tax rate, as forecasted on a U.S. GAAP basis, to forecasted Adjusted effective tax rate for fiscal year 2024:

The following table presents a reconciliation of Diluted earnings per share, as reported, to Adjusted diluted earnings per share for the periods presented:

The following table presents a reconciliation of Net cash flows from operating activities, as reported, and Purchases of property, plant, and equipment, as reported, to Free cash flow for the periods presented:

Other Supplemental Financial Information

The following table presents the Company’s Net sales by Geographic Region for the periods presented:

The following table presents the Company’s Research and development expenses for the periods presented. Research and development expenses are included within Selling, general, and administrative expenses.

The following table presents the Company’s Cash and cash equivalents, Total debt and Net debt balance as of the periods presented: