Kimberly-Clark Corporation stock research
FY2023 Q4
Kimberly-Clark (KMB) Gross Margin — Quarter Ended Dec 31, 2023
Revenue and cost of revenue both decreased compared to the prior quarter and the same quarter last year, while gross profit declined less sharply, resulting in a higher gross margin. The gross margin improved relative to both comparison periods, driven by a proportionally larger reduction in cost of revenue relative to revenue.
Gross margin takeaway
Quarter ended Dec 31, 2023 · FY2023 Q4
Revenue and cost of revenue both decreased compared to the prior quarter and the same quarter last year, while gross profit declined less sharply, resulting in a higher gross margin. The gross margin improved relative to both comparison periods, driven by a proportionally larger reduction in cost of revenue relative to revenue.
- The strongest observable margin driver is the change in cost of revenue, which decreased more than revenue on a relative basis, supporting gross margin expansion.
- Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, gross margin was higher; compared to the same quarter one year earlier, gross margin was also higher. Revenue and cost of revenue were lower in both comparisons, while gross profit was lower versus the prior quarter but higher versus the year-ago quarter.
Gross margin snapshot
The selected quarter's reported revenue, gross profit, direct costs, and margin comparisons.
Gross margin
57.8%
Gross profit
$974.0M
Revenue
$1.7B
Cost of revenue
$711.0M
Quarter-over-quarter change
+22.0 pts
Year-over-year change
+25.0 pts
Quarterly gross margin trend
A four-quarter view of the revenue and direct-cost bridge behind gross margin.
| Period | Revenue | Gross profit | Cost of revenue | Gross margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2023 | $5.2B | $1.7B | $3.5B | 33.2% |
| Jun 30, 2023 | $5.1B | $1.7B | $3.4B | 33.7% |
| Sep 30, 2023 | $5.1B | $1.8B | $3.3B | 35.8% |
| Dec 31, 2023 | $1.7B | $974.0M | $711.0M | 57.8% |
Quarterly comparisons
Compare the selected margin with the preceding quarter and the same fiscal quarter one year earlier.
Previous-quarter change
Sep 30, 2023
+22.0 pts
Year-over-year change
Dec 31, 2022
+25.0 pts
What the margin says
Filing-constrained interpretation of margin direction, comparisons, and what to monitor next.
The strongest observable margin driver is the change in cost of revenue, which decreased more than revenue on a relative basis, supporting gross margin expansion.
Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, gross margin was higher; compared to the same quarter one year earlier, gross margin was also higher. Revenue and cost of revenue were lower in both comparisons, while gross profit was lower versus the prior quarter but higher versus the year-ago quarter.
Monitor the trajectory of cost of revenue relative to revenue in upcoming quarters to assess whether the margin improvement is sustained.