Kenvue's 2023 Performance and 2024 Objectives Unveiled

2024-03-05

Kenvue, a prominent player in the consumer goods sector, recently conducted its fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 earnings conference call. The meeting was graced by key figures like Tina Romani, the head of investor relations, Thibaut Mongon, the CEO, and Paul Ruh, the CFO.

At the onset of the call, Tina Romani issued a cautionary statement, emphasizing that forward-looking statements were part of the discussion and subject to risks and uncertainties. She also pointed out the presentation of non-GAAP financial information, advising it be considered alongside the most comparable GAAP financial measure.

The CEO, Thibaut Mongon, delineated Kenvue's three primary objectives for 2024. These objectives encompassed expanding consumer reach with a focus on priority brands, reallocating resources to support brands, and fostering a culture that recognizes performance and impact. He also underscored 2023 as a year of significant transformation for Kenvue, marked by successful growth and the company's transition to an independent public entity. Kenvue achieved a commendable 5% organic growth across all segments, regions, and product categories.

While the Self Care segment exhibited robust performance, registering an 8.4% organic growth, the Skin Health and Beauty segments fell short by 1.8% due to specific in-store execution missteps in the U.S. Nonetheless, Kenvue bolstered gross margins in 2023 through revenue management initiatives and supply chain enhancements.

The company leveraged its robust free cash flow to introduce a dividend program, honoring its commitment to shareholders. Regions like EMEA and Latin America showcased strong performance in the Skin Health and Beauty segments, with successful ventures such as the introduction of Neutrogena Hydro Boost in Germany and the prosperous launch of Hydro Boost refills in Latin America.

However, challenges surfaced in China and the U.S. concerning consumer demand. Subdued consumer demand in China and subpar execution of an ambitious fourth-quarter recovery plan in the U.S. impacted the company's performance. To counter these hurdles, Kenvue intends to monitor consumer sentiment in China and adjust investments accordingly, while in the U.S., the focus is on enhancing in-store execution and stabilizing the Skin Health business.

In terms of the Self Care portfolio, Kenvue witnessed robust performance in categories like analgesics, allergy, digestive health, and smoking cessation. Adult Tylenol continued its market share ascent in the U.S. with 78 consecutive weeks of growth, and Oral Care in the Essential Health segment saw an 8% increase. Listerine experienced 21 weeks of double-digit consumption growth in the U.S. market.

Looking forward to 2024, Kenvue's primary areas of focus include implementing a new integrated business planning process, fostering a culture that rewards performance and impact, introducing a new performance management plan, and streamlining decision-making throughout the organization. The company anticipates organic growth in the range of 2% to 4% in 2024 and plans to boost advertising spending by approximately 15%.

In conclusion, Kenvue's earnings conference call addressed crucial topics such as the company's performance in 2023, key objectives for 2024, challenges encountered in various regions, strategies for improvement, and investment plans. The call provided valuable insights into Kenvue's operations and its future endeavors for growth and profitability.