Kimberly Clark Corporation
The Corporation is principally engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of a
wide range of health and hygiene products around the world. Most of these products
are made from natural or synthetic fibers using advanced technologies in fibers,
nonwovens and absorbency.
The Corporation is organized into operating segments based on product groupings.
These operating segments have been aggregated into three reportable global business
segments: Personal Care; Consumer Tissue; and Business-to-Business. Each reportable
segment is headed by an executive officer who reports to the Chief Executive
Officer and is responsible for the development and execution of global strategies
to drive growth and profitability of the Corporation's worldwide personal care,
consumer tissue and business-to-business operations.
Products for household use are sold directly, and through wholesalers, to supermarkets,
mass merchandisers, drugstores, warehouse clubs, variety and department stores
and other retail outlets. Products for away-from-home use are sold through distributors
and directly to manufacturing, lodging, office building, food service and health
care establishments and other high volume public facilities. Health care products
are primarily sold to distributors, converters and end-users. Paper products
are sold directly to users, converters, manufacturers, publishers and printers,
and through paper merchants, brokers, sales agents and other resale agencies.
Paper products are being evaluated as part of the Pulp and Paper Spin-Off described
above in Recent Developments.
Competitive Environment.'The Corporation experiences intense competition for
sales of its principal products in its major markets, both domestically and
internationally. The Corporation's products compete with widely advertised,
well-known, branded products, as well as private label products, which are typically
sold at lower prices. The Corporation has several major competitors in most
of its markets, some of which are larger and more diversified than the Corporation.
The principal methods and elements of competition include brand recognition
and loyalty, product innovation, quality and performance, price, and marketing
and distribution capabilities. Inherent risks in the Corporation's competitive
strategy include uncertainties concerning trade and consumer acceptance, the
effects of recent consolidations of retailers and distribution channels, and
competitive reaction. Aggressive competitive reaction may lead to increased
advertising and promotional spending by the Corporation in order to maintain
market share. Increased competition with respect to pricing would reduce revenue
and could have an adverse impact on the Corporation's financial results. In
addition, the Corporation relies on the development and introduction of new
or improved products as a means of achieving and/or maintaining category leadership.
In order to maintain its competitive position, the Corporation must develop
technology to support its products.