Essity AB (publ) Q3 2026 Earnings Recap

Essity’s Q3 performance was broadly stable, with higher prices offsetting cost pressure and weaker areas. The stock was unchanged after earnings, consistent with a mixed quarter rather than a clear positive or negative surprise.

Key Takeaways

• Group volumes were stable overall: growth in higher-margin categories and segments was offset by declines in contracting markets.
• Costs rose following the situation in the Middle East; Essity implemented price increases, with prices higher sequentially in Q3 versus Q2 across all four business areas.
• Personal Care branded market shares increased across all three categories. Incontinence Care and Feminine Care delivered higher sales and volume growth, while Baby Care sales and volumes declined, affected by retailer-brand performance.
• Health & Medical grew in incontinence care and medical, driven by higher prices and stable volumes; Wound Care and North America were highlighted as areas of continued growth.
• Essity announced an agreement to acquire the Brazilian Feminine Care brands o.b., Sempre Livre and Carefree, with closing expected by Q2 2027. In North America, it implemented a new sales model for its Feminine Care business without reported disruption and said margins were improving step by step.