Essity stock week: resilient Q3 cash flow meets margin pressure
Published on 10/31/2026 at 10:47 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSEssity balances growth and cost pressure
- Third-quarter sales rose while organic growth remained slightly negative.
- Strong operating cash flow supported Essity's financial resilience despite lower adjusted profitability.
- The company is advancing a Brazilian feminine-care acquisition and reviewing strategic options for Consumer Tissue.
Essity reported stable third-quarter volumes, resilient profitability and strong cash flow on October 22, while a new sustainability ranking and a share-class conversion added company-specific developments during the week. The results point to solid cash generation, but also to continued pressure on margins and organic growth.
Cash flow offsets margin pressure
According to PR Newswire, Essity's third-quarter net sales increased 4.1 percent to SEK 36.06 billion. Organic sales growth was negative 0.3 percent, with volume down 0.1 percent and price and mix down 0.2 percent.
Adjusted EBITA excluding items affecting comparability reached SEK 4.725 billion, while the corresponding margin declined to 13.1 percent from 14.6 percent a year earlier. Operating cash flow rose to SEK 5.783 billion from SEK 5.324 billion. The figures show that cash generation remained a strength even as cost headwinds weighed on profitability.
Portfolio moves remain in focus
Essity said it had agreed to acquire Kenvue's feminine-care business in Brazil, with completion expected in the second quarter of 2027 subject to regulatory approval. The company is also assessing whether Consumer Tissue should remain part of Essity or be separated, with the aim of identifying the alternative offering the strongest long-term value creation.
On October 28, Essity received an EcoVadis Platinum medal and raised its score to 90 from 88 in 2025, according to Nasdaq Stockholm's investor news. The result placed Essity among the top 1 percent of companies assessed by EcoVadis worldwide over the previous 12 months.
Share structure and trading context
Essity said on October 30 that shareholders had converted 200 Class A shares into Class B shares during October. The conversion reduced the total number of votes but did not change the total number of registered shares.
Essity stock traded at 25.48 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 10:44 CET on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Investors can follow the real-time quote of Essity stock during weekend trading.
Essity B stock at a glance
- Company: Essity AB
- ISIN: SE0009922164
- Trading venue: Lang & Schwarz
- Quote: 25.48 euros on October 31, 2026, at 10:44 CET
The OMXS30 provides the broader Swedish equity-market context.
For more company-specific developments, see More news and analyses on Essity stock.
