Founded in 1846, Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) is a leading U.S. consumer products company best known as the country’s largest producer of sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda. The company offers a diverse portfolio spanning household essentials, personal care, health and wellness, and specialty products, with popular brands including Arm & Hammer, Trojan, OxiClean, First Response, Nair, Orajel, Xtra, Batiste, Waterpik, Zicam, TheraBreath, Hero, Touchland, and Miss Mouth’s.
Through its extensive brand portfolio and presence across everyday consumer categories, Church & Dwight serves a broad range of household and personal care needs. Currently valued at a market capitalization of about $24.91 billion, Church & Dwight is all set to lift the curtains on its fiscal 2026 third-quarter earnings report before the market opens on Friday, Oct. 30.
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Ahead of its earnings report, Wall Street expects Church & Dwight’s earnings to come in at $0.90 per share, marking an 11.1% increase from the year-ago quarter. The company also has a solid track record of delivering against expectations, having beaten earnings estimates in three of the past four quarters and matched them on the remaining occasion.
Looking further ahead, analysts expect CHD’s earnings growth to remain steady. Fiscal 2026 earnings per share (EPS) are projected to rise 7.1% year over year to $3.78, followed by another 6.6% increase to $4.03 in fiscal 2027.
www.barchart.com Church & Dwight has performed well over the past year. Its shares have climbed 19% over the past 12 months, comfortably ahead of the S&P 500 Index ($SPX), which is up 15.2%. The stock has also left the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) in the dust, as the sector fund has gained just 9.9% over the same stretch.
www.barchart.com Church & Dwight’s defensive, low-beta profile has helped its shares remain resilient over the past year, backed by steady demand for its consumer staples portfolio. The company’s fiscal 2026 second-quarter results, released on July 31, offered further signs of operational progress. Net sales increased 1.6% year over year to $1.53 billion, while organic sales climbed a stronger 5.8%.
Growth across key power brands, including TheraBreath, Hero, and Batiste, stood out in both domestic and international markets, helping offset inflationary pressures and higher transportation costs. Church & Dwight also strengthened its profitability, expanding its adjusted gross margin by 40 basis points to 45.4%, supported by productivity improvements and a favorable product mix.
However, increased marketing investments and higher selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses put some pressure on operating income. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.89, in line with Wall Street expectations, underscoring the company’s ability to deliver steady results despite a challenging cost environment.
Wall Street’s outlook on CHD remains cautiously upbeat, though analysts are divided on the stock’s next move. Among the 20 analysts covering Church & Dwight, eight recommend a “Strong Buy,” two assign a “Moderate Buy,” nine maintain a “Hold,” and one issues a “Strong Sell,” resulting in an overall “Moderate Buy” consensus rating. With an average price target of $106.58 pointing to only modest upside from current levels, the Street-high target of $115 offers a more optimistic scenario, suggesting potential gains of up to 9.5%.
On the date of publication, Anushka Mukherji did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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