Yield Theory

Consumer Staples stock comparison

KVUE vs MKC: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare Kenvue Inc. with McCormick & Company, Incorporated using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
Sector
Consumer
Industry
Different SIC
Shared themes
1
Updated
2026-02-20

KVUE vs MKC: quick comparison

Company factKVUEMKC
CompanyKenvue Inc.McCormick & Company, Incorporated
ExchangeNYSENYSE
SEC industryPerfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet PreparationsMiscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products
Fiscal year-endJanuary 3November 30
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-2010-K · 2026-01-22

KVUE vs MKC: audited financials

KVUE reported about 2.2× the revenue of MKC in the latest audited fiscal year. On profitability, MKC converted a larger share of revenue into net income (11.5% versus 9.7%). Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.

MetricKVUEMKC
Revenue$15.1B$6.8B
Net income$1.5B$789M
Operating cash flow$2.2B$962M
Diluted EPS$0.76$2.93
Net margin9.7%11.5%

KVUE: FY ending 2025-12-28 · MKC: FY ending 2025-11-30. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

How the businesses differ

Why this pair belongs in the comparison set

KVUE and MKC have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained International markets research theme inside the Consumer Staples sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.

Kenvue Inc. (KVUE)

Kenvue makes consumer-health brands including Tylenol, Band-Aid, Listerine, and Neutrogena.

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC)

McCormick makes spices, seasonings, and flavorings for retail consumers and food manufacturers.

The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. KVUE is classified by the SEC as Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations, while MKC is classified as Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.

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The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $15 a month.

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Which thesis does each company fit?

Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.

Study KVUE when…

  • Input-cost inflation and pricing power
  • Private-label competition and volume trends
  • Currency, given large international revenue
  • Defensive rotation when growth slows

Study MKC when…

  • Input-cost inflation and pricing power
  • Private-label competition and volume trends
  • Currency, given large international revenue
  • Defensive rotation when growth slows

Shared research themes

International markets

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.KVUE's fiscal year ends January 3, while MKC's ends November 30. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 19matched transaction rows for KVUEand 11 for MKC. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

KVUE vs MKC FAQs

Are KVUE and MKC direct competitors?

Kenvue Inc. and McCormick & Company, Incorporated sit in the same Consumer Staples sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.

Which is better, KVUE or MKC?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this KVUE vs MKC comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Kenvue Inc. and McCormick & Company, Incorporated tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-09-25. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-25. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

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