Kenvue mulls sale of some skin health and beauty brands, sources say
The company, which was spun out of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), opens new tab in 2023, is zeroing in on smaller brands in the unit to sell such as Clean & Clear, Maui Moisture, Neostrata, its German baby care brand Bebe, and Japanese brand Dr.Ci:Labo, the sources said.
It plans to hold onto the bigger names in the unit, such as Neutrogena and Aveeno, the sources said. There are about a dozen brands in the skin health and beauty unit, and sources cautioned that the divestiture package could change and no deal was guaranteed.
Investment bankers at Goldman Sachs (GS.N), opens new tab are working with Kenvue on the divestment process, they added.
Kenvue and Goldman declined to comment.
The around half-dozen brands earmarked for sale would generate more than $500 million of revenue together, two of the sources said, a small portion of Kenvue's overall revenue, which was $15.5 billion in 2024.
The skin health and beauty unit has been a drag on Kenvue's earnings, but the company has dedicated more money to marketing, especially on Neutrogena ad campaigns. The unit's organic sales declined 4.8% year-over-year in Kenvue's latest quarter that ended March 30.
Kenvue, which also makes Tylenol and Band-Aids, has faced activist pressure over the last year from Starboard Value, Toms Capital Management and Third Point. It settled with Starboard in March, when it added the investment firm's founder to its board.
Some of the activists have been pushing the company to consider selling itself or certain brands.
In May, the company brought on new Chief Financial Officer Amit Banati from Kellanova(K.N), opens new tab
, Kellogg's spun-out snacking unit.
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