Essity announced a significant expansion of its personal care portfolio with an agreement to acquire Edgewell Personal Care’s feminine care business in North America, including the Carefree, Stayfree, and o.b. brands, as well as global feminine care rights to Playtex.
The $340 million transaction, conducted on a cash- and debt-free basis, strengthens Essity’s position in the United States, which remains the largest hygiene market globally. The deal aligns with the company’s strategy to intensify its focus on high-margin categories and enhance its footprint in priority geographies.
The acquisition encompasses Edgewell’s feminine care portfolio, which includes liners, pads, and tampons, across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. It also consists of a central production facility located in Dover, Delaware. Essity plans to integrate the portfolio into its growing global feminine care platform that already includes prominent regional brands such as Libresse, Bodyform, Nana, Saba, Libra, and Nosotras. These brands collectively cover a wide spectrum of products, including pads, liners, tampons, intimate soaps, intimate wipes, leakproof apparel, and menstrual cups.
Financially, the transaction reflects an EBITDA multiple of approximately 12.1x per June 30, 2025, on a pro forma IFRS basis, or 8.3x when factoring in estimated run-rate synergies. For the twelve months ending June 30, 2025, the acquired business generated $261 million in net sales and $17 million in segment operating profit. The business employs roughly 500 people, including approximately 450 who work at the Dover production facility.
The transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. Essity anticipates that the acquisition will accelerate its growth trajectory in North America and support its ambition to strengthen its leadership across feminine care categories worldwide.
KEY QUOTES:
“I´m looking forward to further grow these well-known brands, using our established recipe for success within Feminine Care. With this acquisition we are building a stronger personal care business in North America, in line with our strategy to focus on high yielding categories in attractive geographies.”
Ulrika Kolsrud, President And CEO Of Essity
