Church & Dwight (NYSE:CHD) Shares Gap Up Following Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Shares of Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (NYSE:CHD) gapped up before the market opened on Friday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock had previously closed at $91.96, but opened at $96.46. Church & Dwight shares last traded at $95.2420, with a volume of 217,915 shares changing hands.

The company reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.84 by $0.02. Church & Dwight had a net margin of 12.74% and a return on equity of 19.32%. The business had revenue of $1.64 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.64 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.76 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. Church & Dwight has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.710-3.810 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.920-0.920 EPS.

Church & Dwight Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a dividend of $0.3075 per share. This represents a $1.23 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.3%. This is a boost from Church & Dwight’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Church & Dwight’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 37.11%.

Church & Dwight News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Church & Dwight this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results: non-GAAP EPS of $0.86 beat consensus ($0.84); revenue roughly in line at $1.64B and full‑year 2025 net sales modestly ahead of company outlook — core profitability improved, supporting investor confidence. Church & Dwight tops quarterly profit estimates on stable demand for household staples
• Positive Sentiment: International growth and margin expansion helped drive the beat; management highlighted market‑share gains across the global portfolio and raised the dividend — these operational positives support upside despite tougher consumer categories. Church & Dwight Rides International Growth To Q4 Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction also reflected commentary on steady organic sales and an upbeat long‑term outlook from investors/analysts; at least one sell‑side firm reaffirmed a Buy rating after the results. Reaffirming a Buy on Church & Dwight: Solid Q4 Beat, Upbeat 2026 Outlook, and Attractive Valuation Support Continued Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: Company materials and investor‑day slides were posted for analysts and investors, providing finer detail on product strategy and margin initiatives — useful for longer‑term thesis but less likely to drive immediate price moves. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) Analyst/Investor Day – Slideshow
• Neutral Sentiment: Full press release and conference‑call materials are available for review, offering management’s narrative on 2025 performance and the 2026 outlook. Church & Dwight Reports Q4 2025 and 2025 Results and Provides 2026 Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Softer near‑term profit guide: Q1 EPS was guided to $0.92 (below the ~$0.96 consensus) and FY‑2026 EPS was set at $3.71–3.81 (around or slightly below consensus), which introduces near‑term downside risk if consumer softness persists.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have commented on CHD shares. Citigroup raised Church & Dwight from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $85.00 to $87.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $100.00 price target (down previously from $102.00) on shares of Church & Dwight in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $92.00 target price on shares of Church & Dwight and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Church & Dwight from $120.00 to $105.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Argus lowered their price target on Church & Dwight from $110.00 to $102.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $98.85.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Church & Dwight

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CHD. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR lifted its stake in Church & Dwight by 97.1% during the 3rd quarter. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR now owns 34,811 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,050,000 after acquiring an additional 17,145 shares during the period. Boston Trust Walden Corp raised its holdings in shares of Church & Dwight by 7.8% during the second quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 201,620 shares of the company’s stock worth $19,378,000 after purchasing an additional 14,523 shares during the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Church & Dwight by 5.7% during the second quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 521,963 shares of the company’s stock worth $50,166,000 after purchasing an additional 28,201 shares during the last quarter. Vest Financial LLC lifted its position in Church & Dwight by 7.8% during the third quarter. Vest Financial LLC now owns 563,653 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,393,000 after purchasing an additional 40,634 shares during the period. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in Church & Dwight by 7.4% in the second quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 141,362 shares of the company’s stock valued at $13,586,000 after purchasing an additional 9,795 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.60% of the company’s stock.

Church & Dwight Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $86.47 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $88.89. The company has a market capitalization of $23.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.28, a P/E/G ratio of 4.30 and a beta of 0.46.

About Church & Dwight

Church & Dwight Co, Inc is a U.S.-based consumer products company best known for its Arm & Hammer baking soda business. Founded in 1846 with the manufacture and marketing of sodium bicarbonate, the company has grown into a diversified maker and marketer of household, personal care and specialty products. Church & Dwight is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CHD and is headquartered in Ewing, New Jersey.

The company’s portfolio spans a range of categories including household cleaning and laundry, oral care, personal care, sexual wellness and health & wellness.