Edgewell Personal Care Completes the Sale of its Feminine Care
Business to Essity for $340M
The acquisition includes Carefree, Stayfree and o.b. brands in
North America and global feminine care rights for the Playtex
brand.
SHELTON, Conn., Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Edgewell Personal
Care Company (NYSE: EPC) today announced that it has completed
the sale of its feminine care business to Essity, a leading
global health and hygiene company based in Sweden, for $340
million. Edgewell intends to use the net proceeds from the sale,
after taxes and transaction costs, primarily to strengthen its
balance sheet and pay down the balance of U.S. revolving credit
facility while continuing to invest in the long-term growth of
its core businesses.
“Completing the sale of our Feminine Care business is a pivotal
step in Edgewell’s transformation. By simplifying our portfolio
and focusing our resources on shave, sun and skin care, and
grooming, we are positioning Edgewell to be a more focused, agile
and durable personal care company,” said Edgewell President and
CEO Rod Little. “The proceeds from this transaction will
strengthen our balance sheet, support debt reduction and
reinvestment behind our core brands and innovation pipeline, as
we look to drive sustainable growth and long‑term value for
shareholders, while our Feminine Care colleagues gain new
opportunities as part of Essity, a global leader in health and
hygiene.”
Edgewell expects to work closely with Essity to ensure a smooth
transition for employees, customers, and consumers of the
Feminine Care business. The Company and Essity entered into a
Transition Services Agreement to provide certain support services
in the areas of accounting, information technology, quality
assurance, operations and supply chain, and sales for a period of
at least one year from the closing of the transaction.
The Company will provide unaudited condensed consolidated
financial information prepared in accordance with Article 11 of
Regulation S-X to reflect the sale of the Feminine Care business
as a discontinued operation. This pro forma condensed
consolidated financial information is expected to be made
available to investors in a Current Report on Form 8-K on or
before February 6, 2026, while additional supplemental financial
information will be provided during the Company’s First Quarter
Fiscal 2026 earnings call on February 9, 2026.
The purchase price for the assets amounts to $340 million
(approximately SEK 3bn) on a cash and debt-free basis. The
company said its acquisition supports Essity’s strategy to focus
on high margin categories and to grow market positions in the
United States, the world’s largest hygiene market.
The completed asset deal includes a broad product portfolio of
liners, pads and tampons under well-known brands in the United
States, Canada and the Caribbean as well as a production facility
in Dover, Del.
The M&A market for healthcare companies continues to build on STRATEGIC opportunities and a fragmented market. Consolidations along with unprecedented demand are driving scale across the continuum of care. The strategic corporate buyers and private equity investors remain committed to acquiring strong businesses that are well prepared for a transaction. Across the continuum of care, these buyers and investors are looking for well established, profitable businesses and offering prime valuations and options for management.
Do you know the current market value of your business? We do! We are here to help you plan, prepare, explore and succeed in executing your strategic options.
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