New York, February 18, 2026, 14:21 EST — Regular session
Shares of Procter & Gamble (PG) slipped around 2% Wednesday, losing $3.20 to trade at $156.35 as of 2:06 p.m. EST. The stock earlier reached $155.79. On Tuesday, PG finished at $159.55.
Consumer-staples heavyweight took a hit, forced onto the back foot while big tech pushed the broader U.S. market higher and cash shuffled between sectors. Treasury yields crept higher; traders are still trying to gauge what the Fed does next on rates. (AP News)
The Federal Reserve’s Jan. 27–28 meeting minutes dropped at 2:00 p.m. EST and revealed a split among policymakers, with several expressing concern that inflation might linger and force more tightening. According to Reuters, uncertainty over the timing—or likelihood—of a rate cut this year is still swirling among investors. That debate has been weighing on dividend-rich “defensive” names like P&G. (Reuters)
On the flip side, Erste Group bumped P&G up to a “buy” from “hold.” Analyst Hans Engel pointed to the stock’s relative appeal, saying, “The stock is attractively valued in terms of the P/E ratio compared with the sector as a whole.” (That’s price-to-earnings, a basic metric matching share price to profit.) (Investing)
Insider moves caught some attention as well. According to a Form 4 filed with the SEC, Chief Research, Development & Innovation Officer Victor Javier Aguilar Moses exercised his options and sold 15,169 shares on Feb. 13, fetching a weighted average price of $162.2789 per share. (Securities and Exchange Commission)
P&G shares posted a steeper decline compared to the broader consumer staples group. The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF slipped roughly 0.3%. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 tracker SPY gained about 0.6%. Unilever’s U.S. shares dropped over 2%, Colgate registered a slight dip, and Kimberly-Clark climbed close to 2%.
The company dropped some brand news late Tuesday. Tide, its flagship laundry brand, is rolling out “Tide evo” nationwide—a 100% concentrated, waterless detergent “tile” that’s designed to activate instantly in cold water. The product ships in paper packaging, not plastic bottles. “Tide evo represents over ten years of innovation and product development,” said Marchoe Northern, president of P&G Fabric Care. (Procter & Gamble)
Still, product headlines only skim the surface of P&G’s wider story: questions linger over whether shoppers will stick with cheaper options and what the Fed plans for rates. If yields push higher, investors typically want better returns from reliable dividend stocks, and even those “safe” plays can see their prices shift quickly.
Procter & Gamble lands a Thursday, Feb. 19, 9:00 a.m. slot on the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference agenda in New York. Investors will be tuning in for any fresh signals on demand trends and updates to the company’s outlook. (Consumeranalystgroupny)
