New York, Feb 21, 2026, 15:16 (EST) — Market closed.
- Procter & Gamble shares closed Friday at $160.78, up about 1.4%.
- Executives flagged “sequential improvement” in the back half of fiscal 2026 and pointed to Tide Evo’s rollout.
- Traders next watch Tuesday’s U.S. consumer confidence report for clues on demand.
Procter & Gamble’s shares closed up 1.4% on Friday at $160.78, giving the household-products maker a firmer finish into the weekend. The stock traded between $158.15 and $161.05 and volume was about 11.5 million shares, according to market data.
U.S. stock markets are shut on Saturday, but P&G will be in focus when trading resumes on Monday as investors weigh whether to keep hiding in consumer staples. For a company that sells diapers and detergent, small shifts in volume and pricing can read like a mood ring for cautious shoppers.
The management backdrop has also changed. A company press release said longtime executive Shailesh Jejurikar would take over as chief executive on Jan. 1, with Jon Moeller moving to executive chairman. (SEC)
At the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference (CAGNY) on Feb. 19, Jejurikar said Tide’s core liquid detergent “has gone from declining to double-digit growth” in the past three months and called Tide Evo “the biggest innovation in laundry,” with a national expansion expected in stores “in the coming weeks.” CFO Andre Schulten told the same session the company expects “sequential improvement in the second half” of fiscal 2026, even as global value share was down 20 basis points — 0.2 percentage point. In a separate segment, Chief Information Officer Seth Cohen said “AI without data is just A,” arguing that P&G’s data platforms let it scale automation across its value chain. (Investing)
The company last gave investors hard numbers on Jan. 22, when it reported fiscal second-quarter net sales of $22.2 billion, up 1%, while organic sales — excluding currency swings and acquisitions — were flat as higher pricing offset a 1% unit volume decline. P&G kept its fiscal 2026 forecast for organic sales at flat to up 4% and core earnings per share at $6.83 to $7.09, and said it expects about $10 billion in dividends and about $5 billion in share repurchases. (Procter & Gamble)
At Friday’s close, P&G was about 11% below its 52-week high of $179.99 and about 17% above its 52-week low of $137.63. Markets Insider put the dividend yield around 2.6%, with the trailing P/E in the mid‑20s. (Businessinsider)
The broader sector was calmer. The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) edged up about 0.2% on Friday, while the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) added around 0.7%.
Rates remain the wild card. The Bureau of Economic Analysis said a delayed Personal Income and Outlays report showed the PCE price index rose 0.4% in December and the core measure — excluding food and energy — also rose 0.4%; the agency said the report had been rescheduled due to a lapse in government funding. (Bureau of Economic Analysis)
But the defensive trade can unwind fast if inflation proves sticky or if shoppers trade down harder and force more promotions. P&G is counting on product upgrades and sharper marketing to offset softer volume and a tough competitive set; the timing is the part traders keep poking at.
Investors get another consumer check next week. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence report is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. ET. (Conference Board)
