Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

What does Henkel own?
Henkel owns a comprehensive portfolio of brands across two business units. Adhesive Technologies brands include Loctite, Technomelt, Bonderite, and Pritt. Consumer Brands include Persil (laundry detergent), Schwarzkopf (hair care), Dial (soap and body wash), Purex (laundry), All (laundry), Snuggle (fabric softener), Perwoll (premium laundry care), and got2b (hair styling). The company serves customers in over 100 countries.

Is Henkel publicly traded?
Yes, Henkel trades on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under ticker HEN3 and is included in the DAX index of the 40 largest German companies. The company is organized as a KGaA (Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien). The Henkel family maintains a controlling stake through a pooled shareholding arrangement that gives them majority voting rights.

What is Henkel's revenue?
Henkel reported FY2025 sales of €20,495 million (approximately €20.5 billion), with organic growth of 0.9%. Nominal sales declined 5.1% due to negative currency effects (-4.2%) and portfolio measures (-1.7%). Adjusted EBIT was €3,026 million with an adjusted EBIT margin of 14.8% (up 50 bps). Adjusted EPS was €5.33, up 4.7% at constant exchange rates. Free cash flow was approximately €1.9 billion.

Who founded Henkel?
Henkel was founded on September 26, 1876, by Fritz Henkel in Aachen, Germany. The company initially produced a universal detergent based on silicate. In 1878, Henkel relocated to Dusseldorf, which remains the company's headquarters. In 1907, Henkel introduced Persil, the world's first self-activated laundry detergent. The company has remained under family influence for over 140 years.

Who is the CEO of Henkel?
Carsten Knobel is CEO of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA. Marco Swoboda serves as CFO. Knobel leads the company's Purposeful Growth Agenda strategy, which focuses on innovation, sustainability, digitalization, and portfolio optimization.

Who owns Henkel?
Henkel is publicly listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange but effectively controlled by the Henkel family through a pooled shareholding arrangement that gives them majority voting rights. This controlling stake has been maintained for over 140 years. The remaining shares are held by institutional investors, mutual funds, and individual shareholders. The company offers both ordinary and preferred shares.

Where is Henkel headquartered?
Henkel is headquartered in Dusseldorf, Germany, where the company relocated from Aachen in 1878. The company maintains its corporate offices, global research and development facilities, and strategic management functions in Dusseldorf. Henkel operates production facilities and research centers across Europe, North America, Asia, and Latin America, serving customers in over 100 countries.

Henkel was founded on September 26, 1876, by Fritz Henkel in Aachen, Germany. The company initially focused on producing a universal detergent based on silicate, a revolutionary product for its time. In 1878, Henkel relocated to Dusseldorf, which has remained the company's headquarters ever since.

In 1907, Henkel introduced Persil, which became the world's first self-activated laundry detergent and established the company as a leader in the home care market. Persil remains one of Henkel's most valuable brands today, with strong market positions in Europe and other regions.

Throughout the 20th century, Henkel expanded globally through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The company entered the adhesives market, which would become its largest business segment, and expanded its consumer goods portfolio across Europe and internationally.

In 1995, Henkel acquired Schwarzkopf, adding a premium hair care brand to its portfolio. Schwarzkopf became a leading hair care brand with particular strength in Europe and Asia. In 1996, Henkel acquired Loctite, which became the foundation for its Adhesive Technologies division and the leading brand in the industrial adhesives market.

In 2004, Henkel acquired The Dial Corporation in the United States, adding the Dial soap brand and significantly expanding its North American consumer goods presence.

The company underwent significant restructuring in 2022, combining its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care divisions into a single Consumer Brands segment to better serve the retail market and improve efficiency. This restructuring reflected changing consumer habits and the growing importance of omnichannel retail strategies.

In 2024-2025, Henkel completed the integration of the Consumer Brands business unit ahead of schedule, achieving €540 million in targeted net savings. The company also completed the sale of its Retailer Brands business in North America as part of its portfolio valorization strategy.

In late 2025, Henkel announced acquisitions in both business units with a combined sales volume of approximately €1.2 billion, signaling continued strategic investment in growth areas.

Henkel has integrated sustainability into its Purposeful Growth Agenda, focusing on reducing carbon emissions, increasing the use of renewable energy, developing more environmentally friendly products, and promoting sustainable packaging across all business segments. The company has set climate-positive targets and is working toward becoming climate-neutral in its operations.

Henkel invests in innovation, sustainability, and digitalization across both business units. The company has received recognition for its sustainability initiatives, including awards for environmental stewardship and corporate responsibility.

The company faces ongoing challenges related to the environmental impact of chemical manufacturing and consumer goods packaging. Henkel has published sustainability commitments and reports to address these concerns, including targets for reducing plastic waste and improving recyclability.

Henkel operates in heavily regulated industries, including chemical manufacturing (subject to REACH, OSHA, and other regulatory frameworks) and consumer goods (subject to product safety and labeling regulations). The company must comply with environmental, health, and safety regulations across its global operations.

In recent years, Henkel has faced challenges from geopolitical tensions, trade barriers, and tariff conflicts that have impacted its global supply chain and market access. The company's exposure to currency fluctuations, particularly the US dollar depreciation in 2025, has significantly impacted reported financial results.

The consumer goods segment faces ongoing pressure from private label and discount retailers, which has led Henkel to focus on portfolio valorization and premiumization strategies.