Hygiene and health company Essity has entered into an agreement to acquire Edgewell Personal Care’s feminine care business, including the brands Carefree, Stayfree and o.b. in North America and Playtex globally. The purchase price for the assets amounts to $340 million on a cash and debt-free basis. The acquisition supports Essity’s strategy to focus on high margin categories and to grow market positions in the U.S., the world’s largest hygiene market. 

Essity will acquire Edgewell’s feminine care business, which offers liners, pads and tampons, through an asset deal. The acquisition includes the well-known brands Carefree, Stayfree, and o.b. in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean, global feminine care rights for the Playtex brand, as well as a production facility in Dover, DE.  

“I´m looking forward to further grow these well-known brands, using our established recipe for success within feminine care. With this acquisition we are building a stronger personal care business in North America, in line with our strategy to focus on high yielding categories in attractive geographies.” says Ulrika Kolsrud, President and CEO of Essity.  

The total purchase price of $340 million on a cash and debt free basis, represents an EBITDA multiple per June 30, 2025, of approximately 12.1x on a pro-forma IFRS basis, and 8.3x including estimated run-rate synergies on a pro-forma basis. For the 12 months ending on June 30, 2025, the business reported net sales of $261 million with a segment operating profit of $17 million. The business has approximately 500 employees, of which about 450 are based at the production facility in Delaware. 

“We are acquiring brands that are household names with deep consumer trust among generations of women,” says Thiago Icassati, North America General Manager, consumer goods, Essity. “Playtex is the number one trusted athletic tampon and Carefree and o.b. were the first of their kind. Essity is a fast-growing player in the feminine care market and these brands will complement our existing feminine care range in North America that includes Knix and Tena. By leveraging Essity’s expertise in feminine care, we will expand our reach, deliver greater value and advance our mission to break barriers to well-being.” 

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. 

Essity is a fast-growing player in the feminine care category, with several strong regional brands such as Libresse, Bodyform, Nana, Saba, Libra and Nosotras offering a broad product portfolio of pads, liners, tampons, intimate soaps, intimate wipes, leakproof apparel and menstrual cups.