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Will Slowing Global Demand Dent PG's Emerging Market Strategy?

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Key Takeaways

  • PG relies on emerging markets like Latin America, Asia and Africa as growth drivers.
  • Volume growth in Latin America and India was fueled by brand strength and pricing.
  • PG's focus on affordability, innovation and distribution supports long-term resilience.

The Procter & Gamble Company (PG - Free Report) has long relied on emerging markets such as Latin America, Asia and Africa as growth engines for its global business. These regions offer large populations and rising middle-class consumers, making them an attractive focus for the company’s strategy. However, with signs of slowing global demand, questions are being raised about whether PG can maintain its strong momentum in these markets.

Despite global headwinds, Procter & Gamble’s recent results showed that emerging markets continue to deliver solid performance. In the latest quarter, the company saw volume growth in Latin America and India, supported by strong brand presence and effective pricing strategies. Management also emphasized that their long-term focus on affordability, innovation and expanding distribution helps them adapt to varying economic conditions in these regions. This suggests that PG is still well-positioned to capture growth, even if overall global demand weakens.

Looking ahead, the real challenge for Procter & Gamble will be balancing short-term pressures with long-term opportunities. If consumer spending slows further, the company may need to adjust its pricing and promotional strategies to stay competitive while protecting margins. However, PG’s diversified portfolio and strong execution in emerging markets provide a buffer against softer demand in developed economies. In short, while slowing global demand poses risks, the company’s emerging market strategy remains resilient and focused on sustainable growth.

PG’s Peers: How CHD & CL Navigate Slowing Global Demand

In today’s inflationary and volatile environment, both Church & Dwight (CHD - Free Report) and Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL - Free Report) are navigating slowing global demand with strategic discipline.

Church & Dwight has shown resilience in a volatile environment by leveraging its strong portfolio of value and premium brands while continuing to grow internationally. In second-quarter 2025, its international business delivered 5% organic sales growth, led by HERO, Therabreath and Femfresh, with share gains across all power brands. Despite soft U.S. demand and tariff pressures, CHD’s strategy of balancing affordability with innovation, coupled with disciplined marketing investment, has helped sustain momentum in emerging markets, where it continues to expand brand penetration and online sales.

Colgate remains focused on its emerging market strategy by driving premium innovation, pricing and brand health despite softer category growth and foreign exchange headwinds. In second-quarter 2025, Latin America and Africa/Eurasia delivered organic growth supported by premium toothpaste launches and personal care relaunches. However, the Asia-Pacific faced weakness in India and China retail, while it witnessed strength in premium innovation like Colgate Miracle Repair. By combining pricing actions with continued investment in brand building and local innovation, Colgate is working to sustain household penetration in key emerging markets, even as slowing global demand poses challenges.

PG’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates

Procter & Gamble’s shares have lost around 5.5% year to date compared with the industry’s 4.7% dip.

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From a valuation standpoint, PG trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 22.47X compared with the industry’s average of 20.17X.

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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PG’s fiscal 2025 and 2026 EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 2.3% and 6.3%, respectively. The company’s EPS estimates for fiscal 2025 and 2026 have moved downward in the past 30 days.

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Procter & Gamble currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.


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