PZ Cussons plc (PZC.L)
A household name in British bathrooms, PZ Cussons makes everyday soap and beauty products alongside massive brands in Nigeria.
Is PZ Cussons plc a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Owns well-known household brands that people recognise on supermarket shelves. Worth weighing: Net profit margin sits in negative territory, showing it struggles to keep bottom-line profit after all expenses. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has PZ Cussons plc actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, PZ Cussons plc fell as much as −38% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
international expansion and growing middle classes in core markets
loss of market share to cheaper supermarket own-brands
What does PZ Cussons plc do?
Famous for Imperial Leather and Carex, this century-old firm creates everyday toiletries and baby care items found in supermarkets worldwide. It brings in cash by selling these trusty essentials to shoppers, though it has recently wrestled with currency swings in overseas markets like Nigeria. The key thing to keep an eye on is how well management can protect its profit margins while costs bounce around.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and growth, and weakest on quality.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 3.2% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 8% over the year
- Momentum screens high (94/100)
- Owns well-known household brands that people recognise on supermarket shelves
- Steady demand for everyday essentials like soap and shower gel
- Offers a decent dividend payout relative to the share price
- Quality screens low (29/100)
- Foreign exchange volatility, particularly involving the Nigerian Naira
- Tough competition from supermarket own-label toiletries
- Fluctuating costs for ingredients and packaging materials
What do PZ Cussons plc's numbers mean?
Does PZ Cussons plc pay a dividend?
Yes - PZ Cussons plc currently pays a dividend of about 3.2% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about PZ Cussons plc's dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does PZ Cussons plc report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
PZ Cussons plc is next scheduled to report on about 2026-08-06 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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PepsiCo, Inc.What are the scenarios for PZ Cussons plc?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of PZ Cussons plc?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Owns well-known household brands that people recognise on supermarket shelves
- Steady demand for everyday essentials like soap and shower gel
- Offers a decent dividend payout relative to the share price
- Net profit margin sits in negative territory, showing it struggles to keep bottom-line profit after all expenses
- Return on equity: How much profit the company makes for each £1 shareholders have put in. Higher usually means a more efficient business. is very low at under one percent
- Exposed to tricky currency movements in overseas markets
- Foreign exchange volatility, particularly involving the Nigerian Naira
- Tough competition from supermarket own-label toiletries
- Fluctuating costs for ingredients and packaging materials
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- Net margins turning sustainably positive for multiple reporting periods
- A major shift or exit from volatile overseas markets
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.