Henkel
From laundry detergent to the glue inside your smartphone.
52-week range
As of 5 Oct 2026, 17:35What does Henkel do?
Düsseldorf-based Henkel has two businesses. The bigger one makes adhesives and sealants for industry, used in cars, electronics and packaging. The other sells household and hair care brands such as Persil, Pril and Schwarzkopf. The Henkel family still controls the company, and the preferred shares are the ones mainly traded on the stock market.
Persil, Pril, Somat, Fa, Schauma, a Pritt stick or Pattex glue: there is probably at least one Henkel product in your home.
How Henkel makes money
- Industrial adhesives52 %
- Laundry, cleaning & hair care brands48 %
Strengths
- The global leader in industrial adhesives, which end up in countless products.
- Well-known brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf, Pattex and Loctite.
- A major overhaul of the consumer business has made Henkel noticeably more profitable.
Risks
- Growth is slow: in 2025 underlying sales rose by just under 1%.
- In detergents and shampoo, store brands and strong rivals keep prices under pressure.
- Swings in raw material prices and a strong euro can eat into profits.
- Founded
- 1876
- Headquarters
- Düsseldorf, Germany
- Employees
- about 47,200
What if you had invested in Henkel earlier?
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This page explains the company and is not a recommendation to buy or sell.