Month: November 2025

Kimberly-Clark Corporation announced Monday that it will acquire Kenvue—the maker of Tylenol, Band-Aid, and Aveeno—in a deal valued at approximately $48.7 billion. The transaction, structured as a mix of cash and stock, will unite two global consumer health and hygiene powerhouses behind a portfolio of some of the most recognizable household brands in the world.

Under the terms of the agreement, Kenvue shareholders will receive $3.50 in cash and 0.14625 shares of Kimberly-Clark stock for each Kenvue share they own, representing a total value of about $21.01 per share based on Friday’s closing price. Once the merger is completed, Kimberly-Clark investors are expected to hold roughly 54% of the combined company, while Kenvue shareholders will own about 46%.

The merger will bring together a range of billion-dollar brands under one roof, combining Kimberly-Clark’s well-known products such as Kleenex, Huggies, Cottonelle, Scott, Kotex, Poise, Pull-Ups, and Viva with Kenvue’s consumer staples like Tylenol, Band-Aid, Benadryl, Listerine, Neutrogena, and Aveeno.

Kimberly-Clark CEO Mike Hsu said in a statement: “We are excited to bring together two iconic companies to create a global health and wellness leader. With a shared commitment to developing science and technology to provide extraordinary care, we will serve billions of consumers across every stage of life.”

Hsu will assume the role of chairman and chief executive officer of the merged company, which will maintain Kimberly-Clark’s headquarters in Irving, Texas, while also preserving a significant presence at Kenvue’s existing locations. Three members of Kenvue’s board will join Kimberly-Clark’s board after the transaction closes. The merger still requires approval from both companies’ shareholders and is anticipated to be finalized in the second half of next year.

The deal comes amid a turbulent period for Kenvue. The company’s CEO, Thibaut Mongon, stepped down earlier this year as part of a strategic review, with board member Kirk Perry stepping in as interim CEO. Kenvue has also faced scrutiny surrounding its flagship product, Tylenol, following recent claims regarding the safety of acetaminophen use during pregnancy.  Adding to the company’s challenges, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit last week against Kenvue and its former parent, Johnson & Johnson, alleging the firms “deceptively marketed” Tylenol as a completely safe pain reliever.

Following Monday’s announcement, Kenvue’s shares surged about 20% in premarket trading, while Kimberly-Clark’s stock dipped roughly 14%, according to CNBC.

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Federal prosecutors have charged two Michigan men with allegedly plotting an ISIS-inspired Halloween weekend attack in Michigan.

The case stems from an FBI investigation that led to coordinated raids on the suspects’ homes and a storage unit, where agents reportedly found multiple AR-15-style rifles, shotguns, handguns, tactical vests, more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition, and evidence of extremist communications tied to ISIS-inspired activity. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force also assisted in the search operations across the Detroit area.

According to a 73-page criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud, both U.S. citizens, face charges of receiving, transferring, and conspiring to transfer firearms and ammunition while allegedly knowing the weapons would be used to commit a federal act of terrorism. Federal officials believe the suspects had scouted possible targets in Ferndale, Michigan, including LGBTQ+ bars and clubs, though no specific attack location was finalized.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Friday that agents had “thwarted a potential terrorist attack,” confirming that five people were arrested during the investigation. However, only Ali and Mahmoud have been formally charged.

Court documents allege the pair purchased a shotgun, multiple AR-15-style rifles, and a “forced reset trigger that allows a shooter to increase the rate of fire in a semiautomatic weapon.” They and several unnamed co-conspirators allegedly practiced shooting at ranges around Michigan and used encrypted messaging apps and social media to exchange ISIS-related propaganda and plans for attacks modeled after previous terrorist incidents.

Investigators say the group discussed traveling overseas to join ISIS, but ultimately decided to remain in the United States to carry out a domestic attack, allegedly referencing “the same thing as France,” an apparent nod to the 2015 Paris attacks, and mentioning the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting as inspiration.

Court documents describe coded language used by the suspects, including repeated references to “pumpkins” when discussing their Halloween plot. On October 17, Ali allegedly told another individual, “We’ve got some new plan for real — for real,” urging the person to “learn how to shoot.” The next day, he reportedly said he would hold a meeting to outline their next steps.

Later conversations suggest the men debated whether to move forward, but continued referring to “pumpkin” as the code for their plan. One exchange quoted in the complaint reads: “In another conversation on October 19, 2025, Person 1 and ALI again referenced ‘pumpkin’ and Person 1 told ALI to ‘change it back.’ ALI then told Person 1 ‘that isn’t happening’ and said, ‘if that happens, the thing is you won’t know once you see it on the news, the open news.’ On October 24, another associate allegedly told Ali, “I talked to my brothers. We are going to do pumpkin,” indicating their intent to proceed.

Two of the five initially detained suspects were released without charges, while Ali and Mahmoud remain in federal custody. If convicted, the men could face lengthy prison sentences under federal anti-terrorism statutes.

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