Listerine is owned by Kenvue (the United States, NYSE: KVUE), which was separated from Johnson & Johnson on 23 August 2023.[1][2] Before Kenvue, Listerine was owned by Johnson & Johnson from 2006 to 2023.[2]
Listerine was formulated in 1879 as a surgical antiseptic and named after Joseph Lister, the pioneer of antiseptic surgery. It was sold as a floor cleaner and a cure for gonorrhoea before its makers marketed it in the 1920s against halitosis, a campaign credited with popularising the very idea of bad breath as a social problem.
Kimberly-Clark agreed to acquire Kenvue for $3.50 in cash plus 0.14625 Kimberly-Clark shares for each Kenvue share, which would combine Huggies and Kleenex with Tylenol, Listerine and Neutrogena. Kimberly-Clark expects to issue about 280 million shares and pay about $6.7 billion in cash, leaving its existing shareholders with about 54 per cent of the combined company.
Johnson & Johnson separated its consumer health business as Kenvue, which listed in May 2023 and was fully split off through an exchange offer completed on 23 August 2023. Tylenol, Band-Aid, Listerine, Neutrogena and Johnson's Baby all moved to the new company.
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Listerine?
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The parent company of Listerine is Kenvue, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United States.
Is Listerine American?
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Yes. Listerine originated in the United States in 1879 and its owner, Kenvue, is also headquartered in the United States.
Since when has Kenvue owned Listerine?
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Kenvue has owned Listerine since 23 August 2023.
Who owned Listerine before Kenvue?
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Before Kenvue, Listerine was owned by Johnson & Johnson from 2006 until 2023.
Is Listerine still owned by Kenvue?
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Yes. As of 16 September 2026, Listerine is still owned by Kenvue. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (3) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.