Kimberly-Clark Announces 7% Dividend Increase And Says Share Repurchases Will Continue In 2002 DALLAS, February 19, 2002 -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB) today increased its quarterly dividend 7.1 percent to 30 cents per share from 28 cents per share. The quarterly increase of 2 cents per share compares to an increase of 1 cent per share in each of the past five years. The board of directors declared the dividend payable on April 2, 2002, to stockholders of record on March 8, 2002. This is the 30th consecutive year Kimberly-Clark has raised its dividend.

The company also said it expects to repurchase approximately 3 percent of its outstanding common stock during 2002, similar to the level of share repurchases in 2001. The actual number of shares repurchased and the timing of the transactions will depend upon prevailing market conditions and other factors.

Kimberly-Clark's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Wayne R. Sanders said, "Today's actions reflect our optimism about our growth prospects and our continuing ability to increase cash flow. Our strong cash flow and conservative capital structure enable us not only to invest in growth, but also to buy back K-C stock this year at the high end of our targeted range of 2 to 3 percent." 

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is a leading consumer products company. Its global personal care, tissue and health care brands include Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex, Depend, Kleenex, Scott, Kimwipes, Kimberly-Clark, WypAll, Safeskin and Tecnol. Other brands well known outside the U.S. include Andrex, Scottex, Page, Popee and Kimbies. Kimberly-Clark also is a major producer of premium business, correspondence and technical papers. The company has manufacturing operations in 42 countries and sells its products in more than 150 countries.

Certain matters contained in this news release concerning the business outlook, including new product introductions, cost savings and acquisitions, anticipated financial and operating results, strategies, contingencies and transactions of the company constitute forward-looking statements and are based upon management's expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting the company. There can be no assurance that these future events will occur as anticipated or that the company's results will be as estimated. For a description of certain factors that could cause the company's future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements, see the section of Part I, Item 1 of the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000 entitled "Factors That May Affect Future Results."