Consolidated Income Statement - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net Sales	$ 4,633	$ 4,731
Cost of products sold	3,205	3,407
Gross Profit	1,428	1,324
Marketing, research and general expenses	769	1,079
Other (income) and expense, net	4	(2)
Operating Profit	655	247
Nonoperating expense	(11)	(9)
Interest income	3	2
Interest expense	(65)	(66)
Income Before Income Taxes and Equity Interests	582	174
Provision for income taxes	(143)	(104)
Income Before Equity Interests	439	70
Share of net income of equity companies	27	27
Net Income	466	97
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(12)	(4)
Net Income Attributable to Kimberly-Clark Corporation	$ 454	$ 93
Per Share Basis
Basic	$ 1.32	$ 0.27
Diluted	$ 1.31	$ 0.26

Income Before Equity Interest

No definition available.

Name:	kmb_IncomeBeforeEquityInterest
Namespace Prefix:	kmb_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. The aggregate costs incurred in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

+ References

No definition available.