Edgewell Personal Care Company
Company History
Edgewell History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 2015 in Shelton, Connecticut
When was Edgewell founded?
Edgewell was founded in 2015 in Shelton, Connecticut by Energizer Holdings, making it 11 years old.
- Founded
- 2015
- Founding place
- Shelton, Connecticut
- Founders
- Energizer Holdings
- Headquarters today
- Shelton, Connecticut
- Milestones documented
- 11 (2003–2026)
- Current CEO
- Rod Little
- Acquisitions
- 9
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Acquired Schick-Wilkinson Sword from Pfizer |
| 2007 | Playtex Products Acquired |
| 2015 | Spin-off from Energizer |
| 2016 | Bulldog Acquisition |
| 2018 | Jack Black Acquisition |
| 2019 | Cremo Acquisition |
| 2019 | Rod Little becomes CEO |
| 2020 | Harry's Deal Terminated |
| 2021 | Billie Acquisition |
| 2025 | Fiscal 2025 Results and Essity Deal |
| 2026 | Feminine Care Sale Closes |
- Where was Edgewell founded?
- Edgewell was founded in Shelton, Connecticut in 2015.
- Who founded Edgewell?
- Edgewell was founded by Energizer Holdings.
- When did Edgewell start?
- Edgewell was founded in 2015.
- How old is Edgewell?
- Edgewell is 11 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Edgewell's brands are much older than the company. Wilkinson Sword traces to a London gunsmith business founded by Henry Nock in 1772, and Schick goes back to Jacob Schick's magazine repeating razor patented in 1921. Energizer Holdings bought Schick-Wilkinson Sword from Pfizer in 2003 and Playtex Products in 2007, then split into two public companies in 2015, with the personal care half named Edgewell.
Founders
Energizer Holdings
Energizer Holdings is the St. Louis-based battery and consumer products company that created Edgewell. It bought Schick-Wilkinson Sword from Pfizer in 2003 and Playtex Products in 2007, building a personal care division alongside its battery business. On July 1, 2015, Energizer spun off the personal care business as Edgewell Personal Care and kept the battery and lighting business under a new Energizer Holdings. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
Acquired Schick-Wilkinson Sword from Pfizer
Edgewell Personal Care acquired Schick-Wilkinson Sword from Pfizer for $930 million.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgPlaytex Products Acquired
Energizer Holdings bought Playtex Products in 2007, adding sun-care and feminine-care brands that later went to Edgewell.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSpin-off from Energizer
Edgewell becomes an independent NYSE-listed company on July 1, 2015.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgJack Black Acquisition
Edgewell adds premium men's grooming brand Jack Black.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRod Little becomes CEO
Rod Little became CEO of Edgewell Personal Care in 2019. Little has narrowed Edgewell into a shave, sun and skin care, and grooming company and framed fiscal 2026 as a back-half recovery, with organic growth returning in Q3.
Source: prnewswire.comHarry's Deal Terminated
The $1.37 billion Harry's merger is abandoned after an FTC lawsuit.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgBillie Acquisition
Edgewell buys women's shave brand Billie for about $310 million.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFiscal 2025 Results and Essity Deal
Edgewell reports $2.22B net sales and agrees in November to sell Feminine Care to Essity.
Source: sec.govFeminine Care Sale Closes
The $340 million sale of Playtex, Stayfree, Carefree and o.b. to Essity closes on February 2, 2026.
Source: prnewswire.comMajor Acquisitions
Schick-Wilkinson Sword from Pfizer
2003Added the #2 global wet shave franchise to Energizer's portfolio, establishing the foundation for what would become Edgewell's core business. The acquisition brought Schick and Wilkinson Sword razor systems, disposable razors, and shave preparations.
Playtex Products
2007Added Banana Boat, Hawaiian Tropic, Wet Ones and Playtex feminine and infant care brands to Energizer's personal care portfolio.
American Safety Razor
2010Added the Personna brand and private-label razor manufacturing capabilities, strengthening the company's position in value-tier and custom brand razors.
Stayfree, Carefree and o.b. from Johnson & Johnson
2013Energizer added three feminine care brands to Playtex.
Bulldog Skincare for Men
2016Added an UK-based natural men's grooming brand to the portfolio, providing entry into the natural skincare segment and European distribution.
Jack Black Premium Men's Grooming
2018Added a premium men's grooming and skincare brand sold through specialty retail and department stores. The acquisition targeted affluent male consumers with high-quality formulations.
Harry's (terminated)
2019Announced in May 2019 to combine Harry's direct-to-consumer brand and marketing skills with Edgewell's manufacturing and retail reach.
Cremo Masstige Grooming
2019Added a fast-growing masstige grooming brand with strong digital velocity. Cremo offered shave cream, body wash, hair styling, and fragrance products targeting male consumers seeking quality at accessible prices.
Billie Inc.
2021Added a digital-native women's shave and body care brand after the FTC challenge had ended Procter & Gamble's attempt to buy Billie.
Keep researching Edgewell
Edgewell Company History FAQ
When was Edgewell created?
Edgewell became an independent public company on July 1, 2015, when Energizer Holdings spun off its personal care business.
Why did Energizer split into two companies?
Energizer separated its battery and personal care businesses because they had different growth profiles and investment needs. The battery business kept the Energizer name and the personal care business became Edgewell.
What acquisitions has Edgewell made since 2015?
Edgewell bought Bulldog in 2016, Jack Black in 2018, Cremo in 2019 for about $235 million and Billie in 2021 for about $310 million.
What happened to the Edgewell and Harry's merger?
Edgewell agreed in May 2019 to buy Harry's for $1.37 billion, but the FTC sued to block the deal in February 2020 and the companies ended the agreement.
When did Edgewell sell its feminine care brands?
Edgewell agreed in November 2025 to sell Playtex, Stayfree, Carefree and o.b. to Essity for $340 million and closed the sale on February 2, 2026.
How did Edgewell start?
Edgewell Personal Care was technically created in 2015. It was formed when Energizer Holdings—which owned both the massive Energizer battery business and a massive portfolio of shaving/skincare brands—decided to spin off the personal care division into a completely independent public company called Edgewell.
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