Company Description
H.B. Fuller Company (NYSE: FUL) is a manufacturing company focused on adhesives, sealants and other chemical-based products. According to company disclosures, it is described as the largest pureplay adhesives company in the world, with a portfolio that also includes functional coatings. Its materials are used to enhance the quality, safety and performance of products that people use every day across numerous end markets.
H.B. Fuller traces its roots back to 1887. Over its long history, it has evolved into a global adhesives specialist serving more than 30 market segments. Company materials state that its mission, summarized as "Connect What Matters," is carried out by thousands of team members who work with customers in many countries to develop highly specified solutions tailored to particular applications and end markets.
The company reports that it manufactures and sells adhesives, sealants and other chemical-based products through multiple business segments. A Polygon description notes three primary segments: Hygiene, Health and Consumable Adhesives, Engineering Adhesives and Construction Adhesives. Within these areas, H.B. Fuller produces specialty industrial adhesives in forms such as thermoplastic, thermoset, reactive, water-based and solvent-based products. These materials are used in markets that include packaging, converting, nonwoven and hygiene, and health and beauty applications.
H.B. Fuller’s own news releases emphasize its role in functional coatings, adhesives and sealants that support "world-changing innovations" at customer end markets. The company highlights collaboration with customers across more than 30 market segments in over 140 countries or, in more recent disclosures, 150 countries. This global footprint underpins its positioning as a dedicated adhesives manufacturer rather than a diversified chemicals conglomerate.
Financially, H.B. Fuller regularly reports its results in detailed earnings releases and corresponding Form 8‑K filings. These communications describe metrics such as net revenue, gross margin, adjusted gross margin, net income, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin and adjusted earnings per share. Management also discusses the impact of pricing actions, raw material costs, acquisitions and divestitures, and restructuring or cost reduction efforts on profitability and margins. Non‑GAAP measures are reconciled to U.S. GAAP results in Regulation G reconciliation tables included with the releases.
Recent earnings announcements show the company’s focus on margin expansion and portfolio mix. For example, in its fiscal 2025 and early fiscal 2026 communications, H.B. Fuller highlights adjusted EBITDA margin improvement, the effects of a flooring divestiture, and its efforts to shift toward higher-growth, higher-margin markets. Management commentary in these releases describes the operating environment as unpredictable and demand as challenging, while emphasizing execution, pricing discipline, cost savings and manufacturing footprint optimization.
In addition to its commercial operations, H.B. Fuller describes a global workforce and community presence. Company news notes that its mission is brought to life by more than 7,100 to 7,500 global team members, depending on the period referenced, and that employees are located in more than 45 countries. Through the H.B. Fuller Company Foundation and the "Fuller Impact" platform, the company aligns philanthropic investments with youth leadership and STEM‑focused initiatives, reflecting a stated commitment to community engagement and volunteerism in the regions where employees live and work.
H.B. Fuller’s corporate governance and strategic direction are also discussed in its public communications. For example, an October 2025 press release and related Form 8‑K describe the appointment of a new director with extensive MedTech experience, highlighting the company’s interest in expanding its presence in medical adhesive technologies and high‑margin healthcare markets. Investor‑focused events, such as an Investor Day and regular earnings conference calls, are used to provide updates on strategic vision, financial performance and long‑term value creation plans.
The company’s capital allocation approach includes a long record of quarterly cash dividends. News releases in 2025 state that H.B. Fuller has paid quarterly cash dividends on its common stock for 57 consecutive years, underscoring an ongoing return of capital to shareholders. The company also references share repurchases in its earnings communications, alongside commentary on net debt and net debt‑to‑adjusted EBITDA ratios.
Overall, H.B. Fuller presents itself as a specialized manufacturer in the adhesive manufacturing and chemical products space, with operations organized around distinct adhesive segments, a global customer base spanning dozens of market segments and countries, and a financial profile that management describes in terms of revenue, margins, cash flow and leverage. Its disclosures emphasize both operational performance and a long corporate history in adhesives and related chemistries.