Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC: NEC Litigation Update

Research evidence excerpt

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC: NEC Litigation Update

Equity Research

European Consumer Staples

21 May 2026

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC

NEC Litigation Update

Inman clears a hurdle, with claim intact and Daubert

dismissed, pushing MJN toward an Aug-26 jury trial. Whilst a

summary judgement in favour of RKT was a hope, it was a RKT.L/RKT LN OVERWEIGHT European Consumer

Staplespretty low chance and a trial doesn't change too much but NEUTRAL

Price Target GBp 6000

may slightly push out timing of a RKT settlement Price (19-May-26) GBp 4767

and MJN disposal. Potential Upside/Downside +25.9%

Source: Bloomberg, Barclays Research

Reckitt’s NEC litigation remains concentrated on the federal MDL, where the

European Consumer Staplesplaintiff Inman bellwether has now cleared key procedural hurdles and is moving toward

Warren Ackerman

an August 2026 trial. Recent rulings on in early/mid May reduce uncertainty on both expert

+44 (0)20 3134 1903

admissibility and trial viability, reinforcing that the federal pathway, rather than more warren.ackerman@barclays.com

volatile state court outcomes, remains the primary driver of overall litigation risk and Barclays, UK

potential settlement timing.

Laurence Whyatt

At the federal level, the most significant development is the court’s decision on expert +44 (0)20 7773 5324

laurence.whyatt@barclays.comadmissibility(Daubert). On May 12, the court denied Mead Johnson’s renewed motion to

Barclays, UK

exclude the plaintiffs’ general causation expert, Dr. Spector, confirming that his testimony

satisfies evidentiary standards and can be heard by a jury. The court was not persuaded by Stephen Kennealy, CFA

arguments that case-specific feeding variations undermined the relevance of his analysis, +44 (0)20 3555 7835