Tissue sales may make Kimberly-Clark (KMB) - Get Report investors sick when the company reports earnings on Tuesday.

Kimberly-Clark is expected to report largely flat earnings and revenue year-over-year for the 2016 fourth quarter.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet are looking for adjusted earnings of $1.42 a share on revenue of $4.55 billion. During the same quarter a year ago, the Irving, TX-based consumer products company earned $1.42 a share on revenue of $4.54 billion.

Barclays analysts believe investors will be most focused on the company's outlook for top-line growth in 2017. There is much uncertainty around a recovery in developing and emerging markets, which make up about 30% of Kimberly-Clark's sales, and trends point to a slowdown in North American personal care and consumer tissue, about 35% of sales, they added.

"While we're modeling 3% growth, we think Street expectations are closer to 2% growth and the big question is whether the company will guide below long-term targets. We note that it has been five years since the company started the year with an organic sales growth outlook below its 3% to 5% algorithm," the firm wrote in a note.

Wells Fargo analysts also said moderating category growth in both North America and the company's developing and emerging markets suggests that the company's top-line growth may remain under pressure in the near-term.

Shares of Kimberly-Clark, whose brands include Huggies diapers and Kleenex tissues, rose slightly to $116.98 on Monday. Over the past year, shares have dived 4.6% compared to a 21% gain for the S&P 500. Rival Church & Dwight's (CHD) - Get Report stock has tacked on 14% over the same span.