CL
Consumer DefensiveColgate-Palmolive Company · Household & Personal Products · $73B
What is Colgate-Palmolive Company?
Colgate-Palmolive is one of the world's most recognized consumer goods companies, selling oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition products across more than 200 countries. Its brands are household names in virtually every region of the globe.
The company operates through two main segments. The Oral, Personal and Home Care segment sells toothpaste, toothbrushes, soaps, shampoos, deodorants, and household cleaners through traditional retailers and eCommerce channels worldwide. The Pet Nutrition segment, operating under the Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet brands, sells everyday and therapeutic pet food through veterinarians, pet supply retailers, and online platforms. Revenue is generated through broad global distribution and strong brand recognition in everyday consumer categories.
Founded in 1806, Colgate-Palmolive is headquartered in New York City, New York.
- Oral care products — Colgate, elmex, Tom's of Maine, meridol
- Personal care — Palmolive, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Sanex
- Home care — Ajax, Fabuloso, Murphy, Suavitel
- Pet nutrition — Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet
- Professional dental products for oral health practitioners
Is CL a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates CL as Below Average overall.
Colgate-Palmolive's strongest dimension is Quality, which reflects the company's consistent cash generation and operational discipline that comes with managing globally recognized consumer brands over many decades. Its Valuation pillar also registers as Good, suggesting the stock is not trading at an extreme premium relative to its fundamentals.
The Moat, Growth, and Risk pillars all register as Weak, pointing to meaningful competitive pressure, limited near-term expansion potential, and risk factors that weigh on the overall composite score.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does CL pay dividends?
Yes — Colgate-Palmolive Company pays a dividend.
Colgate-Palmolive pays a regular dividend, consistent with its long history as a consumer staples company that generates steady cash flows. The company has maintained and grown its dividend over many years, making it a common holding for income-oriented investors. The dividend reflects management's commitment to returning capital to shareholders alongside ongoing brand investment.
When does CL report earnings?
Colgate-Palmolive reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, typical for US-listed large-cap equities.
The company's results tend to reflect global volume trends, pricing dynamics, and foreign exchange movements given its extensive international footprint. Organic growth and segment-level performance across Oral Care and Pet Nutrition are typically the focal points each quarter.
For the most recent quarter's results, visit Colgate-Palmolive's investor relations page directly.
CL Price History
+10.0% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in Colgate-Palmolive Company?
Based on Colgate-Palmolive Company's historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
CL Long-term Outlook
The UQS Growth and Risk pillars both register as Weak for CL, suggesting the fundamental outlook carries meaningful headwinds. Pricing power in mature consumer categories is increasingly challenged by private-label competition and cost pressures, while the company's international exposure introduces currency and geopolitical variability. The Good Valuation label offers some cushion, but the combination of weak growth and elevated risk tempers the longer-term fundamental picture.
Growth drivers
- Premiumization in oral care and skin health product lines
- Continued expansion of Hill's Pet Nutrition through veterinary and eCommerce channels
- Emerging market volume recovery as consumer spending stabilizes
Key risks
- Private-label and regional brand competition pressuring market share
- Foreign currency headwinds from broad international operations
- Input cost volatility affecting margins in commodity-linked categories
CL vs Peers
Colgate-Palmolive competes across oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition with several large global consumer goods companies.
Unilever operates across a broader personal care and food portfolio, with particularly strong emerging market penetration across Asia and Africa.
Kenvue focuses on consumer health brands spun out from Johnson & Johnson, competing directly in skin care and self-care categories.
Kimberly-Clark concentrates on tissue, hygiene, and personal care products, with less oral care exposure but overlapping retail shelf presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Colgate-Palmolive do?
Colgate-Palmolive manufactures and sells consumer products worldwide across two segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care — covering toothpaste, soaps, shampoos, and household cleaners — and Pet Nutrition, which sells everyday and therapeutic pet food under the Hill's brand through veterinarians and retailers.
Does CL pay dividends?
Yes, Colgate-Palmolive pays a regular dividend. The company has a long track record of maintaining and growing its dividend, supported by the steady cash flows typical of consumer staples businesses. Income-focused investors often include CL for this reason.
When does CL report earnings?
Colgate-Palmolive reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, as is standard for US-listed large-cap companies. For the exact schedule and most recent results, check the investor relations section of Colgate-Palmolive's official website.
Is CL a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates CL as Below Average overall. While the Quality pillar is Strong and Valuation is Good, the Moat, Growth, and Risk pillars are all Weak. Whether CL fits your portfolio depends on your income needs and risk tolerance. The full pillar breakdown is available to Pro members.
Is CL overvalued?
The UQS Valuation pillar for CL is rated Good, suggesting the stock is not trading at an extreme premium relative to its fundamentals. That said, weak growth and moat ratings mean investors should weigh what they are paying for. View the complete valuation analysis with a Pro account.
How does CL compare to its competitors?
Colgate-Palmolive sits alongside Unilever, Kenvue, and Kimberly-Clark in the consumer defensive space. CL's differentiation lies in its dominant oral care franchise and the Hill's Pet Nutrition business. UQS Score provides side-by-side pillar comparisons for Pro members across all these names.
What is CL's market cap bracket?
Colgate-Palmolive is a large-cap company, placing it among the bigger players in the consumer defensive sector. Its scale supports broad global distribution and significant marketing investment across its brand portfolio.
Who founded Colgate-Palmolive?
Colgate-Palmolive traces its origins to 1806, when William Colgate founded a starch, soap, and candle business in New York City. The company evolved through multiple mergers over the following century, eventually becoming the global consumer goods company it is today.
Is CL a long-term quality stock?
From a long-term quality perspective, CL's Strong Quality pillar reflects durable cash generation and operational consistency. However, the Weak Moat and Weak Growth pillars suggest competitive and expansion challenges that long-term investors should weigh carefully. The full analysis is available to Pro members.
What is the main competitive advantage of Colgate-Palmolive?
Colgate-Palmolive's primary advantage is its global brand recognition, particularly in oral care where the Colgate name holds leading market positions in many countries. Its distribution reach across both developed and emerging markets also provides scale that smaller competitors struggle to replicate.
What sector does CL belong to?
CL belongs to the Consumer Defensive sector, which includes companies that sell everyday essential goods. This sector is generally considered lower-risk during economic downturns because demand for products like toothpaste and soap tends to remain stable regardless of the economic cycle.
Is CL a growth stock or value stock?
Based on UQS pillar labels, CL leans toward value territory — the Growth pillar is Weak while Valuation is rated Good. This profile is more consistent with a mature, income-generating consumer staples holding than a high-growth opportunity.
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Pro Analysis
CL — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2026 | 50.8 | 81.4 | 37.0 | 31.2 | 34.9 | 65.1 | +0.1 |
| May 19, 2026 | 50.7 | 81.4 | 37.0 | 31.2 | 34.9 | 64.1 | -0.1 |
| May 15, 2026 | 50.8 | 81.4 | 37.0 | 31.2 | 34.9 | 65.0 | 0.0 |
| May 14, 2026 | 50.8 | 81.4 | 37.0 | 31.2 | 34.9 | 65.2 | 0.0 |
| May 13, 2026 | 50.8 | 81.4 | 37.0 | 31.1 | 34.9 | 65.4 | -0.1 |
| May 12, 2026 | 50.9 | 81.4 | 37.0 | 31.1 | 34.9 | 65.5 | +0.1 |
| May 11, 2026 | 50.8 | 81.4 | 37.0 | 31.1 | 34.9 | 65.3 | +1.8 |
| May 10, 2026 | 49.0 | 77.6 | 37.0 | 31.1 | 34.9 | 59.4 | +0.4 |
| May 8, 2026 | 48.6 | 77.6 | 37.0 | 30.8 | 34.9 | 57.0 | -2.1 |
| May 6, 2026 | 50.7 | 81.7 | 37.0 | 30.8 | 33.8 | 65.3 | 0.0 |
CL — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 81.4/100 (25%)Colgate-Palmolive Company demonstrates outstanding capital efficiency and profitability, placing it among the highest-quality businesses in the market.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 31.2/100 (20%)Colgate-Palmolive Company faces growth headwinds with declining or stagnant revenue trends.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 34.9/100 (15%)Colgate-Palmolive Company presents elevated risk with concerns around leverage or financial stability.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 61.7/100 (15%)Colgate-Palmolive Company trades at a reasonable valuation with decent earnings yield and FCF multiples.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 37/100 (25%)Colgate-Palmolive Company possesses some competitive advantages but faces meaningful competition. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for CL.
Score Composition
Financial Data
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How is the CL UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Colgate-Palmolive Company is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses Colgate-Palmolive Company's competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether Colgate-Palmolive Company is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.