Colgate-Palmolive (CL): analysis in plain words
Is Colgate-Palmolive cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
Colgate-Palmolive (CL) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in consumer staples. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against Colgate-Palmolive according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
Colgate-Palmolive (CL) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $98.76 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 38.4x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +4.6% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 9.6% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 1.2x | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 2.22% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $78.5 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The Colgate-Palmolive figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any CL figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How Colgate-Palmolive makes money
Colgate-Palmolive reports two businesses. Oral, Personal and Home Care, the larger, sells Colgate toothpaste and toothbrushes, its main category, plus Palmolive and Protex soaps, Speed Stick deodorants and Ajax and Fabuloso cleaners across regions worldwide. Pet Nutrition sells Hill's Science Diet and Prescription Diet pet food.
Over the last 12 months, Colgate-Palmolive brought in revenue of $21.3 billion. For every 100 it sells, Colgate-Palmolive keeps 60.6 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 20.4 after all operating costs (operating margin). With 33,600 full-time employees, that is about $633,000 of revenue per employee.
Colgate-Palmolive against its sector
To know whether a Colgate-Palmolive figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares Colgate-Palmolive with the median of the 17 consumer staples companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | Colgate-Palmolive | consumer staples median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 38.4x | 21.3x (17) |
| Revenue growth | +4.6% | +3.6% (19) |
| Net margin | 9.6% | 12.8% (19) |
| Dividend yield | 2.22% | 3.19% (19) |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 1.2x | 1.7x (19) |
In short, against the typical consumer staples company, Colgate-Palmolive trades on a higher P/E, grows faster and earns a thinner margin. By size, Colgate-Palmolive ranks number 8 of 13 consumer staples companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for Colgate-Palmolive
These are the strengths in the Colgate-Palmolive figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Analysts expect Colgate-Palmolive earnings to rise: its P/E on the next 12 months of estimated earnings is 24.1x, below the current 38.4x.
- Colgate-Palmolive earns 231.7% a year on its shareholders' money (return on equity).
- Colgate-Palmolive generates real cash: $3.4 billion of free cash flow over 12 months, 4.3% of its stock market value.
The main risk for Colgate-Palmolive
The price already assumes a lot: Colgate-Palmolive trades at 38.4x its last 12 months of earnings, against 21.3x for the consumer staples median. If growth disappoints, the multiple can shrink and the share price with it.
And, like the rest of consumer staples, Colgate-Palmolive is exposed to customers switching to cheaper store brands and rising prices for the raw materials it buys.
Frequently asked questions about Colgate-Palmolive
Is it a good time to buy Colgate-Palmolive stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell Colgate-Palmolive, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, Colgate-Palmolive stock trades at $98.76, 1% below its 52-week high ($99.69) and 30% above its low ($75.96). Its P/E is 38.4x against a consumer staples median of 21.3x, and 24.1x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With Colgate-Palmolive, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does Colgate-Palmolive pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, Colgate-Palmolive pays $2.12 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 2.22%. It uses 82% of its profit to pay it. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 2.31%. The consumer staples median on Fintols is 3.19%.
Is Colgate-Palmolive stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, Colgate-Palmolive trades at 38.4x its last 12 months of earnings: more expensive than the consumer staples median (21.3x). Including its debt, Colgate-Palmolive is valued at 16.4x its EBITDA (EV/EBITDA). A high P/E alone does not make Colgate-Palmolive expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are Colgate-Palmolive's competitors?
On Fintols we compare Colgate-Palmolive with Mondelez, Altria and Hershey, which are also in consumer staples. As of November 4, 2026, Mondelez is worth $85.3 billion and trades on a P/E of 21.3; Altria is worth $129.8 billion and trades on a P/E of 16.1; Hershey is worth $35.1 billion and trades on a P/E of 19.7. Each has a side-by-side comparison with Colgate-Palmolive below.
Colgate-Palmolive competitors
- Mondelez (MDLZ) analysis · Colgate-Palmolive vs Mondelez comparison
- Altria (MO) analysis · Colgate-Palmolive vs Altria comparison
- Hershey (HSY) analysis · Colgate-Palmolive vs Hershey comparison
To understand Colgate-Palmolive better
- Dividend Growth Investing: FCF Payout Ratio and Compounding
- P/E Ratio and EPS Explained: How to Read Them Without Traps
More companies like Colgate-Palmolive: consumer staples stocks, S&P 500 companies and S&P 100 companies. Open the full CL analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about Colgate-Palmolive, not investment advice.