Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.04 EPS

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday. The company reported $0.95 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.91 by $0.04, FiscalAI reports. Colgate-Palmolive had a return on equity of 333.39% and a net margin of 14.47%.The firm had revenue of $5.23 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.13 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.91 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year.

Here are the key takeaways from Colgate-Palmolive’s conference call:

• Colgate delivered stronger‑than‑expected Q4 and full‑year 2025 results, with organic sales, net sales, gross profit, base business EPS and free cash flow all growing despite raw material inflation and higher tariffs.
• Management launched a new 2030 Strategy and a Strategic Growth and Productivity Program to accelerate brand investment, science‑based innovation, omni‑channel demand generation, and digital/data/AI capabilities.
• 2026 guidance is a wide 1%–4% organic sales range due to macro and category uncertainty; foreign exchange is expected to provide a low single‑digit revenue tailwind (mainly H1) that will be used flexibly for reinvestment and margin support.
• Key portfolio strengths drove outperformance — emerging markets grew ~4.5% in Q4 (Latin America led by Mexico and Brazil), Hill’s delivered strong underlying volume and share gains, and the Prime100 acquisition is performing ahead of plan.
• North America remains the main headwind with sluggish category growth, pantry destocking and promotional pressure (notably in home care), meaning management must rely on stronger innovation and revenue growth management to restore volumes.

Colgate-Palmolive Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:CL traded up $3.12 on Friday, hitting $88.36. The company had a trading volume of 6,693,119 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,240,662. The company has a current ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.90. The company has a market cap of $71.22 billion, a PE ratio of 24.76, a PEG ratio of 5.73 and a beta of 0.30. Colgate-Palmolive has a 52-week low of $74.54 and a 52-week high of $100.18. The business has a 50 day moving average of $80.58 and a 200 day moving average of $81.42.

Colgate-Palmolive Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 21st will be given a $0.52 dividend. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 21st. Colgate-Palmolive’s dividend payout ratio is currently 58.26%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Colgate-Palmolive

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 10,578 shares of the company’s stock valued at $962,000 after purchasing an additional 450 shares in the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. grew its holdings in Colgate-Palmolive by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 12,494 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,136,000 after purchasing an additional 245 shares in the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 3.9% during the second quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 4,569 shares of the company’s stock worth $415,000 after acquiring an additional 171 shares during the last quarter. Keel Point LLC increased its holdings in Colgate-Palmolive by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Keel Point LLC now owns 4,616 shares of the company’s stock worth $420,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oxford Asset Management LLP increased its stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 12.1% in the second quarter. Oxford Asset Management LLP now owns 4,704 shares of the company’s stock worth $428,000 after buying an additional 509 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.41% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Colgate-Palmolive

Here are the key news stories impacting Colgate-Palmolive this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results topped expectations: Colgate posted $0.95 EPS vs. $0.91 expected and $5.23B in revenue vs. $5.13B consensus, with revenue +5.8% y/y — a clear beat that supports the stock’s strength. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Core business momentum — oral care and pet nutrition showed strength, and Latin America rebounded, helping organic growth and supporting management’s tone on fundamentals. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Upbeat full-year sales outlook: Management forecasts annual sales above Street estimates, citing steady demand for essentials in markets like Latin America and Europe — this forward guidance supports investor expectations. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Strong cash generation and returns: Full-year operational cash was a record and the company returned $2.9B to shareholders via dividends and buybacks, which supports yield-seeking investors. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts updating models and previews: Several outlets note analysts revised forecasts ahead of the call; this increases attention on guidance and margin cadence but is largely derivative of the quarter. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro noise: broader market moves (e.g., Fed chair news) may amplify the stock’s intraday swing but aren’t Colgate-specific. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Large impairment and margin pressure: Management took a significant goodwill/intangible impairment tied to its skin-health business, which pushed GAAP EPS down (full-year GAAP EPS declined ~25% to $2.63) and caused a quarter-level loss on charges — this is a material one-time hit and raises questions about that segment’s recovery. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Softer China trends weighed on margins: management flagged weakness in China and skin-health that pressured margins despite top-line growth — watch margin trajectory in upcoming quarters. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

CL has been the topic of several recent research reports. Argus reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $86.00 target price on Colgate-Palmolive in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Bank of America decreased their price target on Colgate-Palmolive from $98.00 to $88.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $85.00 price objective on Colgate-Palmolive in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, TD Cowen reduced their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $90.00 to $86.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Colgate-Palmolive presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $89.44.

About Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company with a long history in household and personal care categories. The business traces its roots to the early 19th century and has evolved into a multinational manufacturer and marketer of everyday consumer goods focused on health, hygiene and home care.

The company’s core activities center on oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition. Its product portfolio includes toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash in oral care; soaps, body washes and deodorants in personal care; dishwashing liquids, surface cleaners and other household products in home care; and scientifically formulated pet foods under its pet nutrition business.