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

30 Jan 2026, 12:50 by Teresa Graham · The Cerbat Gem

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL – Get Free Report) posted its earnings results 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 company had revenue of $5.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.13 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.91 earnings per share. The business’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 Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE CL traded up $3.12 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $88.36. 6,693,119 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,240,662. Colgate-Palmolive has a one year low of $74.54 and a one year high of $100.18. The company’s 50 day moving average is $80.58 and its 200 day moving average is $81.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.90, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $71.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.76, a P/E/G ratio of 5.73 and a beta of 0.30.

Colgate-Palmolive Announces Dividend

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on CL shares. Raymond James Financial decreased their price target on Colgate-Palmolive from $105.00 to $95.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Argus reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Piper Sandler set a $88.00 price objective on shares of Colgate-Palmolive and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. UBS Group raised their price objective on Colgate-Palmolive from $90.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $90.00 to $86.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $89.44.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Colgate-Palmolive

Key Stories 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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Colgate-Palmolive

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Kelleher Financial Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive during the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Colgate-Palmolive in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive during the third quarter worth approximately $39,000. Quarry LP lifted its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 153.1% during the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 701 shares of the company’s stock worth $56,000 after buying an additional 424 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Advocacy Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive in the third quarter valued at approximately $204,000. 80.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Colgate-Palmolive

(Get Free Report)

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.