Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) Receives Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Brokerages

Key Points

• Analyst consensus: Eighteen brokerages rate Colgate‑Palmolive a "Moderate Buy" (12 buy, 6 hold) with an average 12‑month price target of about $95.56, while several firms recently trimmed targets to the mid‑$90s.
• Q1 beat but margin pressure: Colgate reported EPS of $0.97 and revenue of $5.32B, topping estimates with organic sales growth, while management is accelerating a multi‑year restructuring to restore margins amid near‑term one‑time charges and margin pressure.
• Shareholder returns and insider activity: The board raised the quarterly dividend to $0.53 (annualized $2.12, ~2.4% yield), even as insiders sold significant stock recently (184,683 shares totaling ~$17.5M over 90 days) and institutional ownership remains high.

Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the eighteen brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $95.5625.

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on CL shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $97.00 to $95.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 17th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Colgate-Palmolive from $100.00 to $95.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $85.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Evercore upped their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $94.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Colgate-Palmolive from $100.00 to $92.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th.

Colgate-Palmolive Trading Up 2.1%

NYSE CL opened at $87.15 on Friday. Colgate-Palmolive has a fifty-two week low of $74.54 and a fifty-two week high of $99.33. The stock has a market cap of $69.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.37 and a beta of 0.31. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $87.95 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $84.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 18.82, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 0.83.

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The company reported $0.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.94 by $0.03. Colgate-Palmolive had a return on equity of 353.72% and a net margin of 10.45%.The firm had revenue of $5.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.22 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.91 EPS. The business's revenue was up 8.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts forecast that Colgate-Palmolive will post 3.85 earnings per share for the current year.

Colgate-Palmolive Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 20th will be given a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 20th. This is a boost from Colgate-Palmolive's previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. Colgate-Palmolive's payout ratio is currently 80.92%.

Colgate-Palmolive News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 top‑ and bottom‑line beat — Colgate reported EPS of $0.97 vs. $0.95 consensus and revenue of $5.32B (up 8.4% YoY), driven by pricing and volume growth; organic sales rose and base business EPS increased. Colgate Q1 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates on Pricing & Volume Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Strong international demand for core oral and personal care boosted results and topline momentum, a cited driver behind the beat. Colgate‑Palmolive beats Q1 estimates on strong international demand
• Positive Sentiment: Board expands strategic growth & restructuring program — management is accelerating a multi‑year program (approved July 2025) intended to drive growth and cost savings, which supports margin recovery expectations. Colgate‑Palmolive Expands Strategic Growth and Restructuring Program
• Neutral Sentiment: Management commentary and slides — the earnings call and slide deck provide detail on region‑level trends, pricing versus volume dynamics, and the timing of savings from the restructuring program. Review the transcript/slides for forward commentary. Colgate‑Palmolive Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts updated forecasts ahead of and after the print — some revisions were already in place heading into the quarter; keep an eye on any further changes to price targets or model assumptions. Colgate‑Palmolive Earnings Are Imminent; These Most Accurate Analysts Revise Forecasts Ahead Of Earnings Call
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure and one‑time/SGPP charges — GAAP EPS fell YoY (to $0.80) and gross profit margin slipped ~20 bps; management flagged costs and restructuring/SGPP charges that weighed on margins this quarter. These items are a watch point for near‑term profitability until savings materialize. Colgate Announces 1st Quarter 2026 Results

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Sally Massey sold 15,851 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $95.03, for a total transaction of $1,506,320.53. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 13,751 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,306,757.53. This represents a 53.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider John Hazlin sold 20,989 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.25, for a total value of $1,978,213.25. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 17,645 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,663,041.25. The trade was a 54.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 184,683 shares of company stock valued at $17,486,693. Company insiders own 0.43% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Colgate-Palmolive

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CL. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Colgate-Palmolive in the 4th quarter worth $861,670,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in Colgate-Palmolive by 8,040.1% in the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 4,655,987 shares of the company's stock worth $380,666,000 after acquiring an additional 4,598,789 shares during the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. purchased a new position in Colgate-Palmolive in the 4th quarter worth $236,682,000. Deutsche Bank AG raised its stake in Colgate-Palmolive by 33.9% in the 4th quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 10,845,857 shares of the company's stock worth $857,040,000 after acquiring an additional 2,746,920 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Colgate-Palmolive by 46.7% in the 3rd quarter. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. now owns 8,077,549 shares of the company's stock worth $645,719,000 after acquiring an additional 2,572,796 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.41% of the company's stock.

Colgate-Palmolive Company Profile

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.

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