Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) Stock Rating Lowered by StockNews.com

StockNews.com lowered shares of Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL - Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Wednesday morning.

Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. TD Cowen reduced their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $110.00 to $100.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $89.00 to $86.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 11th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $95.00 to $93.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $111.00 to $104.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $99.00 to $95.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $102.17.

Colgate-Palmolive Stock Performance

Colgate-Palmolive stock traded down $1.02 on Wednesday, hitting $94.48. The company's stock had a trading volume of 3,280,451 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,580,172. Colgate-Palmolive has a one year low of $85.32 and a one year high of $109.30. The firm has a market cap of $76.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.20 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 13.40. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $91.31 and a 200-day moving average price of $92.31.

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 31st. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.01. Colgate-Palmolive had a return on equity of 477.77% and a net margin of 14.38%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.87 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Colgate-Palmolive will post 3.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Colgate-Palmolive Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 17th will be issued a $0.52 dividend. This is an increase from Colgate-Palmolive's previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 17th. Colgate-Palmolive's dividend payout ratio is 59.09%.

Colgate-Palmolive announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase program on Thursday, March 20th that allows the company to buyback $5.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 6.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often an indication that the company's board believes its shares are undervalued.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Colgate-Palmolive by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC now owns 9,035 shares of the company's stock worth $847,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares during the period. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Colgate-Palmolive by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,786 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,526,000 after acquiring an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Financial Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 4.5% in the fourth quarter. Commonwealth Financial Services LLC now owns 2,716 shares of the company's stock valued at $247,000 after purchasing an additional 118 shares during the last quarter. Wescott Financial Advisory Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 3.5% in the fourth quarter. Wescott Financial Advisory Group LLC now owns 3,517 shares of the company's stock worth $320,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares in the last quarter. Finally, D Orazio & Associates Inc. boosted its holdings in Colgate-Palmolive by 4.2% during the fourth quarter. D Orazio & Associates Inc. now owns 2,982 shares of the company's stock worth $271,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.41% of the company's stock.

Colgate-Palmolive Company Profile

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells consumer products in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. The Oral, Personal and Home Care segment offers toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, bar and liquid hand soaps, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and antiperspirants, skin health products, dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, and other related items.