Franklin Resources Inc. Acquires 117,896 Shares of Colgate-Palmolive Company $CL

Key Points

• Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in Colgate‑Palmolive by 3.0%, purchasing 117,896 shares to hold 4,101,222 shares total (about 0.51% of the company) valued at roughly $327.85 million at quarter‑end.
• Corporate insiders have been net sellers: CFO Stanley J. Sutula III sold 97,843 shares (~$9.22M) and insiders have sold 184,683 shares (~$17.49M) in the last 90 days, leaving insiders owning about 0.34% of the stock.
• Analysts give Colgate‑Palmolive a consensus "Moderate Buy" (11 Buys, 6 Holds) with an average target of $94.75; the company recently beat quarterly EPS estimates ($0.95 vs. $0.91) and reported $5.23B in revenue, with a market cap of $72.19B and a P/E of 34.18.

Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL - Free Report) by 3.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 4,101,222 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 117,896 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. owned 0.51% of Colgate-Palmolive worth $327,852,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 4.4% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 10,578 shares of the company's stock valued at $962,000 after acquiring an additional 450 shares during the period. Woodline Partners LP raised its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 76.3% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 46,361 shares of the company's stock worth $4,344,000 after purchasing an additional 20,062 shares during the period. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. lifted its stake in Colgate-Palmolive by 2.0% in the second 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 during the last quarter. Vestmark Advisory Solutions Inc. bought a new position in Colgate-Palmolive during the second quarter valued at $252,000. Finally, AE Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Colgate-Palmolive by 44.0% during the second quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 12,048 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,095,000 after purchasing an additional 3,680 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.41% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on CL shares. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $100.00 target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Barclays increased their price target on Colgate-Palmolive from $83.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded Colgate-Palmolive from a "sector perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $88.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $86.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Sunday, February 1st. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $93.00 target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $94.75.

Colgate-Palmolive Price Performance

Colgate-Palmolive stock opened at $89.55 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $72.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.18, a PEG ratio of 4.14 and a beta of 0.28. Colgate-Palmolive Company has a one year low of $74.54 and a one year high of $99.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 18.82, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $89.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $83.17.

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The company reported $0.95 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.04. Colgate-Palmolive had a return on equity of 353.72% and a net margin of 10.45%.The business had revenue of $5.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.13 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.91 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Colgate-Palmolive Company will post 3.75 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Stanley J. Sutula III sold 97,843 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $94.27, for a total value of $9,223,659.61. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 55,310 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,214,073.70. This represents a 63.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Sally Massey sold 15,851 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $95.03, for a total transaction of $1,506,320.53. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 13,751 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,306,757.53. This trade represents a 53.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 184,683 shares of company stock valued at $17,486,693. Corporate insiders own 0.34% 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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