New York-based Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) manufactures and sells consumer products in the United States and internationally. The company has a market cap of $71.9 billion and operates through two segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition, and offers toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, bar and liquid hand soaps, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and antiperspirants, and other products.
CL shares have lagged behind the broader market over the past year, surging 7.6% compared to the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 21.8% surge. However, in 2026, the stock has grown by nearly 13.7%, outperforming the SPX’s 11% rise.
Focusing on its industry benchmark, the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) has risen 5.8% over the past year, underperforming the stock. In 2026, XLP has grown 9.2% and has also lagged behind the stock.
On Aug. 3, CL stock declined 1.6% following the release of its Q2 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue for the quarter grew 4.9% from the prior year’s quarter to $5.4 billion and came in line with the Street’s estimates. Moreover, its adjusted EPS came in at $0.99, surpassing Wall Street’s forecasts. However, despite the earnings beat, the company’s operating margin declined from the prior year’s value of 21.1% to 19%. Moreover, its sales volumes remained flat from the prior year’s quarter, indicating a lack of demand growth for its products, which likely raised some red flags for investors.
For the current year, which ends in December, analysts expect CL’s EPS to rise 3.8% to $3.83 on a diluted basis. The company surpassed the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters.
Among the 22 analysts covering CL stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on 10 “Strong Buy” ratings, three “Moderate Buys,” eight “Holds,” and one “Strong Sell.”
The configuration has remained unchanged over the past months.
On Aug. 3, UBS analyst Peter Grom maintained a “Buy” rating for CL and raised its price target from $106 to $109.
CL’s mean price target of $97.24 offers an 8.2% premium compared to the current market price. Its Street-high target of $110 implies a robust 22.4% upside from current levels.
On the date of publication, Aritra Gangopadhyay did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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