Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) vs The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CL | 1.4% revenue growth vs EL's -8.5% |
| Value | CL | Lower P/E (25.7x vs 49.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | CL | 10.5% net margin vs EL's -1.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CL | Beta 0.02 vs EL's 1.51 |
| Dividends | CL | 2.3% yield, 5-year raise streak, vs EL's 1.6% |
| Momentum (1Y) | EL | +54.7% vs CL's +11.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CL | 13.0% ROA vs EL's -0.9%, ROIC 43.4% vs 6.5% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Colgate-Palmolive is a global consumer goods company that manufactures and sells oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition products. It generates revenue primarily from its Oral, Personal and Home Care segment — which contributes roughly 85% of sales — and its Pet Nutrition segment, which makes up the remaining 15%. The company's competitive advantage lies in its powerful global brand portfolio, particularly the dominant Colgate brand in oral care, and its extensive distribution network reaching over 200 countries.
Estée Lauder Companies is a global prestige beauty conglomerate that develops, manufactures, and markets luxury skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products. It generates revenue primarily through product sales across its portfolio of over 25 prestige brands—with skincare representing its largest segment at roughly 60% of sales—through department stores, specialty retailers, e-commerce, and freestanding stores. The company's competitive advantage lies in its powerful portfolio of iconic prestige brands, global distribution reach in high-end retail channels, and deep expertise in luxury beauty marketing.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CL leads in 4 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). EL leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CL and EL operate at a comparable scale, with $20.4B and $14.7B in trailing revenue. CL is the more profitable business, keeping 10.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to EL's -1.2%.
| Metric | CLColgate-Palmolive… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $20.4B | $14.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $3.9B | $1.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $2.1B | -$178M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $3.6B | $1.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +60.1% | +74.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +21.3% | +7.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +10.5% | -1.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +17.8% | +7.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.8% | +5.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -105.1% | +126.8% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, EL's 10.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CL's 17.4x.
| Metric | CLColgate-Palmolive… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $79.9B | $12.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $86.6B | $19.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 37.70x | -34.75x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 25.66x | 49.10x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.40x | 10.66x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.92x | 0.88x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 220.31x | 10.20x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 21.99x | 18.71x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CL delivers a 5.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $-4 for EL. EL carries lower financial leverage with a 2.44x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CL's 21.88x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CL scores 6/9 vs EL's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | CLColgate-Palmolive… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.8% | -4.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +13.0% | -0.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +43.4% | +6.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +41.6% | +6.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 21.88x | 2.44x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $6.7B | $6.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.3B | $2.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $8.0B | $9.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 12.37x | 1.96x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CL five years ago would be worth $14,394 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,093 for EL. Over the past 12 months, EL leads with a +54.7% total return vs CL's +11.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CL at 12.8% vs EL's -22.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CLColgate-Palmolive… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +28.3% | +2.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +11.0% | +54.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +43.4% | -52.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +43.9% | -59.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +78.5% | +40.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +12.8% | -22.0% |
Risk & Volatility
CL is the less volatile stock with a 0.02 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than EL's 1.51 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CL currently trades 99.0% from its 52-week high vs EL's 90.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CLColgate-Palmolive… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.02x | 1.51x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $100.18 | $121.64 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $74.55 | $48.37 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.0% | +90.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 68.5 | 51.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 5.7M | 3.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CL as "Hold" and EL as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 1.4% upside for EL (target: $111) vs -6.7% for CL (target: $92). For income investors, CL offers the higher dividend yield at 2.27% vs EL's 1.57%.
| Metric | CLColgate-Palmolive… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $92.45 | $111.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 43 | 46 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.3% | +1.6% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 5 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.25 | $1.72 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.5% | +0.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate-Palmolive C… (CL) | 100 | 126.85 | +26.8% |
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 100 | 61.43 | -38.6% |
Colgate-Palmolive C… (CL) returned +44% over 5 years vs The Estée Lauder Co… (EL)'s -59%. A $10,000 investment in CL 5 years ago would be worth $14,394 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate-Palmolive C… (CL) | $15.2B | $20.4B | +34.1% |
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | $11.3B | $14.3B | +26.9% |
Colgate-Palmolive Company's revenue grew from $15.2B (2016) to $20.4B (2025) — a 3.3% CAGR. The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s revenue grew from $11.3B (2016) to $14.3B (2025) — a 2.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate-Palmolive C… (CL) | 16.1% | 10.5% | -34.9% |
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 9.9% | -7.9% | -180.1% |
Colgate-Palmolive Company's net margin went from 16% (2016) to 10% (2025). The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s net margin went from 10% (2016) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate-Palmolive C… (CL) | 33.1 | 30 | -9.4% |
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 38 | 69.4 | +82.6% |
Colgate-Palmolive Company has traded in a 22x–37x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~38x. The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. has traded in a 38x–143x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~-35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate-Palmolive C… (CL) | 2.72 | 2.63 | -3.3% |
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 2.96 | -3.15 | -206.4% |
Colgate-Palmolive Company's EPS grew from $2.72 (2016) to $2.63 (2025) — a -0% CAGR. The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.96 (2016) to $-3.15 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Colgate-Palmolive Company generated $4B FCF in 2025 (+32% vs 2021). The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. generated $670M FCF in 2025 (-78% vs 2021).
CL vs EL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CL or EL a better buy right now?
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) offers the better valuation at 37.7x trailing P/E (25.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) a "Hold" — based on 43 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — CL or EL?
On forward P/E, Colgate-Palmolive Company is actually cheaper at 25.7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CL or EL?
Over the past 5 years, Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) delivered a total return of +43.9%, compared to -59.1% for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL). A $10,000 investment in CL five years ago would be worth approximately $14K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CL returned +78.5% versus EL's +40.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — CL or EL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.02β versus The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s 1.51β — meaning EL is approximately 8706% more volatile than CL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 22% for Colgate-Palmolive Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CL or EL?
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) is the more profitable company, earning 10.5% net margin versus -7.9% for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. — meaning it keeps 10.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CL leads at 21.3% versus 6.7% for EL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EL leads at 73.9%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is CL or EL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) trades at 25.7x forward P/E versus 49.1x for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. — 23.4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EL: 1.4% to $111.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — CL or EL?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) offers the highest yield at 2.3%, versus 1.6% for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL).
08Is CL or EL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.02), 2.3% yield). The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) carries a higher beta of 1.51 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CL: +78.5%, EL: +40.2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between CL and EL?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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