Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) Financial Ratios
30 years of historical data (1996–2025) · Consumer Defensive · Household & Personal Products
EV/EBITDA
↓
15.77
-4% vs avg
5yr avg: 16.48
30Y Low10.6·High21.8
P/FCF
↓
19.76
↓-19% vs avg
5yr avg: 24.45
30Y Low15.4·High46.3
P/B Ratio
↑
198.84
↑+85% vs avg
5yr avg: 107.73
30Y Low7.1·High175.6
ROE
↑
469.1%
↓+54% vs avg
5yr avg: 305.0%
30Y Low34%·High469%
Debt/EBITDA
↓
1.60
↓-13% vs avg
5yr avg: 1.85
30Y Low0.8·High2.2
Percentile shows where the current value sits in 30-year historical distribution. Sparklines show 5-year trend.
CL Valuation Multiples
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
Colgate-Palmolive Company trades at 34.0x earnings, 10% above its 5-year average of 31.0x, sitting at the 83rd percentile of its historical range. Compared to the Consumer Defensive sector median P/E of 18.8x, the stock trades at a premium of 81%. On a free-cash-flow basis, the stock trades at 19.8x P/FCF, 19% below the 5-year average of 24.4x.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $71.8B | $64.1B | $74.8B | $66.1B | $66.1B | $72.4B | $73.5B | $59.3B | $52.0B | $67.0B | $58.8B |
| Enterprise Value | $78.5B | $70.8B | $82.2B | $74.2B | $74.6B | $79.4B | $80.8B | $66.9B | $57.6B | $72.0B | $64.0B |
| P/E Ratio → | 34.02 | 30.05 | 25.90 | 28.78 | 36.99 | 33.47 | 27.23 | 25.03 | 21.64 | 33.09 | 24.06 |
| P/S Ratio | 3.52 | 3.14 | 3.72 | 3.40 | 3.68 | 4.16 | 4.46 | 3.78 | 3.34 | 4.33 | 3.87 |
| P/B Ratio | 198.84 | 175.60 | 137.45 | 69.07 | 82.00 | 74.56 | 66.74 | 106.23 | 263.76 | 275.66 | 3458.23 |
| P/FCF | 19.76 | 17.64 | 21.09 | 21.74 | 35.53 | 26.25 | 22.21 | 21.19 | 19.83 | 26.78 | 23.07 |
| P/OCF | 17.10 | 15.27 | 18.21 | 17.65 | 25.86 | 21.77 | 19.76 | 18.92 | 17.00 | 21.93 | 18.72 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
CL EV Ratios
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
Colgate-Palmolive Company's enterprise value stands at 15.8x EBITDA, roughly in line with its 5-year average of 16.5x. The Consumer Defensive sector median is 11.0x, placing the stock at a 43% premium on an enterprise-value basis.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 3.47 | 4.09 | 3.81 | 4.15 | 4.56 | 4.91 | 4.26 | 3.71 | 4.66 | 4.21 |
| EV / EBITDA | 15.77 | 14.22 | 16.48 | 15.79 | 18.06 | 17.87 | 18.16 | 15.62 | 13.21 | 16.06 | 14.54 |
| EV / EBIT | 18.05 | 21.28 | 19.35 | 20.17 | 26.38 | 24.78 | 21.23 | 19.15 | 15.75 | 19.79 | 16.47 |
| EV / FCF | — | 19.48 | 23.18 | 24.41 | 40.10 | 28.79 | 24.42 | 23.90 | 21.99 | 28.80 | 25.12 |
CL Profitability
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Colgate-Palmolive Company earns an operating margin of 21.3%, significantly above the Consumer Defensive sector average of 3.5%. Return on equity of 469.1% is exceptionally high, though this is partly amplified by negative book value driven by aggressive share buybacks — well above the sector median of 6.5%. ROIC of 43.4% represents excellent returns on invested capital versus a sector median of 5.7%.
Margins
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 60.1% | 60.1% | 60.2% | 57.8% | 56.5% | 59.1% | 60.3% | 59.1% | 59.2% | 60.3% | 60.1% |
| Operating Margin | 21.3% | 21.3% | 21.8% | 21.2% | 20.0% | 22.3% | 23.7% | 24.0% | 24.8% | 25.9% | 26.1% |
| Net Profit Margin | 10.5% | 10.5% | 14.4% | 11.8% | 9.9% | 12.4% | 16.4% | 15.1% | 15.4% | 13.1% | 16.1% |
Return on Capital
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 469.1% | 469.1% | 384.9% | 260.9% | 200.9% | 209.1% | 324.9% | 627.0% | 1090.9% | 1556.9% | 14358.8% |
| ROA | 13.2% | 13.2% | 17.8% | 14.3% | 11.6% | 14.0% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 19.3% | 16.3% | 20.3% |
| ROIC | 43.4% | 43.4% | 38.6% | 33.8% | 31.1% | 35.5% | 35.4% | 40.3% | 51.9% | 57.2% | 55.2% |
| ROCE | 41.6% | 41.6% | 40.0% | 35.3% | 31.6% | 34.5% | 34.7% | 38.0% | 42.6% | 44.3% | 45.9% |
CL Leverage & Debt
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
Colgate-Palmolive Company carries a Debt/EBITDA ratio of 1.6x, which is manageable (54% below the sector average of 3.5x). Net debt stands at $6.7B ($8.0B total debt minus $1.3B cash). Interest coverage of 12.5x signals virtually no risk of debt distress — earnings comfortably cover interest obligations.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 21.88 | 21.88 | 15.65 | 9.47 | 11.50 | 8.07 | 7.46 | 15.20 | 32.31 | 27.07 | 384.29 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 1.60 | 1.60 | 1.71 | 1.93 | 2.24 | 1.76 | 1.85 | 1.98 | 1.46 | 1.47 | 1.48 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 18.36 | 13.63 | 8.46 | 10.54 | 7.21 | 6.65 | 13.62 | 28.63 | 20.75 | 306.94 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.35 | 1.35 | 1.49 | 1.72 | 2.06 | 1.58 | 1.65 | 1.78 | 1.29 | 1.12 | 1.19 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 1.84 | 2.09 | 2.66 | 4.57 | 2.54 | 2.21 | 2.72 | 2.15 | 2.02 | 2.05 |
| Interest Coverage | 12.46 | 12.46 | 14.55 | 12.82 | 16.93 | 27.38 | 23.79 | 18.19 | 18.95 | 23.79 | 26.09 |
CL Liquidity & Efficiency
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
The current ratio of 1.00x is below 1.0, meaning current liabilities exceed current assets — though the company's $1.3B cash position helps mitigate short-term liquidity concerns. The quick ratio of 0.64x is notably lower than the current ratio, indicating a significant portion of current assets is tied up in inventory. The current ratio has declined from 1.11x to 1.00x over the past 3 years.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.92 | 1.11 | 1.28 | 1.09 | 0.99 | 1.03 | 1.14 | 1.36 | 1.31 |
| Quick Ratio | 0.64 | 0.64 | 0.58 | 0.71 | 0.76 | 0.67 | 0.61 | 0.69 | 0.76 | 1.00 | 0.96 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.22 | 0.22 | 0.22 | 0.20 | 0.19 | 0.21 | 0.20 | 0.22 | 0.22 | 0.45 | 0.40 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 1.25 | 1.25 | 1.19 | 1.14 | 1.16 | 1.03 | 1.04 | 1.28 | 1.22 | 1.25 |
| Inventory Turnover | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.02 | 4.24 | 3.77 | 4.21 | 3.91 | 4.58 | 5.07 | 5.02 | 5.18 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 30.00 | 27.62 | 29.75 | 30.55 | 27.17 | 28.01 | 33.49 | 32.87 | 34.96 | 33.89 |
CL Shareholder Yields
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Colgate-Palmolive Company returns 4.2% to shareholders annually — split between a 2.5% dividend yield and 1.7% buyback yield. The payout ratio of 85.5% is elevated — while still covered by earnings, there is limited headroom for dividend increases. The earnings yield of 2.9% (inverse of P/E) provides a useful comparison to bond yields when assessing the stock's relative attractiveness to fixed income.
Dividends
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 2.5% | 2.8% | 2.4% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.7% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 2.6% |
| Payout Ratio | 85.5% | 85.5% | 61.9% | 76.0% | 94.7% | 77.5% | 55.7% | 68.2% | 66.3% | 75.5% | 61.8% |
Total Shareholder Return Metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 2.9% | 3.3% | 3.9% | 3.5% | 2.7% | 3.0% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.6% | 3.0% | 4.2% |
| FCF Yield | 5.1% | 5.7% | 4.7% | 4.6% | 2.8% | 3.8% | 4.5% | 4.7% | 5.0% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Buyback Yield | 1.7% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 1.7% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.3% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 4.2% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.4% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $811M | $823M | $829M | $839M | $848M | $859M | $861M | $873M | $888M | $898M |
Peer Comparison
Compare CL with 10 similar companies in its peer group
| Company | Market Cap | P/E | EV/EBITDA | P/FCF | Gross Margin | Op Margin | ROE | ROIC | Debt/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 CLYou | $72B | 34.0 | 15.8 | 19.8 | 60.1% | 21.3% | 469.1% | 43.4% | 1.6 |
 PG | $351B | 23.1 | 16.2 | 25.0 | 51.2% | 24.3% | 31.1% | 20.1% | 1.5 |
 UL | $128B | 22.2 | 12.2 | 14.3 | 100.0% | 15.5% | 26.5% | 15.3% | 2.7 |
 KMB | $34B | 16.9 | 13.1 | 20.8 | 35.6% | 14.5% | 153.9% | 23.3% | 2.3 |
 CHD | $23B | 31.7 | 18.5 | 20.7 | 44.7% | 17.4% | 17.6% | 13.9% | 1.7 |
 ENR | $1B | 6.5 | 7.3 | 23.3 | 40.6% | 17.8% | 156.4% | 11.8% | 5.4 |
 COTY | $2B | -4.4 | 8.6 | 6.2 | 64.8% | 4.1% | -9.0% | 2.3% | 6.4 |
 ELF | $4B | 145.9 | 21.1 | 20.1 | 70.7% | 8.0% | 5.8% | 7.3% | 4.4 |
 PRGO | $1B | -1.0 | 7.1 | 9.8 | 35.1% | 8.1% | -39.3% | 3.7% | 5.8 |
 HELE | $611M | -0.7 | — | 3.6 | 45.7% | 6.0% | -72.5% | 4.6% | — |
 SPB | $2B | 21.8 | 11.1 | 11.7 | 36.7% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 3.9% | 2.9 |
| Consumer Defensive Median | — | 18.8 | 11.0 | 15.3 | 40.8% | 3.5% | 6.5% | 5.7% | 3.5 |
Peer selection based on competitive and market overlap. Compare multiple stocks →
Download Financial Ratios Data
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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CL — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CL stock.
What is Colgate-Palmolive Company's P/E ratio?
Colgate-Palmolive Company's current P/E ratio is 34.0x. The historical average is 27.5x. This places it at the 83th percentile of its historical range.
What is Colgate-Palmolive Company's EV/EBITDA?
Colgate-Palmolive Company's current EV/EBITDA is 15.8x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 14.8x.
What is Colgate-Palmolive Company's ROE?
Colgate-Palmolive Company's return on equity (ROE) is 469.1%. This is above the typical threshold of 15-20% considered good for most companies. The historical average is 148.5%.
Is CL stock overvalued?
Based on historical data, Colgate-Palmolive Company is trading at a P/E of 34.0x. This is at the 83th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
What is Colgate-Palmolive Company's dividend yield?
Colgate-Palmolive Company's current dividend yield is 2.51% with a payout ratio of 85.5%.
What are Colgate-Palmolive Company's profit margins?
Colgate-Palmolive Company has 60.1% gross margin and 21.3% operating margin. Operating margin above 20% indicates strong pricing power and cost efficiency.
How much debt does Colgate-Palmolive Company have?
Colgate-Palmolive Company's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 1.6x, indicating moderate leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.