New York-based Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) manufactures and sells consumer products. With a market cap of $63.4 billion, the company’s products include toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoos, deodorants, bar and liquid soaps, dishwashing liquid, and laundry products, as well as pet nutrition products for cats and dogs. The global leader in toothpaste is expected to announce its fiscal third-quarter earnings for 2025 before the market opens on Friday, Oct. 31.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect CL to report a profit of $0.90 per share on a diluted basis, down 1.1% from $0.91 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has consistently surpassed Wall Street’s EPS estimates in its last four quarterly reports.
For the full year, analysts expect CL to report EPS of $3.67, up 1.9% from $3.60 in fiscal 2024. Its EPS is expected to rise 6.5% year-over-year to $3.91 in fiscal 2026.
CL stock has significantly underperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 14.7% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares down 23.6% during this period. Similarly, it considerably underperformed the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLP) 4% losses over the same time frame.
On Aug. 1, CL shares closed down marginally after reporting its Q2 results. Its adjusted EPS of $0.92 exceeded Wall Street expectations of $0.89. The company’s revenue was $5.11 billion, exceeding Wall Street forecasts of $5.05 billion.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on CL stock is reasonably bullish, with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of 22 analysts covering the stock, 10 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, two suggest a “Moderate Buy,” eight give a “Hold,” and two advocate a “Strong Sell.” CL’s average analyst price target is $91.38, indicating a potential upside of 17.7% from the current levels.
