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CL vs. CLX: Colgate-Palmolive vs. Clorox Stock Comparison

How do Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX) are both classified in the Household Products sub-industry within the broader Household Products industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX)
Profile ItemCLCLX
NameColgate-Palmolive Co.The Clorox Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupHousehold & Personal ProductsHousehold & Personal Products
GICS IndustryHousehold ProductsHousehold Products
GICS Sub-IndustryHousehold ProductsHousehold Products
Market Capitalization76.76 billion USD12.09 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMay 2, 1973February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CL
CLX
GSPC
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX)
MetricCLCLX
Total Return (1Y)26.99%1.37%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.69%-4.10%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)7.10%-5.63%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CL
CLX
GSPC
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX)
MetricCLCLX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.50%32.57%
Beta (5Y)0.300.53
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.05%-49.09%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.79M2.88M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CL and CLX are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX)
MetricCLCLX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.97-0.09
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.51-0.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 231.74% and Clorox (CLX) at 534.36% turn shareholders’ equity into profit at rates above their industry benchmark ranges for ROE. That is a strong capital-efficiency signal, though leverage and the equity base still matter.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

231.74%

CL
231.74%
Max
42.18%
Q3
31.87%
Median
17.80%
Q1
9.28%
Min
-14.64%

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

534.36%

CLX
534.36%
Max
42.18%
Q3
31.87%
Median
17.80%
Q1
9.28%
Min
-14.64%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their ROE against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 9.65% and Clorox (CLX) at 9.41% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

9.65%

Max
23.47%
Q3
12.19%
CL
9.65%
Median
8.50%
Q1
3.08%
Min
-9.74%

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

9.41%

Max
23.47%
Q3
12.19%
CLX
9.41%
Median
8.50%
Q1
3.08%
Min
-9.74%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their net margin against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 20.38% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Clorox (CLX) at 13.54%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

20.38%

Max
23.94%
CL
20.38%
Q3
17.03%
Median
13.15%
Q1
10.58%
Min
1.87%

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

13.54%

Max
23.94%
Q3
17.03%
CLX
13.54%
Median
13.15%
Q1
10.58%
Min
1.87%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX)
MetricCLCLX
ROE (TTM)231.74%534.36%
ROA (TTM)16.05%9.62%
Net Margin (TTM)9.65%9.41%
Operating Margin (TTM)20.38%13.54%
Gross Margin (TTM)60.64%41.94%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 1.40% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Clorox (CLX) at -5.41% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Colgate-Palmolive (CL) reports EPS growth of -25.07%, ranked against its industry; Clorox (CLX) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX)
MetricCLCLX
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.40%-5.41%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.29%-3.11%
EPS Growth (YoY)-25.07%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)7.28%58.85%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 0.96 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Clorox (CLX) at 0.65 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CLX.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

0.96

Max
4.26
Q3
2.82
Median
1.84
CL
0.96
Q1
0.92
Min
0.65

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

0.65

Max
4.26
Q3
2.82
Median
1.84
Q1
0.92
CLX
0.65
Min
0.65
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Debt sits unusually high against shareholders’ equity for both Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 12.06 and Clorox (CLX) at 46.23 — each debt-to-equity ratio is above its industry benchmark range.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

12.06

CL
12.06
Max
2.30
Q3
2.12
Median
0.81
Q1
0.50
Min
0.01

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

46.23

CLX
46.23
Max
2.30
Q3
2.12
Median
0.81
Q1
0.50
Min
0.01
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX)
MetricCLCLX
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.960.65
Debt / Equity (MRQ)12.0646.23
Net Debt / EBITDA1.214.17

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Clorox (CLX) at 5.00% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 2.13% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, CLX the richer one.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.13%

Max
5.00%
Q3
2.47%
CL
2.13%
Median
1.30%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

5.00%

CLX
5.00%
Max
5.00%
Q3
2.47%
Median
1.30%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 81.71% and Clorox (CLX) at 89.39% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

81.71%

Max
140.00%
CL
81.71%
Q3
73.75%
Median
46.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

89.39%

Max
140.00%
CLX
89.39%
Q3
73.75%
Median
46.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX)
MetricCLCLX
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.13%5.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)81.71%89.39%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Clorox (CLX) at 17.98 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 37.57 sits in the richer quartile — CL needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

37.57

CL
37.57
Max
37.57
Q3
33.54
Median
20.03
Q1
15.76
Min
6.45

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

17.98

Max
37.57
Q3
33.54
Median
20.03
CLX
17.98
Q1
15.76
Min
6.45
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Clorox (CLX) at 1.68 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 3.61 sits in the pricier quartile — CL costs more per dollar of sales.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

3.61

Max
4.36
CL
3.61
Q3
3.57
Median
1.68
Q1
0.76
Min
0.30

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

1.68

Max
4.36
Q3
3.57
CLX
1.68
Median
1.68
Q1
0.76
Min
0.30
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Clorox (CLX) reports a negative P/B ratio of -310.43, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Colgate-Palmolive (CL) reports 266.74, ranking against industry peers normally.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

266.74

CL
266.74
Max
12.30
Q3
7.43
Median
3.44
Q1
1.30
Min
-3.91

CLX

Household & Personal Products industry group

-310.43

Max
12.30
Q3
7.43
Median
3.44
Q1
1.30
Min
-3.91
CLX
-310.43
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Clorox (CLX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Clorox (CLX)
MetricCLCLX
P/E Ratio (TTM)37.5717.98
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.611.68
P/B Ratio (MRQ)266.74-310.43
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.40%1.71%