CL vs. EL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CL and EL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | CL | EL |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Colgate-Palmolive Company | The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Household Products | Personal Care Products |
| Market Capitalization | 63.86 billion USD | 31.23 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 2, 1973 | November 17, 1995 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CL and EL by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | CL | EL |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.47% | 3.27% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -12.06% | 9.06% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -13.14% | 33.74% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -22.88% | -11.77% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -4.91% | -3.94% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -12.07% | 17.52% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 6.18M | 3.11M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 5.14M | 3.92M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 17.36% | 39.77% |
| Beta | 0.35 | 1.17 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CL
679.67%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 216.14%
- Q3
- 106.01%
- Median
- 19.09%
- Q1
- 9.92%
- Min
- -6.34%
CL’s Return on Equity of 679.67% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Household Products industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
EL
-25.95%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 33.29%
- Q3
- 19.04%
- Median
- 10.69%
- Q1
- 3.26%
- Min
- -10.45%
EL has a negative Return on Equity of -25.95%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CL
14.55%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 14.55%
- Q3
- 12.50%
- Median
- 8.91%
- Q1
- 8.67%
- Min
- 5.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 14.55% places CL in the upper quartile for the Household Products industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
EL
-7.91%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 14.65%
- Q3
- 10.84%
- Median
- 9.29%
- Q1
- 5.35%
- Min
- -0.14%
EL has a negative Net Profit Margin of -7.91%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CL
21.17%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 21.76%
- Q3
- 16.17%
- Median
- 13.11%
- Q1
- 12.17%
- Min
- 6.87%
An Operating Profit Margin of 21.17% places CL in the upper quartile for the Household Products industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
EL
-5.48%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 19.64%
- Q3
- 16.46%
- Median
- 12.80%
- Q1
- 8.01%
- Min
- 2.98%
EL has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -5.48%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CL | EL |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 679.67% | -25.95% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 17.38% | -5.61% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.55% | -7.91% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.17% | -5.48% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 60.57% | 73.96% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CL
0.89
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 2.84
- Q3
- 1.96
- Median
- 1.21
- Q1
- 0.79
- Min
- 0.50
CL’s Current Ratio of 0.89 aligns with the median group of the Household Products industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
EL
1.30
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.73
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.16
- Min
- 0.76
EL’s Current Ratio of 1.30 aligns with the median group of the Personal Care Products industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CL
12.48
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 1.47
- Q3
- 1.47
- Median
- 0.58
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.01
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 12.48, CL operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Household Products industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
EL
1.89
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 1.80
- Q3
- 0.78
- Median
- 0.30
- Q1
- 0.04
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.89, EL operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Personal Care Products industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CL
20.49
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 83.52
- Q3
- 68.49
- Median
- 17.04
- Q1
- 9.99
- Min
- 5.60
CL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 20.49 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Household Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
EL
-3.28
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 96.53
- Q3
- 59.91
- Median
- 22.25
- Q1
- 7.85
- Min
- -3.28
EL has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -3.28. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CL | EL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.89 | 1.30 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.57 | 0.82 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 12.48 | 1.89 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 20.49 | -3.28 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CL
2.82%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 6.79%
- Q3
- 3.95%
- Median
- 2.83%
- Q1
- 2.02%
- Min
- 1.34%
CL’s Dividend Yield of 2.82% is consistent with its peers in the Household Products industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
EL
1.95%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 4.99%
- Q3
- 2.70%
- Median
- 1.98%
- Q1
- 0.95%
- Min
- 0.00%
EL’s Dividend Yield of 1.95% is consistent with its peers in the Personal Care Products industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CL
61.95%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 187.99%
- Q3
- 110.64%
- Median
- 74.63%
- Q1
- 58.31%
- Min
- 30.76%
CL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 61.95% is within the typical range for the Household Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
EL
79.25%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 221.40%
- Q3
- 137.27%
- Median
- 70.48%
- Q1
- 51.10%
- Min
- 0.00%
EL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 79.25% is within the typical range for the Personal Care Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CL | EL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.82% | 1.95% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 61.95% | 79.25% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CL
21.96
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 30.25
- Q3
- 22.11
- Median
- 20.35
- Q1
- 15.19
- Min
- 13.52
CL’s P/E Ratio of 21.96 is within the middle range for the Household Products industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
EL
--
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 46.28
- Q3
- 31.71
- Median
- 22.50
- Q1
- 20.20
- Min
- 11.79
P/E Ratio data for EL is currently unavailable.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CL
3.19
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 4.23
- Q3
- 2.58
- Median
- 1.98
- Q1
- 1.29
- Min
- 1.03
CL’s P/S Ratio of 3.19 is in the upper echelon for the Household Products industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
EL
2.21
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 2.59
- Q3
- 2.35
- Median
- 1.92
- Q1
- 1.18
- Min
- 0.00
EL’s P/S Ratio of 2.21 aligns with the market consensus for the Personal Care Products industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CL
104.94
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 46.10
- Q3
- 21.55
- Median
- 5.33
- Q1
- 2.16
- Min
- 1.41
At 104.94, CL’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Household Products industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
EL
7.52
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 12.00
- Q3
- 6.22
- Median
- 2.84
- Q1
- 1.70
- Min
- 1.12
EL’s P/B Ratio of 7.52 is in the upper tier for the Personal Care Products industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CL | EL |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 21.96 | -- |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.19 | 2.21 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 104.94 | 7.52 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 18.96 | 21.40 |