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CL vs. EL: Colgate-Palmolive vs. Estée Lauder Stock Comparison

How do Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL) 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 Estée Lauder (EL) both fall under the Household & Personal Products industry group, but CL is classified in Household Products while EL is classified in Personal Care Products.

Company profile comparison for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
Profile ItemCLEL
NameColgate-Palmolive CompanyThe Estée Lauder Companies Inc. Class A
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupHousehold & Personal ProductsHousehold & Personal Products
GICS IndustryHousehold ProductsPersonal Care Products
GICS Sub-IndustryHousehold ProductsPersonal Care Products
Market Capitalization72.42 billion USD29.80 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMay 2, 1973November 17, 1995
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CL
EL
GSPC
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL), 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 Estée Lauder (EL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
MetricCLEL
Total Return (1Y)7.07%-2.86%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)7.95%-21.44%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)4.41%-22.76%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CL
EL
GSPC
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL), 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 Estée Lauder (EL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
MetricCLEL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)22.54%46.56%
Beta (5Y)0.331.26
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.05%-85.82%
Avg. Volume (3M)5.21M3.48M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CL and EL 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 Estée Lauder (EL)
MetricCLEL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.13-0.15
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.20-0.20

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Estée Lauder (EL) reports a negative ROE of -5.95%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Colgate-Palmolive (CL) reports 363.58%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

363.58%

CL
363.58%
Max
33.31%
Q3
28.44%
Median
13.69%
Q1
0.17%
Min
-20.43%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

-5.95%

Max
33.31%
Q3
28.44%
Median
13.69%
Q1
0.17%
EL
-5.95%
Min
-20.43%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their ROE against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Estée Lauder (EL) reports a negative net margin of -1.67%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Colgate-Palmolive (CL) reports 10.04%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

10.04%

Max
19.16%
Q3
11.33%
CL
10.04%
Median
6.67%
Q1
0.66%
Min
-9.20%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

-1.67%

Max
19.16%
Q3
11.33%
Median
6.67%
Q1
0.66%
EL
-1.67%
Min
-9.20%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their net margin against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 20.92% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Estée Lauder (EL) at 14.93%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

20.92%

Max
23.17%
CL
20.92%
Q3
20.10%
Median
12.60%
Q1
6.91%
Min
-9.69%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

14.93%

Max
23.17%
Q3
20.10%
EL
14.93%
Median
12.60%
Q1
6.91%
Min
-9.69%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
MetricCLEL
ROE (TTM)363.58%-5.95%
ROA (TTM)16.10%4.87%
Net Margin (TTM)10.04%-1.67%
Operating Margin (TTM)20.92%14.93%
Gross Margin (TTM)60.06%74.65%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 1.40% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Estée Lauder (EL) at -8.21% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Neither side shows strong earnings momentum: Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at -25.07% sits in the bottom EPS growth quartile, and Estée Lauder (EL) at -391.67% is weaker still, below its industry range.

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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
MetricCLEL
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.40%-8.21%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.29%-6.87%
EPS Growth (YoY)-25.07%-391.67%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)7.28%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 1.03 and Estée Lauder (EL) at 1.27 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

1.03

Max
4.51
Q3
3.12
Median
1.95
CL
1.03
Q1
1.01
Min
0.73

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

1.27

Max
4.51
Q3
3.12
Median
1.95
EL
1.27
Q1
1.01
Min
0.73
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but CL is more stretched: Estée Lauder (EL) at 2.33 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 16.41 is above its industry benchmark range.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

16.41

CL
16.41
Max
2.33
Q3
1.45
Median
0.77
Q1
0.39
Min
0.02

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.33

EL
2.33
Max
2.33
Q3
1.45
Median
0.77
Q1
0.39
Min
0.02
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): 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 Estée Lauder (EL)
MetricCLEL
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.031.27
Debt / Equity (MRQ)16.412.33
Net Debt / EBITDA1.332.63

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 2.26% and Estée Lauder (EL) at 1.67% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.26%

Max
5.90%
Q3
2.64%
CL
2.26%
Median
1.02%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

1.67%

Max
5.90%
Q3
2.64%
EL
1.67%
Median
1.02%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Estée Lauder (EL) reports payout ratio above 100% at 471.43%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Colgate-Palmolive (CL) reports 80.62%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

80.62%

Max
98.51%
CL
80.62%
Q3
66.00%
Median
36.90%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

471.43%

EL
471.43%
Max
98.51%
Q3
66.00%
Median
36.90%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
MetricCLEL
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.26%1.67%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)80.62%471.43%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Colgate-Palmolive (CL) trades at 35.63 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Estée Lauder (EL) has no P/E ratio this period.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

35.63

Max
36.52
CL
35.63
Q3
24.48
Median
20.82
Q1
15.98
Min
5.38

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

--

Max
36.52
Q3
24.48
Median
20.82
Q1
15.98
Min
5.38
EL
--
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): EL does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; CL is benchmarked against the Household & Personal Products industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Estée Lauder (EL) at 2.01 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 3.48 sits in the pricier quartile — CL costs more per dollar of sales.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

3.48

Max
5.42
CL
3.48
Q3
2.97
Median
1.58
Q1
0.70
Min
0.07

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.01

Max
5.42
Q3
2.97
EL
2.01
Median
1.58
Q1
0.70
Min
0.07
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Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Estée Lauder (EL) at 7.46 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 500.00 prices above its benchmark range — CL looks rich relative to book.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

500.00

CL
500.00
Max
11.82
Q3
7.46
Median
2.83
Q1
1.04
Min
-2.96

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

7.46

Max
11.82
Q3
7.46
EL
7.46
Median
2.83
Q1
1.04
Min
-2.96
Loading chart…
Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
MetricCLEL
P/E Ratio (TTM)35.63--
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.482.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)500.007.46
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.58%6.07%