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

June 13, 2026

This page compares Colgate-Palmolive (CL) with Estée Lauder (EL) using performance and risk, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividends, and valuation metrics.

Performance

Cumulative Growth

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…

Trailing total returns for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Performance at a Glance

Performance metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
Metric	CL	EL
1-Year Return	-1.53%	30.01%

Risk

Drawdown

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Risk at a Glance

Risk metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
Metric	CL	EL
1-Year Volatility	21.84%	48.40%
Beta	0.33	1.24
3-Month Avg. Volume	5.66M	4.44M

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 Item	CL	EL
Name	Colgate-Palmolive Company	The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. Class A
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Consumer Staples	Consumer Staples
GICS Industry Group	Household & Personal Products	Household & Personal Products
GICS Industry	Household Products	Personal Care Products
GICS Sub-Industry	Household Products	Personal Care Products
Market Capitalization	71.58 billion USD	32.45 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	May 2, 1973	November 17, 1995
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Colgate-Palmolive (CL) trades at 34.67 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Estée Lauder (EL) has no P/E ratio this period.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

34.67

CL: 34.67
Max: 34.67
Q3: 24.01
Median: 18.98
Q1: 15.21
Min: 5.30

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

Max: 34.67
Q3: 24.01
Median: 18.98
Q1: 15.21
Min: 5.30
EL: --

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.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

Estée Lauder (EL) at 2.19 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 3.44 sits in the pricier quartile — CL costs more per dollar of sales.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

3.44

Max: 4.71
CL: 3.44
Q3: 3.01
Median: 1.73
Q1: 0.71
Min: 0.24

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.19

Max: 4.71
Q3: 3.01
EL: 2.19
Median: 1.73
Q1: 0.71
Min: 0.24

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Estée Lauder (EL) at 8.13 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 494.20 prices even higher, above its industry range.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

494.20

CL: 494.20
Max: 13.74
Q3: 6.82
Median: 2.19
Q1: 1.22
Min: -2.83

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

8.13

Max: 13.74
EL: 8.13
Q3: 6.82
Median: 2.19
Q1: 1.22
Min: -2.83

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Valuation at a Glance

Valuation metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
Metric	CL	EL
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	34.67	--
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	3.44	2.19
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	494.20	8.13
Free Cash Flow Yield	4.64%	5.57%

Profitability

Return on Equity (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: 31.30%
Q3: 30.96%
Median: 15.00%
Q1: 1.55%
Min: -13.94%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

-5.95%

Max: 31.30%
Q3: 30.96%
Median: 15.00%
Q1: 1.55%
EL: -5.95%
Min: -13.94%

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their ROE against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Net Profit 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: 11.34%
CL: 10.04%
Median: 6.79%
Q1: 2.51%
Min: -9.20%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

-1.67%

Max: 19.16%
Q3: 11.34%
Median: 6.79%
Q1: 2.51%
EL: -1.67%
Min: -9.20%

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their net margin against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Operating Profit 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: 19.85%
Median: 12.60%
Q1: 7.57%
Min: -5.14%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

14.93%

Max: 23.17%
Q3: 19.85%
EL: 14.93%
Median: 12.60%
Q1: 7.57%
Min: -5.14%

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Profitability at a Glance

Profitability metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
Metric	CL	EL
Return on Equity (TTM)	363.58%	-5.95%
Return on Assets (TTM)	16.10%	4.87%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	10.04%	-1.67%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	20.92%	14.93%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	60.06%	74.65%

Growth

Revenue Growth

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

Revenue Growth at a Glance

Revenue growth metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
Metric	CL	EL
1-Year Revenue Growth	1.40%	-8.21%
3-Year Revenue CAGR	4.29%	-6.87%

EPS Growth

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

EPS Growth at a Glance

EPS growth metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
Metric	CL	EL
1-Year EPS Growth	-25.07%	-391.67%
3-Year EPS 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: 6.27
Q3: 3.17
Median: 2.05
CL: 1.03
Q1: 1.00
Min: 0.73

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

1.27

Max: 6.27
Q3: 3.17
Median: 2.05
EL: 1.27
Q1: 1.00
Min: 0.73

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (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: 1.61
Median: 0.81
Q1: 0.40
Min: 0.02

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.33

EL: 2.33
Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.61
Median: 0.81
Q1: 0.40
Min: 0.02

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 at a Glance

Financial strength metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
Metric	CL	EL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.03	1.27
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	16.41	2.33
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.33	2.63

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Colgate-Palmolive (CL) at 2.37% and Estée Lauder (EL) at 1.56% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

CL

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.37%

Max: 5.93%
Q3: 2.99%
CL: 2.37%
Median: 1.56%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

1.56%

Max: 5.93%
Q3: 2.99%
EL: 1.56%
Median: 1.56%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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: 71.90%
Median: 37.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

EL

Household & Personal Products industry group

471.43%

EL: 471.43%
Max: 98.51%
Q3: 71.90%
Median: 37.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Estée Lauder (EL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Household & Personal Products industry group benchmark.

Dividends at a Glance

Dividend metrics for Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Estée Lauder (EL)
Metric	CL	EL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.37%	1.56%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	80.62%	471.43%