← Colgate-Palmolive overview

Colgate-Palmolive vs Procter & Gamble: why the prices moved differently

Weekly · monthly · quarterly news summaries, side by side in time

Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL)

Q3 2026
▼3▲1

Colgate's strong Q2 offset by weak U.S. demand and index removal

  • Q2 earnings beat and raised guidance Colgate's second-quarter profit beat expectations and management raised its full-year outlook. Gross margin expanded to 61.5%, free cash flow margin neared 18%, and the dividend rose for the 63rd straight year.

    This is the main positive force behind the stock's year-to-date gain.

  • U.S. volumes weak as shoppers trade down U.S. sales volumes are flat or falling as shoppers switch to cheaper store-brand products. North America consumption dropped about 1% and shipments fell about 3%, with management calling the U.S. performance unsatisfactory.

    This is the biggest drag on the stock and a key risk to future growth.

  • Tariff and raw material cost pressures Rising tariffs and raw material costs are clouding Colgate's profit outlook. These higher expenses could squeeze margins if the company cannot raise prices enough to offset them.

    This is a new cost headwind that threatens profitability.

  • Removal from S&P 100 forced index selling Colgate was removed from the S&P 100 index, which forced index-tracking funds to sell the stock. This technical selling pressure weighed on the share price during the period.

    This is a specific event that created downward pressure on the stock.

August 2026
▼3▲1

Colgate's strong Q2 offset by weak U.S. demand and index removal

  • Q2 earnings beat and raised guidance Colgate's second-quarter profit beat expectations and management raised its full-year outlook. Gross margin expanded to 61.5%, free cash flow margin neared 18%, and the dividend rose for the 63rd straight year.

    This is the main positive force behind the stock's year-to-date gain.

  • U.S. volumes weak as shoppers trade down U.S. sales volumes are flat or falling as shoppers switch to cheaper store-brand products. North America consumption dropped about 1% and shipments fell about 3%, with management calling the U.S. performance unsatisfactory.

    This is the biggest drag on the stock and a key risk to future growth.

  • Tariff and raw material cost pressures Rising tariffs and raw material costs are clouding Colgate's profit outlook. These higher expenses could squeeze margins if the company cannot raise prices enough to offset them.

    This is a new cost headwind that threatens profitability.

  • Removal from S&P 100 forced index selling Colgate was removed from the S&P 100 index, which forced index-tracking funds to sell the stock. This technical selling pressure weighed on the share price during the period.

    This is a specific event that created downward pressure on the stock.

Latest
▲2▼1

Colgate's profit engine hums, but U.S. shoppers stay cautious

  • Margins and cash flow stay elite Colgate's gross margin is about 60%, free cash flow margin near 18%, and Q2 gross margin expanded to 61.5%. Management raised 2026 gross margin guidance to roughly flat and lifted EPS growth outlook to mid-single digits. Strong cash generation supports dividends and buybacks, underpinning the stock.

    Shows the core financial strength that supports CL's valuation despite slow growth.

  • U.S. demand weak, competition intense North America consumption fell about 1% and shipments dropped roughly 3% in Q2 as shoppers bought less and retailers cut stock. CEO called U.S. performance unsatisfactory. This limits growth in Colgate's home market and pressures pricing power, a key drag on the stock.

    Identifies the main operational weakness weighing on CL's growth outlook.

  • Dividend streak extended, income appeal Colgate raised its quarterly dividend to $0.53, marking 63 straight years of increases, and declared the next payment. The stock has outperformed the S&P 500 in 2026 with about a 20% gain. Reliable income and a long track record attract investors, supporting the share price.

    Highlights the shareholder return that makes CL attractive to income-focused investors.

  • Premium innovation push to revive growth Colgate is boosting advertising and premium oral care products like Optic White Pro Series to spark a North America recovery. Management expects gradual improvement but warns it won't be smooth. Higher spending could lift sales, but may squeeze margins if demand stays soft.

    Explains the key strategic bet that will determine whether CL reaccelerates growth.

▼2

Colgate beats on earnings but tariffs, weak volumes and index exit weigh

  • Q2 earnings beat, guidance raised, but tariff costs cloud outlook Colgate beat profit and sales estimates, with margins expanding and full-year earnings guidance raised. But management flagged rising tariff costs and raw materials, and the stock fell 1.8% on the day. The market is weighing solid results against cost pressures ahead.

    This is the core earnings event that sets the tone for the period and explains the mixed price reaction.

  • U.S. volumes flat as shoppers switch to cheaper store brands Colgate's U.S. sales volumes were flat or falling as shoppers trade down to private-label and newer brands. This squeezes growth in its home market and pressures pricing power. It's a broad industry problem, but it directly limits how fast Colgate can grow.

    This demand weakness is a key reason the stock struggles despite the earnings beat.

  • Removed from S&P 100 index, forcing some funds to sell Colgate is being dropped from the S&P 100 index, which means index-tracking funds must sell their shares. That creates mechanical selling pressure around the change date. It doesn't reflect the business itself, but it can push the price down in the short term.

    This is a concrete, new event that adds selling pressure on the stock.

  • Exploring sale of Softsoap, Irish Spring and other personal care brands Colgate is reportedly working with Goldman Sachs to sell some mass-market personal care brands, potentially raising over $1 billion. Selling slower-growing brands could sharpen focus on core oral care, but it also means giving up revenue. The net effect on the stock is unclear.

    This is a major strategic move that could reshape the company and is the latest news in the period.

Procter & Gamble Company (PG)

Q3 2026
▲2▼2

P&G's profit squeezed by tariffs and trade-down, but wellness bet and dividends offer support

  • Tariffs and commodity costs to cut profit by ~$1B P&G expects tariffs and higher commodity costs to reduce fiscal 2027 profit by about $1 billion, or $0.56 per share. This is a direct hit to earnings and a key reason guidance is cautious.

    This is a major new cost headwind that directly pressures P&G's profit and stock price.

  • Consumers trading down to cheaper store brands Volumes remain flat as consumers switch to cheaper store-brand products. This weak demand limits P&G's ability to raise prices and grow sales, contributing to slower 1–3% organic growth guidance.

    It explains the weak demand environment and why revenue missed estimates.

  • Buying Thorne for $3.8B to expand into wellness P&G is acquiring supplement maker Thorne for $3.8 billion, moving into the fast-growing wellness market. This diversification could open new revenue streams beyond traditional household products.

    It shows a strategic move to offset weak core growth and enter a higher-growth category.

  • 70-year dividend streak with ~$15B payouts planned P&G is extending its 70-year dividend streak with roughly $15 billion in planned fiscal 2027 payouts, offering a 2.9% yield near five-year highs. This income appeal supports the stock price.

    It highlights a key attraction for investors and a support for the share price amid earnings pressure.

August 2026
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P&G buys Thorne, beauty shines, but cost headwinds and flat volumes persist

  • Thorne acquisition expands wellness reach P&G agreed to buy supplement maker Thorne for $3.8 billion, moving into faster-growing wellness and reaching younger shoppers. This diversification aims to offset slower growth in core categories.

    This is a new strategic move that could drive future growth and investor optimism.

  • Beauty growth and innovation revive key brands Beauty sales grew 11%, and innovation revived Tide and China Baby Care. These successes show P&G's ability to rejuvenate brands and capture demand despite overall flat volumes.

    Highlights new operational wins that support revenue and sentiment.

  • Dividend streak extended with $15B payout planned P&G extended its 70-year dividend streak and plans roughly $15 billion in fiscal 2027 payouts. This reinforces its reputation as a reliable income stock, attracting yield-focused investors.

    New confirmation of shareholder returns that supports the stock's appeal.

  • Cost headwinds and flat volumes limit growth Fiscal 2027 faces an 8% core EPS headwind from about $1.4 billion in after-tax cost pressures. Sales volumes stayed flat as shoppers traded down to cheaper store brands, limiting growth without price increases.

    These are new details on persistent challenges that could pressure earnings and stock performance.

Latest
▲2▼1

P&G's slow growth and cost headwinds offset by innovation and dividend strength

  • Cost headwinds to squeeze fiscal 2027 earnings P&G faces an 8% core EPS headwind in fiscal 2027, with $1.4 billion in after-tax pressures from higher raw materials, energy, transportation, interest, and currency. This will likely keep profit growth muted and weigh on the stock until productivity savings offset the drag.

    This is the main new negative force that explains why PG may struggle to rise despite defensive appeal.

  • Innovation revives key categories and drives premium mix P&G's biggest Tide upgrade in decades lifted Tide from declining to high-single-digit growth, while premium diaper innovation returned China Baby Care to No. 1 with double-digit growth. New Head & Shoulders, Oral-B iO, and Pantene launches further support higher-value product mix.

    These new product successes show a path to volume and mix improvement, which can lift sales and profits.

  • Dividend streak and cash returns underpin defensive appeal P&G extended its dividend increase streak to 70 years and plans to return about $15 billion via dividends and buybacks in fiscal 2027, backed by strong cash flow. This steady income makes the stock attractive when investors seek safety.

    The reliable dividend and buybacks are a key support for PG's valuation, especially amid growth concerns.

  • Analyst upgrade and leadership transition offer modest support Evercore ISI upgraded PG to outperform with a $166 price target, citing defensive qualities. Meanwhile, Shailesh Jejurikar became Chairman while keeping the CEO role, a continuity move that may speed decisions but concentrates power.

    These new developments provide a small positive catalyst but also introduce governance uncertainty.

▲3▼1

P&G buys Thorne for wellness push, but volumes stay flat

  • P&G buys Thorne for $3.8 billion P&G agreed to buy supplement maker Thorne for $3.8 billion in cash, expanding into vitamins and wellness. This gives P&G a faster-growing category and a way to reach younger shoppers, which supports the stock by adding a new source of future sales.

    The Thorne acquisition is the period's biggest new event and directly shapes P&G's growth story.

  • Beauty segment grows 11%, dividend streak hits 70 years P&G's beauty unit posted 11% sales growth and 7% organic growth on higher volumes, while the company extended its dividend increase streak to 70 years with $10 billion planned payouts. Strong beauty results and steady dividends make the stock more attractive to long-term holders.

    This shows which part of P&G is actually growing and reinforces the income appeal that supports the share price.

  • Analysts say P&G stock looks undervalued After the Thorne deal, valuation work put P&G's intrinsic value near $201 a share, about 29% above the recent $143 price, and its price-to-earnings ratio below a fair level. A cheaper-looking stock can draw buyers, though the same analysis flags mixed valuation checks and cost risks.

    It explains a fresh reason investors might bid the stock up, while noting the counterweight.

  • Big consumer brands lose volume as shoppers trade down P&G's sales volume failed to grow in the latest quarter, part of a broad slide at large packaged-goods makers as shoppers switch to cheaper store brands and newer rivals. Flat volumes limit how much P&G can grow without price increases, which pressures the stock.

    It is the main new negative force and a real counterweight to the acquisition and valuation optimism.

July 2026
▼3

P&G's costs bite: tariff and commodity headwinds hit profit and guidance

  • Tariff and commodity costs squeeze profit P&G says tariffs and higher raw material and energy costs will cut full-year profit by about $1 billion, or $0.56 a share. That directly lowers expected earnings, which is why the stock fell after results.

    This is the core new force behind the price move: real cost headwinds hitting profit.

  • Fourth-quarter revenue missed and profit fell April–June sales of $21.2 billion came in below the $21.38 billion analysts expected, and net income dropped to $3.04 billion from $3.62 billion a year earlier. The miss and weaker profit pushed shares down over 3%.

    The earnings miss is the immediate trigger for the negative price reaction.

  • Fiscal 2027 guidance points to slower growth P&G guided fiscal 2027 organic sales growth of just 1% to 3% and core EPS of $6.89 to $7.11, a slower pace than before. Weak forward guidance makes investors less willing to pay up for the stock.

    Forward guidance shapes expectations and is a key reason the stock stays under pressure.

  • Cost cuts and dividend support, but consumer strain lingers P&G is cutting 7,000 office jobs to protect margins and still returns over $15 billion to shareholders, with a 2.9% dividend yield near five-year highs. But shoppers are pushing back on price hikes and lower-income households are stretched.

    This is the real counterweight: cost savings and shareholder returns offset some weakness, but demand is soft.

▼3

P&G's costs bite: tariff and commodity headwinds hit profit and guidance

  • Tariff and commodity costs squeeze profit P&G says tariffs and higher raw material and energy costs will cut full-year profit by about $1 billion, or $0.56 a share. That directly lowers expected earnings, which is why the stock fell after results.

    This is the core new force behind the price move: real cost headwinds hitting profit.

  • Fourth-quarter revenue missed and profit fell April–June sales of $21.2 billion came in below the $21.38 billion analysts expected, and net income dropped to $3.04 billion from $3.62 billion a year earlier. The miss and weaker profit pushed shares down over 3%.

    The earnings miss is the immediate trigger for the negative price reaction.

  • Fiscal 2027 guidance points to slower growth P&G guided fiscal 2027 organic sales growth of just 1% to 3% and core EPS of $6.89 to $7.11, a slower pace than before. Weak forward guidance makes investors less willing to pay up for the stock.

    Forward guidance shapes expectations and is a key reason the stock stays under pressure.

  • Cost cuts and dividend support, but consumer strain lingers P&G is cutting 7,000 office jobs to protect margins and still returns over $15 billion to shareholders, with a 2.9% dividend yield near five-year highs. But shoppers are pushing back on price hikes and lower-income households are stretched.

    This is the real counterweight: cost savings and shareholder returns offset some weakness, but demand is soft.