Who Owns Speed Stick?
Speed Stick is owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE: CL), which acquired the brand's original maker, the Mennen Company, in 1992. Speed Stick launched in 1952 as one of the first deodorant sticks marketed to men and remains a mass-market antiperspirant and deodorant line sold primarily in North America. Parent net sales were $20.4 billion in FY2025.
Parent Company
Acquired
1992
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
Speed Stick Timeline
Who Owns Speed Stick?
- Parent Company: Colgate-Palmolive Company
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 1992
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: CL
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Speed Stick | Colgate-Palmolive Company | Wholly owned |
Where to Buy
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History of Speed Stick
- Founded: 1952
- Founders: Mennen Company
- Acquired by Colgate-Palmolive Company: 1992
The Mennen Company launched Speed Stick in 1952, extending the legacy of founder Gerhard Mennen's Newark pharmacy, which had sold Mennen powders since 1878. Speed Stick was among the first deodorants packaged as a solid stick applied directly to the underarm, and among the first marketed explicitly to men.
Through the 1960s and 1970s Mennen built Speed Stick into a leading US men's deodorant line, adding antiperspirant variants and fragrance extensions such as Irish Spring-adjacent lines and the popular original scent. The stick format itself — twist-up solid — became a category standard.
Colgate-Palmolive acquired Mennen in 1992 for roughly $670 million in stock, absorbing Speed Stick alongside Lady Speed Stick, Skin Bracer, and Baby Magic. Under Colgate-Palmolive the brand kept its value-positioned, masculine identity while the parent shifted premium personal care investment elsewhere.
Today the line spans stick, gel, and spray antiperspirants in regular and sport variants. It remains primarily a North American mass-market brand, with the Mennen name surviving on Latin American and regional variants.
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About Colgate-Palmolive Company
What does Colgate-Palmolive own?
Colgate-Palmolive owns a portfolio of consumer brands across four categories: oral care (Colgate, elmex), personal care (Palmolive, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Speed Stick), home care (Ajax, Fabuloso, Murphy Oil Soap), and pet nutrition (Hill's Science Diet, Hill's Prescription Diet, Prime100). The Colgate brand holds the number one global market share in toothpaste.
Is Colgate-Palmolive publicly traded?
Yes, Colgate-Palmolive Company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CL. The company has no controlling shareholder, with ownership distributed among institutional investors including Vanguard Group and BlackRock. As of January 31, 2026, there were approximately 801.5 million shares outstanding.
What is Colgate-Palmolive's annual revenue?
For FY2025, Colgate-Palmolive reported net sales of $20,382 million ($20.4 billion), up 1.4% from $20,101 million in FY2024. Organic sales also grew 1.4%. Oral care accounted for 44% of net sales, personal care 17%, home care 16%, and pet nutrition approximately 23%.
Who is Colgate-Palmolive's CEO?
Noel Wallace serves as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. He became CEO in 2019 and Chairman in 2020. He joined the company in 1987 and has led Colgate-Palmolive through a period of pricing-driven growth followed by volume-led growth.
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Who founded Colgate-Palmolive?
The Colgate business was founded by William Colgate in 1806 in New York City as a starch, soap, and candle manufacturer. The modern Colgate-Palmolive Company was formed through the 1928 merger of Colgate Company and Palmolive-Peet Company.
What is Hill's Pet Nutrition?
Hill's Pet Nutrition is a Colgate-Palmolive subsidiary that markets premium science-based pet food under the Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet brands. Acquired by Colgate-Palmolive in 1976, Hill's pioneered the concept of veterinary-channel pet food and accounts for approximately 23% of total company revenue. In 2025, the company exited the private label pet food business and acquired Prime100 in Australia.
How many people does Colgate-Palmolive employ?
As of December 31, 2025, Colgate-Palmolive employed approximately 33,600 people across over 100 countries. Over 84% of employees are located outside the United States, with approximately 33% in Asia Pacific, 31% in Latin America, 17% in North America, 15% in Europe, and 4% in Africa/Eurasia.
Does Colgate-Palmolive pay dividends?
Yes. Colgate-Palmolive has paid dividends for 131 consecutive years and increased dividends for 63 consecutive years, making it one of the longest-paying dividend growth stocks in the S&P 500. In FY2025, the company returned $2.9 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
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- Founded: 1806
- Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: CL
- Revenue: $20.4 billion (FY2025)
- Employees: Approximately 33,600
Where Is Speed Stick Made / Based?
- Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States, Mexico
Speed Stick Categories & Tags
Speed Stick Sustainability & Ethics
Speed Stick products carry Colgate-Palmolive's corporate commitments on packaging recyclability and ingredient disclosure. The parent publishes annual sustainability reporting covering its personal care portfolio, including fragrance transparency and reduced-plastic packaging programs.
The brand has no independent certification profile beyond the parent's programs.
Awards & Recognition
Speed Stick's chief recognition is longevity: a 70-plus-year presence as one of the earliest men's deodorant stick brands in the US mass market.
Brands Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
Household Consumer GoodsAjax
Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
American household cleaning brand launched in 1947 by Colgate-Palmolive, known for its powdered cleanser and the iconic "Stronger than dirt" tagline.
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Beauty Personal CareColgate
Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
American oral care brand known for toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouthwash. Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE: CL). Founded in 1873. Global leader in dental hygiene with approximately 35% US toothpaste market share.
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Pet CareHill's Pet Nutrition
Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
Pet food company founded in 1907 and owner of Science Diet and Prescription Diet, a wholly owned subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive since 1976.
pet-fooddog-foodcat-food
Household Consumer GoodsPalmolive
Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
Household cleaning and personal care brand founded in 1898, best known for its dishwashing liquid. Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company since the 1928 merger.
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Pet CareScience Diet
Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
Hill's Pet Nutrition's flagship retail pet food line, launched 1968 and sold through Colgate-Palmolive's pet nutrition subsidiary.
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Beauty Personal CareSoftsoap
Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
Liquid hand soap and body wash brand that pioneered the pump-dispenser category in 1980, owned by Colgate-Palmolive since 1987.
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Speed Stick Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Backed by Colgate-Palmolive's distribution and $20.4 billion scale
- +Deep brand recognition among US men, with 70-plus years of heritage
- +Broad mass-market retail availability at value price points
- +Stable repeat-purchase category
Considerations
- -Second-tier position behind P&G and Unilever men's brands
- -Minimal innovation investment versus the parent's skincare growth bets
- -Concentrated in North America, limiting international upside
- -Heritage branding skews toward older consumers
Frequently Asked Questions About Speed Stick
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Sources & Further Reading
Competitors to Speed Stick
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unilever | United Kingdom | 1983 | Mid market | Global | Mens | |
| Unilever | United Kingdom | 1990 | Mass market | United states | Unisex | |
| Procter Gamble | USA | 1937 | Mass market | Global | Mens | |
| Unilever | UK (Unilever HQ) | 1908 | Mass market | Global | Unisex | |
| Colgate Palmolive | USA | 1980 | Mass market | United states | Unisex | |
| Evyap | Turkey | 1970 | Mass market | Europe | Unisex |
Learn More About Competitors
Beauty Personal CareAxe
Owned by Unilever plc
Male grooming brand owned by Unilever, known for body spray and deodorant products.
deodorantbody-spraygrooming
Beauty Personal CareDegree
Owned by Unilever plc
North American deodorant and antiperspirant brand owned by Unilever. Created by Helene Curtis and acquired by Unilever in 1996. Related to Unilever's global Rexona brand.
deodorantantiperspirantpersonal-care
Beauty Personal CareOld Spice
Owned by Procter & Gamble Company
American mens grooming brand known for deodorants, body washes, and viral marketing campaigns. Owned by Procter and Gamble.
mens-groomingdeodorantantiperspirant
Beauty Personal CareRexona
Owned by Unilever plc
Rexona is the world's number one deodorant and antiperspirant brand, owned by Unilever and sold in over 100 countries. Founded in Australia in 1908, the brand is marketed as Degree in the United States, Sure in the UK, and Shield in South Africa. Rexona is part of Unilever's Personal Care division, which generated EUR 13.2 billion in 2025.
deodorantantiperspirantpersonal-care
Beauty Personal CareSoftsoap
Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
Liquid hand soap and body wash brand that pioneered the pump-dispenser category in 1980, owned by Colgate-Palmolive since 1987.
hand-soapbody-washpersonal-care
Beauty Personal CareFax
Owned by Evyap
Mass-market soap and personal care brand owned by Evyap, sold in over 100 countries with strong positions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
soappersonal-careaffordable
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Speed Stick competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Independent Alternatives to Speed Stick
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company, giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Beauty Personal CareFax
Owned by Evyap
Mass-market soap and personal care brand owned by Evyap, sold in over 100 countries with strong positions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
soappersonal-careaffordable
Privately Owned
Fax is privately owned, unlike Speed Stick which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Beauty Personal CareGibbs
Owned by Evyap
Men's personal care and grooming brand owned by Evyap, a privately held Turkish personal care company founded in 1927. Gibbs offers shaving products, deodorants, and grooming items primarily in European, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian markets.
personal-caregroomingmens-grooming
Privately Owned
Gibbs is privately owned, unlike Speed Stick which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Beauty Personal CareGreat Clips
Owned by Great Clips, Inc.
Value hair salon franchise brand owned by Great Clips, Inc. and operated through more than 4,400 franchisee-owned salons.
hair-salonshaircutsfranchising
Privately Owned
Great Clips is privately owned, unlike Speed Stick which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Beauty Personal CareArko
Owned by Evyap
Turkish brand of men's grooming and shaving products manufactured and marketed by Evyap, known for affordable quality shaving soaps.
shavingsoapmens
Privately Owned
Arko is privately owned, unlike Speed Stick which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Beauty Personal CareClean & Clear
Owned by Kenvue
American skincare brand producing facial cleansers, moisturizers, and acne treatments for teens and young women, owned by Kenvue Inc.
skincarefacial-cleanseracne-treatment
Privately Owned
Clean & Clear is privately owned, unlike Speed Stick which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Beauty Personal CareDuru
Owned by Evyap
Turkish beauty and bath soap brand manufactured by Evyap. Sold in over 100 countries. Known for natural ingredients including olive oil, shea butter, and coconut. Market leader in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
soapbeautybath
Privately Owned
Duru is privately owned, unlike Speed Stick which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Colgate-Palmolive Company Stock Information
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Jobs at Colgate-Palmolive Company
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