Colgate-Palmolive Company
American multinational consumer products company specializing in oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition products.
Company Type
public
Founded
1806
Headquarters
New York, New York, USA
Stock
NYSE: CL
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). The Colgate brand holds the number one global market share in toothpaste.
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). 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.
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.
What is Colgate-Palmolive's annual revenue?
In FY2024, Colgate-Palmolive reported net sales of approximately $20.1 billion, a 3.3% increase from $19.46 billion in FY2023. Hill's Pet Nutrition contributed approximately $4.48 billion, representing approximately 22% of total revenue.
In FY2024, Colgate-Palmolive reported net sales of approximately $20.1 billion, a 3.3% increase from $19.46 billion in FY2023. Hill's Pet Nutrition contributed approximately $4.48 billion, representing approximately 22% of total revenue.
Who is Colgate-Palmolive's CEO?
Noel Wallace has served as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Colgate-Palmolive since 2019 (CEO) and 2020 (Chairman). He joined the company in 1987 and progressed through senior management roles across multiple geographies before becoming CEO.
Noel Wallace has served as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Colgate-Palmolive since 2019 (CEO) and 2020 (Chairman). He joined the company in 1987 and progressed through senior management roles across multiple geographies before becoming CEO.
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.
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 generated approximately $4.48 billion in net sales in FY2024, making it one of the most valuable assets in the Colgate-Palmolive portfolio.
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 generated approximately $4.48 billion in net sales in FY2024, making it one of the most valuable assets in the Colgate-Palmolive portfolio.
History of Colgate-Palmolive Company
The company's origins trace to 1806, when William Colgate founded a starch, soap, and candle business on Dutch Street in New York City. Colgate was a British-born entrepreneur who had immigrated to the United States and built a successful soap and candle manufacturing business. The company grew steadily through the 19th century as demand for manufactured soap and personal care products expanded alongside urbanization.
In 1873, Colgate introduced its first toothpaste, sold in a jar. In 1896, the company introduced toothpaste in a collapsible tube, a packaging innovation that became the industry standard and remains the dominant format for toothpaste globally. By the early 20th century, Colgate had become one of the leading toothpaste brands in the United States.
The Palmolive Company, founded in 1898 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, developed the Palmolive soap brand using palm and olive oils, which gave the brand its name. Palmolive merged with Peet Brothers, a soap manufacturer, in 1926 to form Palmolive-Peet Company. In 1928, Colgate Company merged with Palmolive-Peet to create Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company, which was later shortened to Colgate-Palmolive Company.
The combined company expanded aggressively internationally through the mid-20th century, establishing manufacturing and distribution operations across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Colgate's international expansion was particularly successful in emerging markets, where the company built strong brand positions in countries including Brazil, Mexico, India, China, and across sub-Saharan Africa.
In 1976, Colgate-Palmolive acquired Hill's Pet Nutrition, a Kansas-based company that had developed science-based pet food formulations in collaboration with veterinarians. Hill's had pioneered the concept of prescription pet food, sold through veterinary clinics rather than retail channels. The acquisition proved to be one of the most valuable in the company's history, as the premium pet food market grew substantially over subsequent decades.
The company made several significant acquisitions in the 1990s, including the purchase of Kolynos, a leading oral care brand in Latin America, from American Home Products in 1995 for approximately $1 billion. The Kolynos acquisition strengthened Colgate's position in Brazil and other Latin American markets.
Noel Wallace became President and CEO in 2019 and Chairman in 2020, succeeding Ian Cook. Wallace has led the company through a period of pricing-driven revenue growth in 2022 and 2023 as commodity cost inflation required price increases across the product portfolio, followed by a return to volume-led growth in 2024.
Brands Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
Colgate-Palmolive Company owns 2 brands in our database.
Ajax
Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
American brand of household cleaning products including surface cleaners, dish soap, and laundry detergent.
cleaninghouseholdsurface-cleaner
Colgate
Owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company
American oral care brand known for its toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouthwash products, maintaining global leadership in dental hygiene.
oral-caretoothpastedental-hygiene
Shop Colgate-Palmolive Company Brands
Disclosure: We may earn commission from purchases
Stock Information
Colgate-Palmolive Company Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Number one global market share in toothpaste, a category with consistent demand and strong brand loyalty
- +Exceptional emerging market presence with leading positions in Latin America, Africa, and Asia
- +Hill's Pet Nutrition provides exposure to the fast-growing premium pet food market
- +Consistent dividend payer with a track record of dividend growth spanning decades
- +Geographically diversified revenue across more than 200 countries reduces dependence on any single market
Considerations
- -Intense competition from Procter & Gamble in oral care, particularly in the premium and electric toothbrush segments
- -Significant exposure to currency fluctuations given the large proportion of revenue from emerging markets
- -Hill's Pet Nutrition faces competition from well-funded rivals including Royal Canin and Purina Pro Plan
- -Commodity cost volatility affecting raw material costs for soap, packaging, and pet food ingredients
- -Slower growth profile than technology or specialty consumer companies limits valuation multiple expansion
Frequently Asked Questions 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). 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.
What is Colgate-Palmolive's annual revenue?
In FY2024, Colgate-Palmolive reported net sales of approximately $20.1 billion, a 3.3% increase from $19.46 billion in FY2023. Hill's Pet Nutrition contributed approximately $4.48 billion, representing approximately 22% of total revenue.
Who is Colgate-Palmolive's CEO?
Noel Wallace has served as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Colgate-Palmolive since 2019 (CEO) and 2020 (Chairman). He joined the company in 1987 and progressed through senior management roles across multiple geographies before becoming CEO.
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 generated approximately $4.48 billion in net sales in FY2024, making it one of the most valuable assets in the Colgate-Palmolive portfolio.
Jobs at Colgate-Palmolive Company
Latest News About Colgate-Palmolive Company
Related Articles About Colgate-Palmolive Company
View more articles
Brand Ownership
Crest vs Colgate: The Ownership Story Behind Your Toothpaste
Two toothpaste brands have dominated the oral care market for 70 years. But the companies behind them could not be more different. Here is the full ownership story.
Who Brands StaffFeb 5, 2026
crestcolgateoral-care
Consumer Education
Is Your Favorite Brand Really Independent? The Truth
Many brands that look independent are owned by massive corporations. Learn how to identify truly independent brands and why ownership matters.
Who Brands StaffJan 28, 2026
independent-brandsbrand-ownershipconsumer-education
Industry Analysis
How D2C Brands Get Acquired: The Predictable Pattern
Direct-to-consumer brands follow a remarkably consistent path from startup to corporate acquisition. Learn the pattern, the prices, and what happens next.
Who Brands StaffJan 22, 2026
dtc-brandsacquisitionsdirect-to-consumer