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Colgate-Palmolive Co.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 31 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 1 lowered, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 2.0%: Net sales rose 2.0% to $5,131 million. Organic sales rose 0.4%, including a 0.8 point negative effect from the private label pet exit. Source
  • Diluted EPS up 1%, base flat: Diluted EPS was $0.91 against $0.90, up 1%. Base Business EPS was flat at $0.91. Nine-month net sales were $15,152 million, against $15,156 million. Source
  • Organic sales growth guidance lowered: Full-year organic sales growth is now 1% to 2%, against the low end of 2% to 4% previously, including about 70 basis points from the private label pet exit. Source
  • Gross margin fell 170 basis points: GAAP gross profit margin was 59.4% against 61.1%, down 170 basis points. Base Business gross profit margin was 59.4% against 61.3%, down 190 basis points. Source
  • Organic volume fell 1.9%: Organic volume fell 1.9% for the Total Company while pricing added 2.3 points. Foreign exchange added 1.2 points to reported sales growth. Source
  • Free cash flow before dividends lower: Free cash flow before dividends was $2,358 million for the first nine months, against $2,461 million. Source

“We are pleased to have delivered another quarter of net sales and organic sales growth, even in the face of slowing category growth in many markets”

Noel Wallace, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Foreign exchange effect on net sales SourceFull year 2025flat to low-single-digit negativeKept
Organic sales growth SourceFull year 20251% to 2%Lowered from at the low end of 2% to 4%
Gross profit margin, GAAP SourceFull year 2025roughly in line with year-to-date gross profit margin of 60.1%
Gross profit margin, Base Business SourceFull year 2025roughly in line with year-to-date gross profit margin of 60.1%
Advertising as a percentage of net sales SourceFull year 2025roughly flatKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year organic sales growth guidance moved from the low end of 2% to 4% to 1% to 2%. Source
  • Ended: The private label pet sales exit is described as planned in the second quarter release and as completed in the third quarter release. Source
  • Guidance kept: Advertising and earnings per share expectations were maintained, and net sales guidance was still expected. Source

Third quarter results and growth

  • Net sales rose 2.0%: Net sales rose 2.0% to $5,131 million. Organic sales rose 0.4%, including a 0.8 point negative effect from the private label pet exit. Source
  • Diluted EPS up 1%, base flat: Diluted EPS was $0.91 against $0.90, up 1%. Base Business EPS was flat at $0.91. Nine-month net sales were $15,152 million, against $15,156 million. Source
  • Organic sales growth guidance lowered: Full-year organic sales growth is now 1% to 2%, against the low end of 2% to 4% previously, including about 70 basis points from the private label pet exit. Source
  • Operating profit fell 1%: Operating profit was $1,059 million, down 1%. Base Business operating profit fell 2%. The operating profit margin was 20.6% against 21.2%. Source

Segments and regions

  • Europe operating profit rose 16%: Europe operating profit rose 16% to $209 million, a 26.1% margin, up 180 basis points. Source
  • North America profit fell 8%: North America operating profit fell 8% to $190 million, a 19.0% margin, down 150 basis points. Organic sales were down 0.5%. Source
  • Asia Pacific sales declined: Asia Pacific net sales were down 1.5% and organic sales down 1.0%, with organic volume down 3.5%. Operating profit fell 6% to $188 million. Source
  • Africa/Eurasia sales grew: Africa/Eurasia net sales rose 6.8% and organic sales rose 6.2%, with pricing up 7.3%. Operating profit rose 5% to $68 million. Source

“The Strategic Growth and Productivity Program will help ensure we have the organizational structure and support we need to achieve our goals in the near term”

Noel Wallace, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Products, pet business and volume

  • Pet Nutrition sales rose: Pet Nutrition net sales were $1,142 million against $1,126 million. Nine-month net sales were $3,417 million against $3,342 million. Source
  • Prime100 added to pet volume: The Prime100 pet food acquisition added 1.6 points to Hill's Pet Nutrition as reported volume and 0.4 points to Total Company volume. Source
  • Oral, personal and home care sales: Oral, Personal and Home Care net sales were $3,989 million against $3,907 million. Nine-month net sales were $11,735 million against $11,814 million. Source

Margins, costs and tax

  • Gross margin fell 170 basis points: GAAP gross profit margin was 59.4% against 61.1%, down 170 basis points. Base Business gross profit margin was 59.4% against 61.3%, down 190 basis points. Source
  • Advertising spend declined: Advertising was $674 million against $694 million in the quarter. Nine-month advertising was $2,020 million against $2,072 million. Source
  • Effective tax rate rose: The effective tax rate was 22.8% against 21.3%. The provision for income taxes was $226 million against $210 million. Source
  • Selling and administrative costs slightly lower: Selling, general and administrative expenses were $1,971 million against $1,979 million in the quarter. Source

“Our organization is aligned and motivated, with particular focus around accelerating our science-based innovation and omni-channel demand generation capabilities to drive category growth and market shares”

Noel Wallace, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and category growth

  • Organic volume fell 1.9%: Organic volume fell 1.9% for the Total Company while pricing added 2.3 points. Foreign exchange added 1.2 points to reported sales growth. Source
  • Developed and emerging markets diverged: Developed Markets organic sales were down 0.1% with organic volume down 1.4%. Emerging Markets organic sales rose 1.0% with organic volume down 2.6%. Source
  • Hill's organic volume fell 4.2%: Hill's Pet Nutrition organic volume fell 4.2%, with pricing up 2.9% and organic sales down 1.3%. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow declined: Net cash provided by operations was $2,745 million for the first nine months, against $2,838 million a year earlier. Capital expenditures were $387 million against $377 million. Source
  • Free cash flow before dividends lower: Free cash flow before dividends was $2,358 million for the first nine months, against $2,461 million. Source
  • Dividends and buybacks reported: Dividends paid were $1,300 million for nine months, against $1,275 million. Treasury share purchases were $804 million, against $1,284 million. Source
  • Total debt roughly flat: Total debt was $8,419 million at September 30, 2025, against $7,949 million at December 31, 2024 and $8,436 million at September 30, 2024. Source
  • Diluted share count declined: Average diluted shares were 810.2 million in the third quarter, against 822.5 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy, productivity program and organization

  • Transition to 2030 strategy: The company is moving to a new 2030 strategy while deploying the Strategic Growth and Productivity Program announced previously. Source
  • Program aimed at near-term goals: The program is described as giving the organization the structure and support needed for near-term goals and consistent compounded EPS growth over the long term. Source
  • Productivity program charge estimate: Charges are projected at $200 to $300 million pre-tax over the three-year productivity program, as stated in the second quarter release.

Coming up, as management said on 31 October 2025

  • Productivity program charges by 2028: Substantially all productivity program charges are expected to be incurred by December 31, 2028.
  • Growth reacceleration expected: The chief executive said the company is well positioned to reaccelerate growth as it transitions to the 2030 strategy. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Global toothpaste market share, year to date Source41.2%
Global manual toothbrush market share, year to date Source32.4%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: GAAP gross profit margin fell 170 basis points, and full-year margin guidance now rests on the 60.1% year-to-date level. Source
  • External: Full-year guidance includes the estimated effect of tariffs announced and finalized as of October 29, 2025, at current spot rates. Source
  • Demand: Management cited slowing category growth in many markets, alongside the negative effect of lower private label pet sales, as conditions for the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Full-year organic sales growth guidance includes about 70 basis points from the exit from private label pet sales. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management states the private label pet business has been exited, and the full-year organic sales guidance includes its effect. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it is deploying the previously announced program during the transition to the 2030 strategy. Source
  • Not stated: The company updated organic sales growth guidance for full year 2025 and maintained its earnings per share guidance. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.