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Colgate-Palmolive Co.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 1 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 4 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales and organic sales rose: Net sales were $5,324 million, up 8.4% from $4,911 million. Organic sales rose 2.9%, with volume up 1.1% and pricing up 2.2%. Source
  • Base Business EPS rose, GAAP EPS fell: Base Business diluted EPS was $0.97, up 7% from $0.91. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.80, down 6% from $0.85; the difference reflects SGPP charges of $0.17 per share. Source
  • GAAP operating profit fell on charges: GAAP operating profit was $964 million, down 10%. Base Business operating profit was $1,134 million, up 4%, with a 21.3% margin. Source
  • Gross margin edged down: GAAP and Base Business gross profit margin each decreased 20 basis points to 60.6%, compared with 60.8% a year earlier. Source
  • Macro volatility and slower categories: Management expects volatile macroeconomic conditions and slower category growth to continue through 2026. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Free cash flow before dividends was $609 million, against $476 million, after capital expenditures of $138 million. Source

“These results underscore the resilience of our business model as we are able to execute against our long-term strategy”

Noel Wallace, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales growth SourceFull year 2026up 2% to 6%Kept
Organic sales growth SourceFull year 20261% to 4%Kept
GAAP diluted EPS growth SourceFull year 2026double-digitKept
Base Business diluted EPS growth SourceFull year 2026low to mid-single-digitKept
SGPP cumulative pretax charges SourceOnce all projects are approved and implemented; substantially all incurred by December 31, 2028$350 million to $550 millionRaised from $200 million to $300 million
SGPP cumulative pretax savings SourceAnnually, once all projects are approved and implemented$200 million to $300 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year gross profit margin guidance was updated: GAAP margin is now expected down, previously expected to expand. Source
  • Guidance kept: Sales and EPS guidance were maintained for full year 2026; gross profit margin guidance was updated. Source
  • New: Board approved an expansion of the SGPP on April 30, 2026; estimated cumulative pretax charges rose to $350 million to $550 million. Source
  • New: Geographic segments were realigned: Europe, Africa/Eurasia (excluding Russia and Belarus) and skin health were combined into a new EMEA segment; Russia and Belarus moved to Asia Pacific. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales and organic sales rose: Net sales were $5,324 million, up 8.4% from $4,911 million. Organic sales rose 2.9%, with volume up 1.1% and pricing up 2.2%. Source
  • Base Business EPS rose, GAAP EPS fell: Base Business diluted EPS was $0.97, up 7% from $0.91. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.80, down 6% from $0.85; the difference reflects SGPP charges of $0.17 per share. Source
  • GAAP operating profit fell on charges: GAAP operating profit was $964 million, down 10%. Base Business operating profit was $1,134 million, up 4%, with a 21.3% margin. Source
  • Net income attributable declined: Net income attributable to Colgate-Palmolive Company was $646 million, against $690 million a year earlier. Source

Segments and regions

  • North America sales and profit fell: North America net sales fell 1.8% and organic sales fell 2.2%, with volume down 3.2%. Operating profit was $141 million, down 28%, at a 15.8% margin. Source
  • Latin America had largest sales gain: Latin America net sales rose 14.8% and organic sales rose 5.4%. Operating profit was $401 million, up 15%, at a 30.6% margin. Source
  • Europe, Middle East and Africa grew: Europe, Middle East & Africa net sales rose 11.9% and organic sales rose 3.5%. Operating profit was $266 million, up 20%, at a 23.6% margin. Source
  • Asia Pacific sales and profit rose: Asia Pacific net sales rose 8.9% and organic sales rose 5.6%. Operating profit was $222 million, up 9%, at a 27.6% margin. Source

“While we expect the volatile macroeconomic conditions and slower category growth to continue in 2026, we are aligned behind our 2030 strategy to deliver consistent, compounded earnings per share growth and drive long-term shareholder value.”

Noel Wallace, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Products and pet nutrition

  • Sales grew across categories: Management said net sales and organic sales grew in every category and in four of five divisions. Volume and pricing both contributed to growth. Source
  • Hill's Pet Nutrition sales rose: Hill's Pet Nutrition net sales rose 6.7% as reported and 2.1% organic. Its operating profit was $280 million, up 8%, at a 23.4% margin. Source
  • Prime100 acquisition added to volume: The Prime100 acquisition added 1.9% to Hill's reported volume and 0.4% to total company reported volume. Source

Costs, margins and advertising

  • Gross margin edged down: GAAP and Base Business gross profit margin each decreased 20 basis points to 60.6%, compared with 60.8% a year earlier. Source
  • Selling and admin costs rose: Base Business SG&A was 38.9% of net sales, against 38.3% a year earlier. GAAP SG&A was 39.0%, against 38.6%. Source
  • Advertising spending increased: Advertising expense was $734 million, against $668 million a year earlier. Management listed operating profit, net income, earnings per share and free cash flow as increasing alongside it. Source
  • Other expense rose on program costs: Other (income) expense, net was $186 million, against $13 million, including $165 million of SGPP charges excluded from Base Business results. Source

“Gross profit margin increased sequentially versus fourth quarter 2025 and operating profit, net income, earnings per share and free cash flow all increased year over year along with an increase in advertising spending.”

Noel Wallace, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and category growth

  • Macro volatility and slower categories: Management expects volatile macroeconomic conditions and slower category growth to continue through 2026. Source
  • Private label pet food exit reduced growth: Lower private label pet food sales were a 0.6% negative impact on organic sales growth in the quarter. Source
  • Foreign exchange added to reported sales: Foreign exchange added 5.1% to total company reported net sales growth, against organic growth of 2.9%. Source

Strategy and program expansion

  • Aligned behind 2030 strategy: Management said it is aligned behind the 2030 strategy to deliver consistent, compounded earnings per share growth. Source
  • Program charges substantially complete by 2028: The Company still expects substantially all program charges to be incurred by December 31, 2028. Source
  • Program costs in quarter: Corporate operating loss included $171 million of SGPP charges in the quarter, against $15 million of ERISA litigation charges a year earlier. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow rose: Free cash flow before dividends was $609 million, against $476 million, after capital expenditures of $138 million. Source
  • Dividends and buybacks increased: Dividends paid were $417 million and treasury share purchases were $306 million, against $406 million and $284 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net debt slightly lower than year-end: Debt less cash and marketable securities was $6,554 million, against $6,593 million at December 31, 2025; total debt was $7,973 million. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Global toothpaste market share, year to date Source41.1%
Global manual toothbrush market share, year to date Source32.6%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited volatile macroeconomic conditions and slower category growth continuing through 2026. Source
  • External: Guidance reflects tariffs announced and finalized as of April 29, 2026; the documents give no separate tariff dollar figure. Source
  • Financial: Management now expects gross profit margin to be down for 2026, rather than up. Source
  • Operational: Other (income) expense rose to $186 million, including $165 million of SGPP charges, as the program expands. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it maintained its sales and earnings per share guidance for 2026. Source
  • Not stated: The expanded SGPP is expected to have substantially all charges incurred by the end of 2028. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it remains aligned behind the 2030 strategy for consistent, compounded EPS growth. 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.