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Colgate-Palmolive CoXSWX:CL +0.58%88 Debt-to-EBITDA is 1.80 as of Mar. 2026, which is 9% below its 10-year median of 1.98. GuruFocus rates XSWX:CL with a GF Score™ of 88/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF75.54 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,545 Consumer Packaged Goods companies, Colgate-Palmolive Co ranks better than 50.03% on this metric.
Debt-to-EBITDA measures a company's ability to pay off its debt.
A high Debt-to-EBITDA ratio generally means that a company may spend more time to paying off its debt. According to Joel Tillinghast's BIG MONEY THINKS SMALL: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing, a ratio of Debt-to-EBITDA exceeding four is usually considered scary unless tangible assets cover the debt.
The historical rank and industry rank for Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-EBITDA or its related term are showing as below:
XSWX:CL'
s Debt-to-EBITDA Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 1.51 Med: 1.98 Max: 2.75
Current: 2.04
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio of Colgate-Palmolive Co was 2.75. The lowest was 1.51. And the median was 1.98.
XSWX:CL's Debt-to-EBITDA is ranked better than 50.03% of 1545
companies
in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry
Industry Median: 2.05
vs XSWX:CL: 2.04
Colgate-Palmolive Co (XSWX:CL) Debt-to-EBITDA Explanation
A high Debt-to-EBITDA ratio generally means that a company may spend more time to paying off its debt.
According to Joel Tillinghast's BIG MONEY THINKS SMALL: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing, a ratio of Debt-to-EBITDA exceeding four is usually considered scary unless tangible assets cover the debt.
Colgate-Palmolive Co Debt-to-EBITDA Related Terms
Colgate-Palmolive Co Debt-to-EBITDA Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-EBITDA can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
XSWX:CL vs KVUE, KMB, EL: Debt-to-EBITDA Comparison
For the Household & Personal Products subindustry, Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-EBITDA, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-EBITDA data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Colgate-Palmolive Co Debt-to-EBITDA vs Consumer Packaged Goods Industry
For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-EBITDA distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-EBITDA falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual Debt-to-EBITDA, the EBITDA of the last fiscal year is used. In calculating the annualized quarterly data,
the EBITDA data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) EBITDA data.
Colgate-Palmolive Co (XSWX:CL) has a Debt-to-EBITDA of 1.80 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-EBITDA ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Colgate-Palmolive Co. This is near median its historical median of 1.98. Over the past decade, Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-EBITDA has ranged from 1.51 to 2.75. According to the industry distribution chart, Colgate-Palmolive Co ranks #772 out of 1545 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, placing it in the top 50%.
Is Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-EBITDA too high?
Colgate-Palmolive Co's current Debt-to-EBITDA of 1.80 is near median its 10-year median of 1.98. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 1.51 to a high of 2.75. The Consumer Packaged Goods industry median Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.05. Colgate-Palmolive Co's value of 1.80 is 12.2% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Colgate-Palmolive Co ranks #772 out of 1545 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Colgate-Palmolive Co has a GF Score™ of 88/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-EBITDA compare to KVUE and KMB?
According to the Consumer Packaged Goods industry distribution chart, Colgate-Palmolive Co ranks #772 out of 1545 companies for Debt-to-EBITDA. This puts Colgate-Palmolive Co in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.05. Colgate-Palmolive Co's value of 1.80 is 12.2% below this benchmark. Historically, Colgate-Palmolive Co's own Debt-to-EBITDA has ranged from 1.51 to 2.75 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 1.98 vs. the industry median of 2.05, Colgate-Palmolive Co has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Debt-to-EBITDA for a Consumer Packaged Goods company?
The median Debt-to-EBITDA among Consumer Packaged Goods companies is 2.05, based on 1,545 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-EBITDA significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-EBITDA should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Colgate-Palmolive Co's current Debt-to-EBITDA of 1.80 is 12.2% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Debt-to-EBITDA mean?
A high Debt-to-EBITDA can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-EBITDA ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Colgate-Palmolive Co. For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, the median Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.05 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Colgate-Palmolive Co's current Debt-to-EBITDA is 1.80, which is near median its own 10-year median of 1.98. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Colgate-Palmolive Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Colgate-Palmolive Co (XSWX:CL) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF75.54, compared to a current price of CHF74.91 — trading 0.8% below its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-EBITDA is 1.80, which is near median its 10-year median of 1.98 and 12.2% below the Consumer Packaged Goods industry median of 2.05. Colgate-Palmolive Co's overall GF Score™ is 88/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-EBITDA calculated?
Debt-to-EBITDA is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Colgate-Palmolive Co (XSWX:CL), the current Debt-to-EBITDA is 1.80 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Colgate-Palmolive Co (XSWX:CL) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Colgate-Palmolive Co stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of CHF74.91 is trading 0.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of CHF75.54.
GuruFocus considers Colgate-Palmolive Co to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:CL:
Debt-to-EBITDA: 1.80 (near median its 10-year median of 1.98)
GF Value™: CHF75.54 vs. price of CHF74.91 (0.8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 12.2% below the Consumer Packaged Goods median (#772 of 1545)
No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:CL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Since its founding in 1806, Colgate-Palmolive has grown into a leading player in the household and personal care industry. In addition to its namesake oral care line (which accounts for more than 40% of its total sales), the firm manufactures shampoos, shower gels, deodorants, and home care products sold in over 200 countries. International sales account for about 70% of its total business, including nearly half from emerging regions. It also owns specialty pet food maker Hill's (almost one-fourth of sales), which sells the majority of its products through veterinarians and specialty pet retailers.
88GF Score
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