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Colgate-Palmolive CoXSWX:CL +0.58%88 Debt-to-Equity is 54.99 as of Mar. 2026, which is 397% above its 10-year median of 11.07. 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 1,743 Consumer Packaged Goods companies, Colgate-Palmolive Co ranks worse than 99.77% on this metric.
A high debt to equity ratio generally means that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. This can result in volatile earnings as a result of the additional interest expense.
The historical rank and industry rank for Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
XSWX:CL'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -1484.5 Med: 11.07 Max: 158.41
Current: 54.99
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Colgate-Palmolive Co was 158.41. The lowest was -1484.50. And the median was 11.07.
XSWX:CL's Debt-to-Equity is ranked worse than 99.77% of 1743
companies
in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry
Industry Median: 0.41
vs XSWX:CL: 54.99
Colgate-Palmolive Co (XSWX:CL) Debt-to-Equity Explanation
Because a company can increase its ROE % by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the leverage ratio when investing in high ROE % companies.
Colgate-Palmolive Co Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Colgate-Palmolive Co Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-Equity 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-Equity Comparison
For the Household & Personal Products subindustry, Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-Equity, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-Equity 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-Equity vs Consumer Packaged Goods Industry
For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-Equity 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.
Colgate-Palmolive Co (XSWX:CL) has a Debt-to-Equity of 54.99 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Colgate-Palmolive Co and its competitors. This is 397% above median its historical median of 11.07. According to the industry distribution chart, Colgate-Palmolive Co ranks #1739 out of 1743 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, placing it in the top 99.8%.
Is Colgate-Palmolive Co's Debt-to-Equity too high?
Colgate-Palmolive Co's current Debt-to-Equity of 54.99 is 397% above median its 10-year median of 11.07. The Consumer Packaged Goods industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.41. Colgate-Palmolive Co's value of 54.99 is 13312.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Colgate-Palmolive Co ranks #1739 out of 1743 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. 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-Equity compare to KVUE and KMB?
According to the Consumer Packaged Goods industry distribution chart, Colgate-Palmolive Co ranks #1739 out of 1743 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places Colgate-Palmolive Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.41. Colgate-Palmolive Co's value of 54.99 is 13312.2% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 11.07 vs. the industry median of 0.41, Colgate-Palmolive Co has consistently been above 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-Equity for a Consumer Packaged Goods company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Consumer Packaged Goods companies is 0.41, based on 1,743 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-Equity significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-Equity should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Colgate-Palmolive Co's current Debt-to-Equity of 54.99 is 13312.2% above 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-Equity mean?
A high Debt-to-Equity can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Colgate-Palmolive Co and its competitors. For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.41 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Colgate-Palmolive Co's current Debt-to-Equity is 54.99, which is 397% above median its own 10-year median of 11.07. 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-Equity is 54.99, which is 397% above median its 10-year median of 11.07 and 13312.2% above the Consumer Packaged Goods industry median of 0.41. 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-Equity calculated?
Debt-to-Equity is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Colgate-Palmolive Co (XSWX:CL), the current Debt-to-Equity is 54.99 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-Equity: 54.99 (397% above median its 10-year median of 11.07)
GF Value™: CHF75.54 vs. price of CHF74.91 (0.8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 13312.2% above the Consumer Packaged Goods median (#1739 of 1743)
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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