CL
Colgate-Palmolive Company Consumer Staples - Household Products Investor Relations →
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) closed at $85.12 as of 2026-03-20, trading 5.6% above its 200-week moving average of $80.61. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 10.3% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 58, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.5x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (1.08 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 2711 weeks of data, CL has crossed below its 200-week moving average 34 times. On average, these episodes lasted 13 weeks. Historically, investors who bought CL at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +14.6%.
With a market cap of $68.2 billion, CL is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 4.5%. Return on equity stands at 497.5%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 1270.5x book value.
CL is a Dividend Aristocrat, having increased its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years. The current yield is 249.00%. Management has been repurchasing shares, with a 3.5% reduction over three years.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in CL would have grown to $2432, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. CL has returned 10.1% annualized vs 10.4% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 25% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: CL vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After CL Crosses Below the Line?
Across 25 historical episodes, buying CL when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +16.6% after 12 months (median +17.0%), compared to +17.9% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 96% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +23.0% vs +38.7% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment CL crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
CL has crossed below its 200-week MA 34 times with an average 1-year return of +14.6% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1974 | Jun 1974 | 8 | 8.8% | +16.2% | +23557.3% |
| Jun 1974 | Feb 1975 | 32 | 36.8% | +19.5% | +22462.4% |
| Aug 1975 | Sep 1975 | 4 | 6.3% | +7.7% | +22926.9% |
| Feb 1976 | Feb 1976 | 1 | 0.1% | -4.0% | +22212.3% |
| Apr 1976 | Jun 1976 | 11 | 10.3% | -2.6% | +22424.8% |
| Oct 1976 | Nov 1976 | 6 | 5.7% | -5.1% | +23199.1% |
| Jan 1977 | Jul 1977 | 27 | 8.9% | -16.4% | +22995.1% |
| Aug 1977 | Feb 1981 | 183 | 37.8% | -10.1% | +22711.2% |
| Aug 1981 | Sep 1981 | 3 | 5.4% | +33.2% | +29996.9% |
| Jun 2002 | Jul 2002 | 6 | 15.1% | +20.4% | +476.5% |
| Nov 2002 | Mar 2003 | 17 | 7.3% | +2.2% | +460.4% |
| Aug 2003 | Aug 2003 | 1 | 1.4% | +0.4% | +435.2% |
| Oct 2003 | Feb 2004 | 15 | 8.4% | -10.3% | +450.7% |
| Jul 2004 | Aug 2004 | 5 | 3.6% | +0.8% | +435.4% |
| Sep 2004 | Jan 2005 | 19 | 17.8% | +17.8% | +521.5% |
| Mar 2005 | Apr 2005 | 4 | 1.8% | +12.8% | +430.7% |
| Apr 2005 | Jul 2005 | 14 | 6.6% | +13.1% | +440.6% |
| Oct 2008 | Oct 2008 | 3 | 8.6% | +33.0% | +324.3% |
| Dec 2008 | Dec 2008 | 1 | 3.5% | +45.3% | +332.5% |
| Jan 2009 | Jan 2009 | 1 | 0.3% | +34.2% | +315.3% |
| Feb 2009 | May 2009 | 12 | 9.5% | +40.8% | +327.9% |
| Apr 2018 | Jul 2018 | 13 | 6.5% | +9.9% | +53.9% |
| Aug 2018 | Aug 2018 | 1 | 1.6% | +12.1% | +55.6% |
| Aug 2018 | Sep 2018 | 1 | 0.2% | +14.5% | +53.3% |
| Oct 2018 | Feb 2019 | 19 | 10.0% | +14.2% | +57.3% |
| Mar 2019 | Mar 2019 | 1 | 0.6% | +13.7% | +53.7% |
| Nov 2019 | Nov 2019 | 1 | 0.1% | +31.7% | +48.6% |
| Mar 2020 | Mar 2020 | 2 | 6.9% | +23.6% | +57.9% |
| Sep 2022 | Oct 2022 | 4 | 4.4% | +3.8% | +31.8% |
| Jan 2023 | Jan 2023 | 1 | 1.5% | +18.7% | +27.7% |
| Mar 2023 | Mar 2023 | 2 | 2.2% | +26.7% | +28.2% |
| Aug 2023 | Oct 2023 | 9 | 5.7% | +48.8% | +23.2% |
| Sep 2025 | Nov 2025 | 8 | 3.4% | N/A | +8.3% |
| Dec 2025 | Jan 2026 | 5 | 2.9% | N/A | +9.7% |
| Average | 13 | — | +14.6% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CL below its 200-week moving average?
No. Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) is currently 5.6% above its 200-week moving average of $80.61. It would need to fall to $80.61 to cross below the line.
What is CL's 200-week moving average price?
Colgate-Palmolive Company's 200-week moving average is $80.61 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when CL drops below its 200-week moving average?
CL has crossed below its 200-week moving average 34 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +14.6%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 13 weeks on average.
Is CL a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about CL as of 2026-03-20: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 58. Free cash flow yield is 4.5%. Return on equity is 497.5%. Price-to-book is 1270.5x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does CL compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.2 years, $100 invested in CL would have grown to $2432, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That's 10.1% annualized vs 10.4% for the index. CL has underperformed the broader market over this period.
Does CL pay a dividend?
Yes. Colgate-Palmolive Company currently pays a dividend yield of 249.00%. It is also a Dividend Aristocrat, meaning it has raised its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20