In 2025, the company reported worldwide net sales of US$20.382 billion, an increase from US$20.101 billion in 2024.[3]

Early years: 1806–1900

The origins of Colgate Palmolive date to 1806, when William Colgate founded a starch, soap, and candle business on Dutch Street in New York City. Over the ensuing decades, the enterprise expanded its product range and established the Colgate name as a consumer brand.[2]

A pivotal moment in the company’s history occurred in 1873 when it began selling toothpaste in jars, marking its entry into the oral-care market. In 1896, Colgate introduced toothpaste in a collapsible tube, a packaging innovation that significantly improved convenience for consumers.[2]

Concurrently, B.J. Johnson established a soap factory in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1864. This business later adopted the Palmolive name, launching Palmolive Soap in 1898.[2]

Formation of Colgate Palmolive

The two distinct corporate histories merged during the 20th century. In 1926, Palmolive and Peet combined to form the Palmolive-Peet Company. Two years later, in 1928, Colgate merged with Palmolive-Peet to create the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company.[2]

This merger created a diversified consumer-products portfolio, uniting Colgate’s oral-care expertise with Palmolive’s soap and personal-care offerings. The entity officially adopted the name Colgate-Palmolive Company in 1953.[2]

International expansion

Colgate Palmolive gradually transformed from a domestic American manufacturer into a global enterprise. The company established its first international subsidiary in Canada in 1914 before expanding into Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa.[1]

International growth remains a defining characteristic of the corporation. Today, products are marketed in over 200 countries and territories, making it one of the most geographically extensive consumer-products companies globally.[1] This strategy has led to market-specific brand portfolios; alongside Colgate, the company operates numerous regional oral-care brands including elmex, meridol, Darlie, Sorriso, and Tom’s of Maine.[2]

Colgate Palmolive organises its modern operations into four primary categories.

Oral Care

Oral Care is the company’s most internationally recognisable segment. The flagship Colgate brand encompasses toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, whitening products, children’s oral-care items, and specialised oral-health solutions. The company also markets oral-care products under brands such as elmex, meridol, Darlie, Sorriso, and Tom’s of Maine, and maintains a professional oral-health business serving dental practitioners.[2] Colgate Palmolive describes itself as a global leader in both toothpaste and manual toothbrushes.[2]

Personal Care

The Personal Care division includes products for bathing, hand washing, deodorising, and skin care. Key brands in this category include Palmolive, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Speed Stick, Lady Speed Stick, Sanex, EltaMD, Filorga, and PCA SKIN. Product lines cover bar soap, liquid hand soap, shower gels, deodorants, antiperspirants, and skin-health formulations.[2]

Home Care

Colgate Palmolive manufactures various household cleaning products. Ajax is among its best-known home-care brands, while Murphy Oil Soap is another notable entry in this portfolio.[1] This division represents the company’s expansion beyond personal hygiene into surface and home maintenance.

Pet Nutrition

Pet nutrition constitutes a significant portion of the company’s business through Hill’s Pet Nutrition, which was acquired in 1976. Hill’s produces pet food under brands including Science Diet and Prescription Diet, catering to both everyday nutrition and specific veterinary dietary needs.[2] This focus on animal nutrition distinguishes Colgate Palmolive from many other major personal-care corporations.

The company’s portfolio includes numerous well-known brands, though availability and prominence vary by market:[2]

• Colgate — toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, and oral-care products
• Palmolive — soaps, dishwashing, and personal-care products
• Hill’s — pet nutrition
• Softsoap — liquid hand soap
• Irish Spring — bar soap and body wash
• elmex — oral care
• meridol — oral care
• Tom’s of Maine — personal and oral care
• Ajax — household cleaning products
• Speed Stick — deodorants and antiperspirants
• Protex — personal hygiene products
• Sanex — personal care
• EltaMD — skin health
• Filorga — skin care
• PCA SKIN — professional skin care

Although the parent corporation is named Colgate Palmolive, Colgate functions as a distinct consumer brand within the portfolio. It is strongly associated with oral hygiene, particularly toothpaste and toothbrushes, with a lineage tracing back to the introduction of jarred toothpaste in 1873 and tubed toothpaste in 1896.[2]

The brand’s enduring success is attributed to strong global distribution, long-standing consumer familiarity, extensive advertising, relationships with dental professionals, continuous product innovation, and adaptation to diverse market needs. Corporate records indicate that more than 2 billion Colgate toothbrushes are sold annually worldwide, underscoring the brand’s global scale.[2]

Colgate Palmolive defines its corporate purpose as “reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet.”[1] Its strategic framework emphasises global brands, science-based innovation, supply-chain resilience, digital and data capabilities, and an inclusive corporate culture.[1]

The company positions itself at the intersection of health, hygiene, personal care, household care, and pet health, rather than solely as a manufacturer of soap or toothpaste.

Colgate Palmolive maintains a highly international footprint. According to its 2025 annual report:[1]

• Products are marketed in more than 200 countries and territories.
• The company employed approximately 33,600 people at year-end 2025.
• Employees were based in over 100 countries.
• More than 84% of the workforce was located outside the United States.
• Approximately two-thirds of total revenue was generated outside the United States.

The workforce is distributed across Asia Pacific, Latin America, North America, Europe, and Africa/Eurasia, reflecting the company’s multinational operating model.[1]

Colgate Palmolive is a publicly traded corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CL. For the fiscal year 2025, the company reported:[3]

• Worldwide net sales: US$20.382 billion
• Operating profit: US$3.306 billion
• Gross profit margin: 60.1%

Worldwide net sales grew by approximately 1.4% between 2024 and 2025.[3]

Sustainability is integral to Colgate Palmolive’s corporate strategy, with focus areas including environmental impact, responsible sourcing, packaging, water stewardship, climate-related issues, and social responsibility. These efforts align with the company’s broader purpose of improving health and well-being while reducing its environmental footprint.

Given that hundreds of millions of consumers use its products daily, the company’s environmental impact is closely tied to packaging, ingredients, manufacturing, transportation, and consumer use. Additionally, Colgate Palmolive emphasises oral-health education and access to care in various markets.

As of 2026, Noel Wallace serves as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Colgate Palmolive.[2] Under current leadership, the company prioritises organic sales growth, earnings expansion, operational efficiency, free cash flow generation, and the strengthening of its global brand portfolio.[1]

Colgate Palmolive represents one of the world’s longest-operating consumer-products companies, having evolved through brand building, acquisitions, international expansion, and product innovation. Its development can be categorised into four key stages:

1. 1806–late 19th century (Foundation): William Colgate establishes a soap and household-products business.
2. Late 19th–early 20th century (Brand development): Colgate builds its oral-care business while Palmolive develops its soap business.
3. 1928 onward (Corporate combination): Colgate and Palmolive-Peet merge, forming the foundation of the modern company.
4. Modern era (Global consumer-health company): Expansion into oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition across more than 200 countries and territories.[1]

Today, Colgate Palmolive is a global consumer-goods corporation with annual sales exceeding US$20 billion, operating across oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition sectors.[1]

1. cl-20251231
2. [PART I
3. Financial Highlights | Colgate-Palmolive Company