Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) Receives $102.17 Consensus Target Price from Analysts

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL - Get Free Report) has been given a consensus rating of "Hold" by the twenty-one analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, nine have issued a hold recommendation and eleven have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $102.17.

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Raymond James reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $105.00 target price (down previously from $110.00) on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $83.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 2nd. StockNews.com cut shares of Colgate-Palmolive from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Colgate-Palmolive from $111.00 to $104.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on Colgate-Palmolive from $95.00 to $93.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 3rd.

Colgate-Palmolive Stock Performance

NYSE CL opened at $92.66 on Tuesday. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $91.92 and its 200 day simple moving average is $92.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $75.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.32, a P/E/G ratio of 4.20 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a current ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 13.40. Colgate-Palmolive has a 1 year low of $85.32 and a 1 year high of $109.30.

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.01. Colgate-Palmolive had a return on equity of 477.77% and a net margin of 14.38%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.87 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Colgate-Palmolive will post 3.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Colgate-Palmolive declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase plan on Thursday, March 20th that allows the company to repurchase $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to purchase up to 6.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally a sign that the company's board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Colgate-Palmolive Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.52 per share. This is an increase from Colgate-Palmolive's previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.24%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 17th. Colgate-Palmolive's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 59.09%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Colgate-Palmolive

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CL. Westend Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 111.1% during the 1st quarter. Westend Capital Management LLC now owns 266 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC bought a new position in Colgate-Palmolive during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Centricity Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Colgate-Palmolive in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in Colgate-Palmolive in the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA acquired a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive during the fourth quarter valued at about $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.41% of the company's stock.

About Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells consumer products in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. The Oral, Personal and Home Care segment offers toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, bar and liquid hand soaps, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and antiperspirants, skin health products, dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, and other related items.

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