Epoch Investment Partners Inc. Sells 8,417 Shares of Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL)

Epoch Investment Partners Inc. trimmed its stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL - Free Report) by 5.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 156,315 shares of the company's stock after selling 8,417 shares during the period. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.'s holdings in Colgate-Palmolive were worth $14,211,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of CL. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Centricity Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Colgate-Palmolive during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA purchased a new position in Colgate-Palmolive during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Briaud Financial Planning Inc acquired a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive in the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Wintrust Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive in the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.41% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CL has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $111.00 to $104.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $108.00 to $107.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 31st. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $83.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $89.00 to $86.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 11th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Colgate-Palmolive from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $102.17.

Colgate-Palmolive Stock Down 1.3 %

NYSE:CL traded down $1.23 on Thursday, hitting $92.66. The stock had a trading volume of 11,290,916 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,447,906. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $91.78 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $92.31. The stock has a market cap of $75.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.20 and a beta of 0.40. Colgate-Palmolive has a 1 year low of $85.32 and a 1 year high of $109.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 13.40, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.92.

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The company reported $0.91 EPS 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 quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.87 EPS. Analysts predict that Colgate-Palmolive will post 3.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Colgate-Palmolive declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase program on Thursday, March 20th that permits the company to repurchase $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to repurchase up to 6.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually an indication that the company's leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Colgate-Palmolive Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 17th will be given a dividend of $0.52 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 17th. This is a positive change from Colgate-Palmolive's previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.24%. Colgate-Palmolive's dividend payout ratio is 59.09%.

Colgate-Palmolive Company Profile

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.