Vontobel Holding Ltd. Reduces Stake in Colgate-Palmolive by 42.6%

Vontobel Holding Ltd. has significantly decreased its position in Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) by 42.6% during the fourth quarter, based on its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Following this sale, Vontobel now holds 457,091 shares of Colgate-Palmolive, having sold 338,847 shares in the process. As of the latest reporting period, Vontobel's stake in Colgate-Palmolive is valued at approximately $41,554,000, representing about 0.06% of the company's total stock.

In addition to Vontobel Holding Ltd., other institutional investors have also adjusted their holdings in Colgate-Palmolive. For instance, D Orazio & Associates Inc. increased its stake in the company by 3.9% in the third quarter, now owning 2,862 shares worth roughly $297,000 after adding 108 shares. Fiducient Advisors LLC also grew its position by 5.2%, bringing its total to 2,231 shares valued at about $232,000 following the acquisition of an additional 110 shares.

Similarly, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake by 0.6%, now holding 20,392 shares worth $2,117,000 after buying an extra 113 shares. Waldron Private Wealth LLC expanded its investment by 2.1% and currently possesses 5,632 shares valued at around $585,000 after purchasing 118 more shares. Lastly, Commonwealth Financial Services LLC increased its stake by 4.5%, resulting in ownership of 2,716 shares worth $247,000 after buying an additional 118 shares. Overall, hedge funds and institutional investors control approximately 80.41% of Colgate-Palmolive's stock.

Colgate-Palmolive Stock Performance

As of the latest trading day, Colgate-Palmolive's stock opened at $87.87. The company’s market capitalization stands at $71.79 billion, with a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 24.96 and a price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio of 4.12. The stock has experienced fluctuations over the past year, with a low of $82.83 and a high of $109.30. Its 50-day moving average price is $89.83, while the 200-day average sits at $96.54. The current ratio of Colgate-Palmolive is 0.41, with a quick ratio of 0.26, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.46.

Recently, Colgate-Palmolive reported its quarterly earnings on January 31st. The company announced earnings per share (EPS) of $0.91, which exceeded the analysts' expectations of $0.90, marking an improvement from last year's EPS of $0.87. The company's net profit margin currently stands at 14.38%, and the return on equity is reported at an impressive 477.77%. Analysts are projecting an EPS of 3.73 for the current year.

Colgate-Palmolive's Dividend Declaration

Colgate-Palmolive has also announced a quarterly dividend, which is scheduled to be paid on February 14th. Shareholders recorded as of January 21st will receive $0.50 per share, translating to an annualized dividend of $2.00 and a yield of 2.28%. The ex-dividend date for this distribution is set for January 21st, with the company maintaining a payout ratio of 56.82%.

Insights from Analysts

Many analysts have recently provided updates regarding Colgate-Palmolive. For example, Barclays lowered its price target for the stock from $96.00 to $83.00, assigning it an 'equal weight' rating. Morgan Stanley also adjusted its target from $111.00 to $104.00, suggesting an 'overweight' recommendation. TD Cowen revised their price target downward from $110.00 to $100.00 while reaffirming a 'buy' rating. Piper Sandler similarly adjusted its price goal from $121.00 to $112.00 with an 'overweight' rating. In contrast, Wells Fargo & Company reduced its target from $92.00 to $83.00, rating the stock as 'underweight'. Overall, one analyst recommends selling, ten suggest holding, and twelve have issued buy ratings for the stock, reflecting a consensus average rating of 'Hold' with a target price of $101.16.

About Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive Company is engaged in manufacturing and selling consumer products both domestically and internationally. The company operates two primary segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care, and Pet Nutrition. The Oral, Personal and Home Care segment offers a range of products including toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, hand soaps, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, and various household cleaning items.

stocks, investment, dividend