CL vs KMB: Colgate-Palmolive and Kimberly-Clark compared
The short version
From the latest prices and each company's SEC filings. Who's ahead on each measure, not which to buy.
- Colgate-Palmolive is the larger company, worth $70.8B, about 2.2 times Kimberly-Clark.
- Colgate-Palmolive grew revenue faster over the last year (+4.9% vs +0.6%).
- Kimberly-Clark keeps more of each dollar of revenue as operating profit (15.2% vs 14.9%).
- On earnings, Kimberly-Clark is the cheaper stock (18.8x vs 34.3x).
- Kimberly-Clark's price assumes faster free cash flow growth: about 5% a year, against 5% for Colgate-Palmolive (reverse DCF).
Side by side
The stronger figure is shaded where higher (or, for valuation multiples, lower) reads as better. How the implied growth works.
| Measure | CL | KMB |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $70.8B | $32.2B |
| Share price | $88.27 | $97.59 |
| Revenue (last fiscal year) | $20.4B | $16.4B |
| Free cash flow (last fiscal year) | $3.6B | $1.6B |
| Revenue growth, last year | +4.9% | +0.6% |
| Revenue growth per year, last 5 fiscal years | +4.0% | -4.1% |
| Operating margin | 14.9% | 15.2% |
| Net margin | 9.7% | 11.8% |
| Return on equity | 863.1% | 111.7% |
| P/E (trailing) | 34.3x | 18.8x |
| Price / free cash flow | 19.5x | 19.7x |
| EV / EBITDA | 20.1x | 12.3x |
| FCF growth the price implies | 4.7% | 4.8% |
| Dividend yield | 2.3% | 5.2% |
| Debt / equity | 68.7x | 9.53x |
| Fundamental grade | D | D |
| Superinvestors holding it | 9 | 8 |
| Insider purchases, last 12 months | 0 | 8 |
Results from SEC filings
Revenue and free cash flow by fiscal year, from each company's 10-K filings.
Colgate-Palmolive
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $17.4B | $2.8B | 19.1% |
| 2022 | $18.0B | $1.9B | 16.1% |
| 2023 | $19.5B | $3.0B | 20.5% |
| 2024 | $20.1B | $3.5B | 21.2% |
| 2025 | $20.4B | $3.6B | 16.2% |
Kimberly-Clark
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $19.4B | $1.7B | 13.2% |
| 2022 | $20.2B | $1.9B | 13.3% |
| 2023 | $17.1B | $2.8B | 11.2% |
| 2024 | $16.8B | $2.5B | 16.1% |
| 2025 | $16.4B | $1.6B | 14.3% |
Where the revenue comes from
Colgate-Palmolive · by segments, 2025
Total Oral, Personal and Home Care$15.8B77%
Pet Nutrition$4.6B23%
Kimberly-Clark · by segments, 2025
NA$10.8B65%
IPC$5.7B35%
Compare them in fullFifteen years of statements, quarterly results, DCF and IRR models, and any number of peers side by side.
Open CL in InvestinglyQuestions
Which is bigger, Colgate-Palmolive or Kimberly-Clark?
Colgate-Palmolive (CL), at $70.8B against $32.2B.
Is CL or KMB cheaper?
By trailing P/E, Kimberly-Clark (18.8x) is cheaper than Colgate-Palmolive (34.3x). A lower multiple can also mean the market expects less growth.
Which grows faster, CL or KMB?
Colgate-Palmolive: revenue grew +4.9% over the last year, against +0.6%.
Prices and ratios as of the last daily update; statements from SEC filings. Information only, not investment advice.