Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) CFO Stanley Sutula III Sells 97,843 Shares

Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) CFO Stanley Sutula III sold 97,843 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $94.27, for a total transaction of $9,223,659.61. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 55,310 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,214,073.70. This represents a 63.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Colgate-Palmolive Stock Performance

Shares of CL opened at $94.48 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $76.16 billion, a PE ratio of 36.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.29 and a beta of 0.29. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $82.13 and a 200-day moving average of $81.65. Colgate-Palmolive Company has a one year low of $74.54 and a one year high of $100.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.90, a current ratio of 0.42 and a quick ratio of 0.27.

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The company reported $0.95 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.04. Colgate-Palmolive had a net margin of 10.45% and a return on equity of 353.72%. The company had revenue of $5.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.13 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.91 EPS. Colgate-Palmolive’s quarterly revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Colgate-Palmolive Company will post 3.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Colgate-Palmolive Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 21st will be issued a dividend of $0.52 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 21st. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Colgate-Palmolive’s payout ratio is presently 79.39%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Colgate-Palmolive

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Westside Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 85.5% during the 2nd quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 282 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Maseco LLP bought a new stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Copia Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive during the third quarter worth $29,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 86.1% during the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 335 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 155 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cloud Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive in the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. 80.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on CL shares. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $90.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Argus reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $95.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Colgate-Palmolive from $86.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Sunday, February 1st. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $94.47.

Colgate-Palmolive Company Profile

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company with a long history in household and personal care categories. The business traces its roots to the early 19th century and has evolved into a multinational manufacturer and marketer of everyday consumer goods focused on health, hygiene and home care.

The company’s core activities center on oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition. Its product portfolio includes toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash in oral care; soaps, body washes and deodorants in personal care; dishwashing liquids, surface cleaners and other household products in home care; and scientifically formulated pet foods under its pet nutrition business.