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CL vs UL
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Unilever (UL) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Business mix differs meaningfully: CL is anchored in oral care and pet nutrition, while UL spans a broader beauty, personal care, home care, and foods portfolio.
- Portfolio reshaping is a UL theme: Unilever's ice cream demerger and U.S.-focused M&A (mergers and acquisitions) strategy have shifted its growth profile, whereas Colgate-Palmolive's recent results were shaped by a skin-health impairment charge.
- Growth is roughly comparable but differently driven: CL reported full-year organic sales growth of 1.4%, while UL delivered 3.5% underlying sales growth for its latest full year.
- Analyst sentiment is constructive on both: CL has received Outperform and Buy ratings, while UL holds a consensus Moderate Buy with multiple Buy and Overweight reiterations.
- Relative performance reflects differing catalysts: CL's momentum is tied to oral care and pet nutrition strength, while UL's hinges on premiumization and a simpler, higher-margin structure.
- For deeper context on each name, explore CL Major News and CL Today's Price Move, as well as UL Major News and UL Today's Price Move.
- To see how AI-driven systems are positioned across these and thousands of other tickers, visit Trending AI Robots.
Introduction
Colgate-Palmolive and Unilever are two of the world's largest consumer staples companies, yet they compete in overlapping categories with different strategic priorities. Both generate steady cash flow and appeal to investors seeking defensive, dividend-paying exposure, but their recent paths have diverged. CL has leaned on oral care leadership and a fast-growing pet nutrition franchise, while UL is repositioning itself as a leaner, more premium-focused business following the spin-off of its ice cream unit. This stock comparison is most relevant to investors and traders weighing relative performance, market positioning, and catalysts between two blue-chip staples names with distinct growth levers and risk profiles.
CL Overview and Recent Performance
Colgate-Palmolive (CL) is a global consumer products company focused on oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition, selling in more than 200 countries under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, and Hill's. For its latest full fiscal year, CL reported net sales of about $20.4 billion, up 1.4%, with organic sales growth also at 1.4%. GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) earnings per share fell, however, reflecting a non-cash goodwill and intangible-assets impairment tied to its skin-health business, primarily the Filorga brand. Excluding that charge, base business EPS (earnings per share) rose 3%. In the most recent quarter, net sales grew 5.8% and base business EPS rose 4%, with strength in oral care and pet nutrition. Management cited sluggish category growth and a challenging U.S. volume environment, but noted sequential momentum exiting the year. Analysts have responded favorably, with recent upgrades including an Outperform rating, and the company continues to return significant cash to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.
UL Overview and Recent Performance
Unilever (UL) is a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company operating across beauty and well-being, personal care, home care, and foods, with a portfolio of more than 400 brands including Dove, Hellmann's, and Rexona. For its latest full year, UL reported underlying sales growth of 3.5%, split between 1.5% volume and 2.0% price, on turnover of about €50.5 billion. Underlying operating margin expanded by roughly 60 basis points (a basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point), supported by a structurally higher gross margin. A defining recent development was the completed demerger of its ice cream business, which listed separately and left Unilever with a simpler, higher-margin profile. Management has signaled plans to allocate the vast majority of M&A capital toward the United States and to continue buybacks, while analysts have highlighted a potential "inflection point" driven by premiumization and volume growth. Currency headwinds and softer conditions in parts of Europe have weighed on reported results, but institutional ownership and analyst ratings have trended constructive.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The two companies differ most sharply in portfolio scope and strategic direction. CL is more concentrated, with a dominant global oral care franchise (toothpaste market share of roughly 41%) and a growing pet nutrition segment that now contributes close to a quarter of sales. UL, by contrast, operates a broader set of categories and is actively pruning and premiumizing, shifting emphasis from foods toward beauty and personal care. Growth drivers also contrast: CL's near-term story hinges on restoring U.S. volume and reinvesting behind innovation, while UL's is built around the margin uplift from its ice cream separation and increased U.S. M&A. On risk, CL faces category softness and a recent impairment that clouded reported earnings, whereas UL contends with meaningful foreign-exchange drag and uneven European demand. Sector exposure is similar—both are defensive consumer staples—but their sentiment profiles differ: analysts have upgraded CL on valuation and momentum, while UL's ratings center on the structural benefits of its portfolio transformation.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors, Tickeron's AI would likely favor Unilever (UL) at the margin in the current environment. UL's trend consistency is supported by a clearer, self-directed catalyst—the completed ice cream demerger, a structurally higher margin profile, and a visible pipeline of U.S.-focused acquisitions—which collectively point to a more durable re-rating narrative. CL's fundamentals remain solid, but its recent reported results were complicated by a non-cash impairment, and its growth relies more on a recovery in challenged categories. That said, CL's defensive cash generation, oral care leadership, and recent analyst upgrades keep it a competitive alternative. In probabilistic terms, UL currently offers a slightly more compelling blend of stability and catalyst-driven upside, though the distinction between the two is modest and subject to change as market conditions evolve.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is CL is a Buy and UL is a Buy.
CL in upward trend: 10-day moving average crossed above 50-day moving average on October 16, 2026
The 10-day moving average for CL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 16, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 10 of 16 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 62%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 29 of 59 cases where CL's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 49%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 29, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on CL as a result. In 31 of 68 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 46%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for CL just turned positive on October 06, 2026. Looking at past instances where CL's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 22 of 43 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 51%.
CL moved above its 50-day moving average on October 12, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +4.58% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where CL advanced for three days, in 145 of 314 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 46%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 118 of 277 cases where CL Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 43%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for CL moved out of overbought territory on October 23, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 39 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 14 of the 39 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 36%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where CL declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 47%.
CL broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 02, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 7 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 8 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 29 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. CL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 42 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 87, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 99 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: CL's P/B Ratio (329.104) is very high in comparison to the industry average of (20.672). P/E Ratio (38.358) is within average values for comparable stocks, (16.840). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.577) is also within normal values, averaging (1.518). Dividend Yield (0.022) settles around the average of (0.033) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (3.331) is also within normal values, averaging (1.902).
UL in upward trend: 10-day moving average broke above 50-day moving average on October 19, 2026
The 10-day moving average for UL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 19, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 11 of 17 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 65%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 23 of 63 cases where UL's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 37%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on November 02, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on UL as a result. In 37 of 84 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 44%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for UL just turned positive on October 09, 2026. Looking at past instances where UL's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 27 of 44 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 61%.
UL moved above its 50-day moving average on October 14, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +3.52% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where UL advanced for three days, in 140 of 301 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 47%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 69 of 200 cases where UL Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 34%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for UL moved out of overbought territory on October 23, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 30 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 11 of the 30 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 37%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where UL declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 43%.
UL broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 15, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 46 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. UL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 51 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 87, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 78 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (8.834) is normal, around the industry mean (20.672). P/E Ratio (15.633) is within average values for comparable stocks, (16.840). UL's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (6.572) is very high in comparison to the industry average of (1.518). Dividend Yield (0.032) settles around the average of (0.033) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.336) is also within normal values, averaging (1.902).
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 82 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 97 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
CL | UL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 29 | 91 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 99 Overvalued | 78 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 42 | 51 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 8 | 97 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 29 | 46 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 7 | 82 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | n/a | n/a |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
UL's Valuation (78) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is in the same range as CL (99). This means that UL’s stock grew similarly to CL’s over the last 12 months.
CL's Profit vs Risk Rating (42) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is in the same range as UL (51). This means that CL’s stock grew similarly to UL’s over the last 12 months.
CL's SMR Rating (8) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is significantly better than the same rating for UL (97). This means that CL’s stock grew significantly faster than UL’s over the last 12 months.
CL's Price Growth Rating (29) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is in the same range as UL (46). This means that CL’s stock grew similarly to UL’s over the last 12 months.
CL's P/E Growth Rating (7) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is significantly better than the same rating for UL (82). This means that CL’s stock grew significantly faster than UL’s over the last 12 months.
| CL | UL | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 36% | 1 day ago 37% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 49% | 1 day ago 37% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 46% | 1 day ago 44% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 51% | 1 day ago 61% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 50% | 1 day ago 46% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 51% | 1 day ago 44% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 46% | 1 day ago 47% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 47% | 7 days ago 43% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 41% | 1 day ago 42% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 43% | 1 day ago 34% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CL’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green while UL’s FA Score has 0 green FA rating(s).
- CL’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- UL’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CL’s TA Score shows that 7 TA indicator(s) are bullish while UL’s TA Score has 7 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CL’s TA Score: 7 bullish, 3 bearish.
- UL’s TA Score: 7 bullish, 3 bearish.
Price Growth
CL (@Household/Personal Care) experienced а +4.65% price change this week, while UL (@Household/Personal Care) price change was +1.27% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Household/Personal Care industry was -0.77%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +0.60%, and the average quarterly price growth was +7.88%.
Reported Earning Dates
CL is expected to report earnings on Jan 22, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Household/Personal Care (-0.77% weekly)Household/Personal Care companies sell products for home cleaning and/or personal hygiene and grooming purposes. Products of this industry include detergents, shampoos, soaps, cosmetics, fabric conditioners and infant care fragrances. Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Estee Lauder and Colgate-Palmolive are some of the biggest names in the business. A lot of the products become a necessary part of people’s daily routine, and therefore the industry is relatively less vulnerable to macroeconomic downturns. At the same time, product quality, consumer safety, and ease of use are extremely critical factors for a company to survive competition and earn recognition in this industry.
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CL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, CL has been closely correlated with PG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 76% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if CL jumps, then PG could also see price increases.
UL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, UL has been closely correlated with PG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 67% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if UL jumps, then PG could also see price increases.