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CL or KR or PM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Kroger (KR) vs. Philip Morris (PM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- CL trades at a premium trailing P/E of 34.2 with stable defensive qualities, low beta of 0.26, and YTD gains of 14.5%.
- KR leads YTD performance at 19.2% but shows a high trailing P/E of 48.1 amid recent Q4 revenue of $34.7B and merger uncertainties.
- PM offers the highest dividend yield at 3.4%, attractive forward P/E of 20.5, and robust Q4 revenue growth of 6.8% YoY.
- All three operate in consumer defensive sectors, providing resilience, with PM showing strongest long-term returns at 109% over three years.
- Recent market volatility from oil shocks has favored staples like these, with varying momentum based on earnings and strategic shifts.
- Valuation sensitivity differs: KR appears cheapest forward at 14.1x, while CL emphasizes premium margins.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines CL (Colgate-Palmolive), KR (Kroger), and PM (Philip Morris International), all defensive consumer staples plays amid heightened market volatility from geopolitical tensions and oil price swings. These stocks appeal to income-focused investors and traders seeking relative stability, as they benefit from essential demand in oral care, groceries, and tobacco products. With recent earnings highlighting revenue resilience and dividend consistency, this analysis aids in evaluating relative performance, valuation trade-offs, and positioning for ongoing uncertainty in broader indices.
CL Overview and Recent Performance
Colgate-Palmolive (CL), a global leader in oral, personal, home care, and pet nutrition products, operates in over 200 countries with brands like Colgate toothpaste and Hill's pet food. International sales comprise about 70% of revenue. In recent market activity, CL has shown defensive strength, with shares around $90 amid a 52-week range of $74.55-$99.33. YTD return stands at 14.5%, supported by Q4 earnings beating estimates at $0.95 EPS and $5.23B revenue. Sentiment benefits from high gross margins near 60%, innovation in whitening products, and analyst upgrades citing emerging market exposure and productivity gains, though elevated trailing P/E of 34.2 reflects premium pricing.
KR Overview and Recent Performance
The Kroger Co. (KR) is a major U.S. grocery retailer operating food/drug stores, multi-department outlets, and online platforms, also manufacturing private-label foods. Recent weeks saw shares near $74 in a 52-week range of $58.60-$76.58, with strong YTD gains of 19.2% driven by Q4 revenue of $34.7B (up 2.1% YoY) and gross margin expansion to 23.1%. Performance reflects cost-cutting post-failed Albertsons merger and customer value focus amid inflation pressures. However, sales forecasts slightly missing expectations tempered gains, with trailing P/E at 48.1 signaling growth optimism but forward P/E of 14.1 indicating value potential; beta of 0.59 underscores moderate volatility.
PM Overview and Recent Performance
Philip Morris International (PM) focuses on tobacco and smoke-free products like IQOS heated tobacco, ZYN pouches, and cigarettes such as Marlboro, primarily outside the U.S. Shares hover around $173 in a 52-week range of $142-$191, with YTD return of 7.75%. Recent Q4 revenue rose 6.8% YoY to $10.36B, EPS met estimates at $1.70, bolstering sentiment amid shift to reduced-risk products in 90+ markets. Dividend yield of 3.4% and beta of 0.40 attract income seekers, though trailing P/E of 23.8 trails some peers; expansions like a new U.S. business center signal growth catalysts.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
CL, KR, and PM share consumer defensive sector exposure but diverge in models: CL's branded consumer goods emphasize high-margin oral/pet nutrition globally, contrasting KR's U.S.-centric grocery retail with volume-driven growth and PM's tobacco transition to smoke-free alternatives. Growth drivers include PM's 6.8% revenue momentum and KR's margin improvements, versus CL's innovation pipeline. Recent momentum favors KR YTD, but PM excels long-term. Risks: KR faces merger fallout/competition, PM regulatory shifts, CL FX/input costs. Valuation: KR cheapest forward (14x), PM balanced (20x), CL premium. Sentiment tilts toward dividend stability in PM.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors PM for its trend consistency in smoke-free growth, superior dividend yield, balanced valuation, and low beta amid volatility. Relative positioning shows stronger catalysts like revenue beats and market expansion, offering probabilistic edge over CL's premium pricing and KR's retail pressures.
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. Disclaimers and Limitations
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 undervalued. 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 1 FA rating(s) are green whileKR’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s), and PM’s FA Score reflects 3 green FA rating(s).
- CL’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- KR’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- PM’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 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 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while KR’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s), and PM’s TA Score reflects 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CL’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- KR’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
- PM’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
CL (@Household/Personal Care) experienced а +1.74% price change this week, while KR (@Food Retail) price change was -0.21% , and PM (@Tobacco) price fluctuated -1.66% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Household/Personal Care industry was +1.05%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +6.08%, and the average quarterly price growth was -7.77%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food Retail industry was +1.76%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +3.22%, and the average quarterly price growth was +2.61%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Tobacco industry was -1.21%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +1.15%, and the average quarterly price growth was -8.55%.
Reported Earning Dates
CL is expected to report earnings on May 01, 2026.
KR is expected to report earnings on Jun 11, 2026.
PM is expected to report earnings on Apr 22, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Household/Personal Care (+1.05% 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.
@Food Retail (+1.76% weekly)The food retail industry includes companies that sell food, beverage and household products. Items sold include grocery, gourmet food, fresh produce, and frozen food. Kroger Co., George Weston Ltd., Grocery Outlet Holding Corp., and Sprouts Farmers Markets, Inc. are examples of major food retailers. While e-commerce companies like Amazon have increasingly been ramping-up offerings in the food retail space, several traditional players have also been expanding their online presence to stand their ground against rising competition.
@Tobacco (-1.21% weekly)The industry is engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products like cigarettes. In 2017, tobacco companies spent an estimated $9.36 billion marketing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the U.S. – an amount that translates to more than $25 million each day (according to a CDC report). Philip Morris International Inc., Altria Group Inc., and British American Tobacco plc are some major cigar makers. In recent times, vaping or the use of e-cigarette (does not burn tobacco) is gaining momentum – several established cigarette makers are trying to expand their footprint in this new market.
| CL | KR | PM | |
| Capitalization | 67B | 41.6B | 246B |
| EBITDA | 3.96B | 5.76B | 17.5B |
| Gain YTD | 9.258 | 9.204 | -0.900 |
| P/E Ratio | 31.76 | 44.08 | 21.69 |
| Revenue | 20.4B | 148B | 40.6B |
| Total Cash | N/A | 4.58B | N/A |
| Total Debt | 8.55B | 24.7B | 48.8B |
CL | KR | PM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 50 | 50 | 50 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 98 Overvalued | 55 Fair valued | 23 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 65 | 24 | 19 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 5 | 56 | 3 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 57 | 59 | 60 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 43 | 10 | 81 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
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.
PM's Valuation (23) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as KR (55) in the Food Retail industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for CL (98) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that PM's stock grew similarly to KR’s and significantly faster than CL’s over the last 12 months.
PM's Profit vs Risk Rating (19) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as KR (24) in the Food Retail industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for CL (65) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that PM's stock grew similarly to KR’s and somewhat faster than CL’s over the last 12 months.
PM's SMR Rating (3) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as CL (5) in the Household Or Personal Care industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for KR (56) in the Food Retail industry. This means that PM's stock grew similarly to CL’s and somewhat faster than KR’s over the last 12 months.
CL's Price Growth Rating (57) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is in the same range as KR (59) in the Food Retail industry, and is in the same range as PM (60) in the Tobacco industry. This means that CL's stock grew similarly to KR’s and similarly to PM’s over the last 12 months.
KR's P/E Growth Rating (10) in the Food Retail industry is somewhat better than the same rating for CL (43) in the Household Or Personal Care industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for PM (81) in the Tobacco industry. This means that KR's stock grew somewhat faster than CL’s and significantly faster than PM’s over the last 12 months.
| CL | KR | PM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 46% | 4 days ago 57% | 4 days ago 68% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 45% | 4 days ago 66% | 4 days ago 55% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 47% | 4 days ago 49% | 4 days ago 48% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 44% | 4 days ago 54% | 4 days ago 55% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 46% | 4 days ago 62% | 4 days ago 50% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 45% | 4 days ago 53% | 4 days ago 51% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 44% | 4 days ago 57% | 12 days ago 57% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 8 days ago 43% | 6 days ago 46% | 5 days ago 48% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 45% | 4 days ago 57% | N/A |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 47% | 4 days ago 44% | 4 days ago 34% |
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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 70% 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.
PM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, PM has been loosely correlated with BTI. These tickers have moved in lockstep 52% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if PM jumps, then BTI could also see price increases.