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CL or KR or SYY
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Colgate-Palmolive (CL) vs. Kroger (KR) vs. Sysco (SYY) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- CL trades at a premium valuation with high margins from essential consumer products but has underperformed YTD at +8.38% amid recent pullbacks.
- KR leads YTD performance at +17.75%, supported by strong quarterly revenue of $34.7B and focus on affordable pricing under new leadership.
- SYY shows solid 1-year returns of +17.44% with steady foodservice distribution growth, though recent momentum has softened.
- All three offer defensive exposure in consumer staples, with KR and SYY outperforming CL on relative price momentum in recent market activity.
- Valuation contrasts highlight CL's higher P/E around 32x versus peers, reflecting growth expectations in emerging markets and pet nutrition.
- Recent volatility tied to broader consumer sentiment shifts favors grocer and distributor stability over branded goods.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines CL (Colgate-Palmolive), KR (Kroger), and SYY (Sysco), three stalwarts in the consumer staples sector. CL dominates oral and personal care, while KR and SYY anchor grocery retail and food distribution, respectively. Investors seeking defensive plays amid market volatility—such as those prioritizing steady demand for essentials over cyclical risks—will find value in analyzing their relative performance, growth drivers, and positioning. Recent market activity underscores shifts in consumer spending, making this head-to-head review timely for portfolio allocation in staples.
CL Overview and Recent Performance
Colgate-Palmolive (CL) is a global leader in oral, personal, home care, and pet nutrition products, operating in over 200 countries with brands like Colgate toothpaste and Hill's Science Diet. Its business model emphasizes high-volume essentials, premiumization in emerging markets, and supply chain efficiency, generating ~$20B in annual sales. Recent market activity has pressured the stock, with a ~10% monthly pullback to $85.12 despite YTD gains of 8.38% and a 52-week range of $74.55-$99.33. Q4 2025 results showed revenue of $5.23B (up 5.8% YoY) and EPS of $0.95, beating estimates on organic growth in Latin America and Europe. Sentiment reflects resilience in staples demand but weighs commodity costs and competitive promotions, contributing to choppy trading versus broader indices.
KR Overview and Recent Performance
Kroger (KR) operates as a major U.S. food and drug retailer with combination stores, multi-department formats, and online platforms, serving groceries, pharmacy, and fuel needs. Its model focuses on scale, private labels, and digital delivery to capture budget-conscious shoppers, with ~$150B+ in trailing annual revenue. The stock has shown strength, up 17.75% YTD and 15.41% over one year to $73.20, within a 52-week range of $58.60-$76.58. Recent quarters highlighted Q4 FY2026 revenue of $34.7B and normalized EPS of $1.28, alongside gross margin expansion to 23.1%. New CEO Greg Foran's emphasis on low prices and nimble services has bolstered sentiment amid soft forecasts, driving outperformance relative to peers in recent weeks.
SYY Overview and Recent Performance
Sysco (SYY) is the largest U.S. foodservice distributor, supplying restaurants, healthcare, and hospitality with meats, produce, and non-food items across U.S., Canada, and Europe. Its asset-light model leverages volume scale and supply chain tech for ~$78B in annual sales. Trading at $81.33, SYY posts YTD returns of 11.18% and 17.44% over one year, in a 52-week range of $67.12-$91.85. Q2 FY2026 revenue reached $20.76B, with TTM EPS at $3.71, supported by volume gains and international growth. Performance in recent market activity remains steady, though softer momentum reflects broader food-away-from-home pressures, positioning it as a reliable staples intermediary.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
CL, KR, and SYY share consumer staples resilience but diverge in models: CL's branded goods yield ~60% gross margins and emerging market growth (e.g., Latin America), versus KR's retail scale (~23% margins) and SYY's distribution efficiency (~18% margins). YTD, KR (+17.75%) edges SYY (+11.18%) and CL (+8.38%), reflecting grocery demand stability. Risks include input costs for all, but CL faces brand competition, KR regulatory hurdles, and SYY hospitality cycles. Valuations show CL at ~32x P/E (premium for stability), while KR (~16x) and SYY offer value amid sentiment favoring volume plays.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently leans toward KR based on superior trend consistency, YTD momentum, and relative undervaluation versus peers. Strong revenue execution and leadership focus on affordability position it favorably amid consumer shifts, with lower beta enhancing stability. SYY follows closely for distribution resilience, while CL's premium pricing sensitivity trails in the near term. Outcomes hinge on economic catalysts like spending patterns.
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 SYY’s FA Score reflects 1 green FA rating(s).
- CL’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- KR’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- SYY’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 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 SYY’s TA Score reflects 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CL’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 3 bearish.
- KR’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
- SYY’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
CL (@Household/Personal Care) experienced а +1.74% price change this week, while KR (@Food Retail) price change was +0.29% , and SYY (@Food Distributors) price fluctuated +4.74% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Household/Personal Care industry was +0.96%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +3.95%, and the average quarterly price growth was -8.44%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food Retail industry was +2.31%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +2.04%, and the average quarterly price growth was +3.08%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food Distributors industry was -0.06%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +2.02%, and the average quarterly price growth was +1.02%.
Reported Earning Dates
CL is expected to report earnings on May 01, 2026.
KR is expected to report earnings on Jun 11, 2026.
SYY is expected to report earnings on Apr 28, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Household/Personal Care (+0.96% 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 (+2.31% 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.
@Food Distributors (-0.06% weekly)Food distributors function as intermediaries between food manufacturers and food service operators (such as chefs, restaurants, beverage managers, cafeterias, industrial caterers, hospitals and nursing homes). Food distribution companies buy, store and then supply food items to the food service operators, thereby allowing the latter to have access to a wide range of food items from various manufacturers. Sysco Corporation, US Foods Holding Corp. and Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. are some of the biggest (by market cap) U.S. companies in this segment. Most food service operators buy from local, specialty, and/or broad line food service distributors on a daily or weekly basis. With the rise in e-commerce, consumers are increasingly expecting lower prices, faster service, and higher quality – something that potentially creates the impetus on distribution networks to raise their game.
| CL | KR | SYY | |
| Capitalization | 68.8B | 41.8B | 36.5B |
| EBITDA | 3.96B | 5.76B | 4.1B |
| Gain YTD | 9.258 | 9.686 | 5.051 |
| P/E Ratio | 32.63 | 44.28 | 20.56 |
| Revenue | 20.4B | 148B | 82.6B |
| Total Cash | 1.29B | 4.58B | 169M |
| Total Debt | 8.55B | 24.7B | 15B |
CL | KR | SYY | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 65 | 54 | 16 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 98 Overvalued | 55 Fair valued | 50 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 65 | 24 | 76 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 5 | 56 | 14 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 59 | 59 | 61 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 43 | 10 | 50 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 | 55 |
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.
SYY's Valuation (50) in the Food Distributors industry is in the same range as KR (55) in the Food Retail industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for CL (98) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that SYY's stock grew similarly to KR’s and somewhat faster than CL’s over the last 12 months.
KR's Profit vs Risk Rating (24) in the Food Retail industry is somewhat better than the same rating for CL (65) in the Household Or Personal Care industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for SYY (76) in the Food Distributors industry. This means that KR's stock grew somewhat faster than CL’s and somewhat faster than SYY’s over the last 12 months.
CL's SMR Rating (5) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is in the same range as SYY (14) in the Food Distributors industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for KR (56) in the Food Retail industry. This means that CL's stock grew similarly to SYY’s and somewhat faster than KR’s over the last 12 months.
CL's Price Growth Rating (59) 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 SYY (61) in the Food Distributors industry. This means that CL's stock grew similarly to KR’s and similarly to SYY’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 somewhat better than the same rating for SYY (50) in the Food Distributors industry. This means that KR's stock grew somewhat faster than CL’s and somewhat faster than SYY’s over the last 12 months.
| CL | KR | SYY | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 46% | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 57% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 45% | 2 days ago 66% | 2 days ago 61% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 47% | 2 days ago 49% | 2 days ago 44% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 44% | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 45% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 46% | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 48% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 45% | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 53% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 44% | 2 days ago 57% | 4 days ago 49% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 43% | 4 days ago 46% | 9 days ago 53% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 45% | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 51% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 47% | 2 days ago 44% | 2 days ago 65% |
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| ETFs / NAME | Price $ | Chg $ | Chg % |
| AVNM | 82.67 | 1.11 | +1.36% |
| Avantis All International Mkts Eq ETF | |||
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| MRP Synthequity ETF | |||
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| State Street SPDR Portfolio L/T Trs ETF | |||
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| iMGP Berkshire Dividend Growth ETF | |||
| PSTP | 35.88 | 0.13 | +0.38% |
| Innovator Power Buffer Step-Up Stgy ETF | |||
SYY and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, SYY has been loosely correlated with USFD. These tickers have moved in lockstep 41% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if SYY jumps, then USFD could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To SYY | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SYY | 100% | +3.00% | ||
| USFD - SYY | 41% Loosely correlated | +4.33% | ||
| PFGC - SYY | 40% Loosely correlated | +5.04% | ||
| UNFI - SYY | 30% Poorly correlated | +4.04% | ||
| ANDE - SYY | 26% Poorly correlated | +1.55% | ||
| CHEF - SYY | 24% Poorly correlated | +4.54% | ||
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