Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) vs The Coca-Cola Company (KO)
KO leads on 10 of 16 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Colgate-Palmolive Company and The Coca-Cola Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 14, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
CL
Colgate-Palmolive Company
$89.45Consumer Defensive
KO
The Coca-Cola Company
$82.62Consumer Defensive
Not enough overlapping price history to compare CL and KO.
CL vs KO: by the numbers
- •KO is the larger company ($355.47B vs $71.58B market cap).
- •KO trades at the lower earnings multiple (25.98 vs 34.75 P/E).
- •KO converts more revenue to profit (27.80% vs 10.04% net margin).
- •KO grew revenue faster over the past five years (8.07% vs 4.46% CAGR).
- •CL pays the higher dividend yield (2.34% vs 1.88%).
Which is better, CL or KO?
Metric tally: CL 6 · KO 10It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueKO(lower P/E)
GrowthKO(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCL(higher dividend yield)
QualityCL(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | CL | KO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 34.75 | 25.98● |
| Forward P/E | 22.22● | 23.70 |
| P/S ratio | 3.46● | 7.23 |
| P/B ratio | 496.66 | 10.60● |
| PEG ratio | — | 0.98 |
| EV / EBITDA | 21.17 | 20.26● |
| FCF yield | 5.23%● | 3.52% |
Profitability
| Metric | CL | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 60.06% | 61.74%● |
| Operating margin | 21.21% | 29.34%● |
| Net margin | 10.04% | 27.80%● |
| ROE | 1439.31%● | 40.74% |
| ROIC | 30.34%● | 13.00% |
Dividends
| Metric | CL | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.34%● | 1.88% |
| Payout ratio | 79.17% | 50.82% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CL | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 4.46% | 8.07%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -3.47% | 11.12%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 3.88% | 4.97%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 3.78% | 11.29%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CL or KO?
- It depends on your goal. value: KO (lower P/E); growth: KO (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CL (higher dividend yield); quality: CL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, KO leads 10 to 6.
- Is CL or KO cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, KO is cheaper: CL trades at a 34.75 P/E and KO at 25.98.
- Which has grown faster, CL or KO?
- Over the past five years, KO grew revenue faster — CL at a 4.46% CAGR versus KO at 8.07%.
- Does CL or KO pay a bigger dividend?
- CL yields 2.34% and KO yields 1.88% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CL or KO more profitable?
- KO runs the higher net margin — CL at 10.04% versus KO at 27.80%.
- Which has been the better investment, CL or KO?
- Over the past 10-year, KO delivered the higher annualized total return — CL at 4.61% versus KO at 9.41%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Colgate-Palmolive P/E ratioCoca-Cola P/E ratioColgate-Palmolive dividend yieldCoca-Cola dividend yieldColgate-Palmolive ROECoca-Cola ROEColgate-Palmolive operating marginCoca-Cola operating marginColgate-Palmolive revenue growthCoca-Cola revenue growthColgate-Palmolive free cash flowCoca-Cola free cash flow
Colgate-Palmolive & Coca-Cola appear in these rankings
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Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 14, 2026.