Colgate-Palmolive vs Kimberly-Clark: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Colgate-Palmolive reported $20.4B of revenue in FY2025 and $2.1B of net income. Kimberly-Clark reported $16.4B of revenue in FY2025 and $2B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Colgate-Palmolive
- Latest revenue
- $20.4B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $2.1B
- Net margin
- 10.5%
- Revenue growth
- +4.3% a year, FY2022–FY2025
Kimberly-Clark
- Latest revenue
- $16.4B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $2B
- Net margin
- 12.3%
- Revenue growth
- -1.1% a year, FY2016–FY2025
Financial summary
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive's revenue is steady rather than fast-growing. Net sales rose from $17.97 billion in 2022 to $20.10 billion in 2024 and $20.38 billion in 2025 (+1.4%, organic +1.4%). 2025 GAAP EPS fell 25% to $2.63 because of goodwill and intangible impairment charges tied to the skin health business (mainly Filorga), while Base Business EPS rose 3% to $3.69. Operating cash flow hit a record $4.2 billion and the company returned $2.9 billion through dividends and buybacks. In Q2 2026 net sales grew 4.9% to $5.361 billion, organic sales rose 2.4% and gross margin expanded 140 basis points to 61.5%.
Kimberly-Clark
FY2025 net sales from continuing operations were $16.447 billion, down 2.1% from $16.805 billion in 2024, largely reflecting exits such as US private-label diapers and currency. Gross profit was $5.923 billion, operating profit $2.351 billion and net income attributable to Kimberly-Clark $2.021 billion. In Q2 2026 net sales were $4.19 billion (up 0.6%), adjusted gross margin rose 190 basis points to 38.8%, and adjusted EPS attributable to the company was $2.12, while reported net income fell to $345 million from $509 million on deal and restructuring costs. Market value was about $33 billion in late September 2026.
Revenue and profit by year
Colgate-Palmolive
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $20.4B | $2.1B | 10.5% | +1.4% | Source |
| FY2024 | $20.1B | — | 0.0% | +3.3% | Source |
| FY2023 | $19.5B | — | 0.0% | +8.3% | Source |
| FY2022 | $18B | — | 0.0% | — | Source |
Kimberly-Clark
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $16.4B | $2B | 12.3% | -2.1% | Source |
| FY2024 | $16.8B | $2.5B | 15.1% | -2.0% | Source |
| FY2023 | $17.1B | $1.8B | 10.3% | -15.0% | Source |
| FY2022 | $20.2B | $1.9B | 9.6% | +3.8% | Source |
| FY2021 | $19.4B | $1.8B | 9.3% | +1.6% | Source |
| FY2020 | $19.1B | $2.4B | 12.3% | +3.7% | Source |
| FY2019 | $18.4B | $2.2B | 11.7% | -0.2% | Source |
| FY2018 | $18.5B | $1.4B | 7.6% | +0.8% | Source |
| FY2017 | $18.3B | $2.3B | 12.4% | +0.8% | Source |
| FY2016 | $18.2B | $2.2B | 11.9% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Colgate-Palmolive
- Oral Care
Largest category
Toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, whitening, and professional oral-care products under brands such as Colgate and elmex.
- Pet Nutrition
Major growth category
Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet pet food sold through retail and veterinary channels.
- Personal Care
Major category
Soap, body wash, deodorant, and personal-care brands including Palmolive, Softsoap, Irish Spring, and Sanex.
- Home Care
Smaller category
Dishwashing, household cleaning, and fabric-care products, with brand strength in select global markets.
Kimberly-Clark
- North America
Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kleenex, Cottonelle, Scott, Viva, Kotex, Depend and Poise sold to US and Canadian retailers, plus the North American professional business.
- International Personal Care
Diapers, feminine care and adult care outside North America, including Huggies, Kotex and Softex.
- International Family Care and Professional (discontinued)
International tissue and professional products reported as discontinued operations after being contributed to the Arbex joint venture with Suzano.
Business model and strategy
Colgate-Palmolive
How it makes money
Colgate-Palmolive sells high-frequency, repeat-purchase consumer products. Revenue comes from four categories: Oral Care (Colgate, elmex, meridol, Tom's of Maine, hello), Personal Care (Palmolive, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sanex, Speed Stick, EltaMD, PCA Skin, Filorga), Home Care (Ajax, Fabuloso, Palmolive dish liquid, Suavitel) and Pet Nutrition (Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet).
Growth strategy
Colgate-Palmolive's growth plan centers on premium oral care (whitening, sensitivity, gum health and electric brushes), expanding Hill's Science Diet and Prescription Diet, and selective skin health brands such as EltaMD and PCA Skin. Productivity savings fund higher advertising, and the company has exited low-margin private-label pet food to focus Hill's on its own brands.
Competitive advantage
Colgate-Palmolive's advantage is reach plus professional endorsement. Colgate toothpaste held 41.3% global share and manual toothbrushes 32.7% year to date in 2026, built on distribution that reaches small traditional-trade shops across India, Latin America and Africa.
Kimberly-Clark
How it makes money
Kimberly-Clark makes money by manufacturing and selling branded disposable hygiene and tissue products through retailers, e-commerce and distributors.
Growth strategy
Under its Powering Care strategy, Kimberly-Clark focuses on premium innovation (such as Huggies Skin Essentials and Depend upgrades), productivity savings, exiting low-margin businesses like US private-label diapers, and moving its international tissue business into the Arbex joint venture. It is also building an alternative natural fibers pilot plant in the US Southwest using the drought-tolerant hesperaloe plant.
Competitive advantage
Kimberly-Clark's advantages are category-defining brands (Kleenex is used as a generic word for tissue), large-scale nonwoven and absorbent manufacturing that is expensive to replicate, long retailer relationships, and an innovation pipeline in diapers and adult care. Its productivity program has delivered gross savings that helped lift adjusted gross margin to 38.8% in Q2 2026.
Questions about Colgate-Palmolive vs Kimberly-Clark
Which company has higher revenue — Colgate-Palmolive Company or Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
Colgate-Palmolive Company reported $20.4B (FY2025), while Kimberly-Clark Corporation reported $16.4B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Colgate-Palmolive Company is the larger business, with Kimberly-Clark Corporation reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Colgate-Palmolive Company vs Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
Colgate-Palmolive Company's market capitalisation stands at $69.0B, while Kimberly-Clark Corporation's is $33.0B. Colgate-Palmolive Company carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Kimberly-Clark Corporation.
Which is more financially efficient — Colgate-Palmolive Company or Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
Colgate-Palmolive Company generates $607k / employee in revenue per employee, while Kimberly-Clark Corporation generates $457k / employee. Colgate-Palmolive Company shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.
How do Colgate-Palmolive Company and Kimberly-Clark Corporation make money?
Colgate-Palmolive Company and Kimberly-Clark Corporation generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Colgate-Palmolive Company: Colgate-Palmolive sells high-frequency, repeat-purchase consumer products. Kimberly-Clark Corporation: Kimberly-Clark makes money by manufacturing and selling branded disposable hygiene and tissue products through retailers, e-commerce and distributors.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Colgate-Palmolive Company or Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Colgate-Palmolive Company trades at 3.4x P/S and Kimberly-Clark Corporation at 2.0x P/S. Colgate-Palmolive Company commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Kimberly-Clark Corporation. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Colgate-Palmolive Company bigger than Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
By last reported revenue, Colgate-Palmolive Company ($20.4B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Kimberly-Clark Corporation ($16.4B (FY2025)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Colgate-Palmolive vs Kimberly-Clark overview