Colgate-Palmolive sales rise on international growth

Colgate-Palmolive reported higher first-quarter sales on May 1, driven mainly by international demand.

The company said net sales rose 8.4% year over year to $5.324 billion, while organic sales increased 2.9%. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.97, above the expectations cited in market coverage.

International markets did most of the heavy lifting. Reuters reported that North America sales declined, but stronger demand abroad more than offset that weakness and helped the company beat estimates.

Colgate kept its full-year sales and EPS guidance unchanged, but it lowered gross profit margin guidance. The company and Reuters both pointed to higher costs for raw materials, packaging and logistics.

The result gives Colgate a solid sales start to 2026, but also highlights the margin pressure that remains in consumer staples as input and freight costs stay elevated. Investors now have a clearer read on how much of the growth is coming from overseas markets rather than the U.S.