CL vs. BF-B
CL (Colgate-Palmolive Company) and BF-B (Brown-Forman Corporation) are both stocks. Both are in the Consumer Defensive sector — CL in Household & Personal Products, BF-B in Beverages - Wineries & Distilleries. Over the past 10 years, CL returned 4.62%/yr vs -1.85%/yr for BF-B. At a 0.36 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CL vs. BF-B - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CL achieves a 14.60% return, which is significantly higher than BF-B's 5.51% return. Over the past 10 years, CL has outperformed BF-B with an annualized return of 4.62%, while BF-B has yielded a comparatively lower -1.85% annualized return.
CL
- 1D
- 0.07%
- 1M
- 1.80%
- YTD
- 14.60%
- 6M
- 15.59%
- 1Y
- -1.53%
- 3Y*
- 8.47%
- 5Y*
- 3.79%
- 10Y*
- 4.62%
BF-B
- 1D
- 1.24%
- 1M
- 4.15%
- YTD
- 5.51%
- 6M
- -10.61%
- 1Y
- 2.34%
- 3Y*
- -23.61%
- 5Y*
- -16.79%
- 10Y*
- -1.85%
CL vs. BF-B - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 14.60% | -10.98% | 16.57% | 3.78% | -5.44% | 2.08% | 27.17% | 18.60% | -19.19% | 17.88% |
BF-B Brown-Forman Corporation | 5.51% | -29.29% | -32.23% | -11.91% | -8.86% | -6.07% | 18.67% | 43.78% | -10.98% | 55.01% |
Correlation
The correlation between CL and BF-B is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 7, 1984 | 0.36 |
The correlation between CL and BF-B shifts across timeframes, from 0.31 (3 years) to 0.41 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
CL:
$2.58
BF-B:
$1.71
CL:
34.68
BF-B:
15.82
CL:
8.96
BF-B:
19.66
CL:
3.48
BF-B:
3.27
CL:
$20.80B
BF-B:
$3.91B
CL:
$12.49B
BF-B:
$2.32B
CL:
$3.92B
BF-B:
$1.19B
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Return for Risk
CL vs. BF-B — Risk / Return Rank
CL
BF-B
CL vs. BF-B - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) and Brown-Forman Corporation (BF-B). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CL | BF-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.31 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.05 | -0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.08 | 0.09 | -0.18 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.14 | 0.21 | -0.35 |
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Drawdowns
CL vs. BF-B - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CL drawdown since its inception was -58.91%, smaller than the maximum BF-B drawdown of -68.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CL and BF-B.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CL | BF-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.91% | -68.96% | +10.05% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.64% | -25.48% | +6.84% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.05% | -65.65% | +36.60% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.05% | -68.31% | +39.26% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.05% | -68.96% | +39.91% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -14.31% | -62.90% | +48.59% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.24% | -11.62% | +0.38% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.35% | 11.15% | +0.20% |
Volatility
CL vs. BF-B - Volatility Comparison
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) has a higher volatility of 8.32% compared to Brown-Forman Corporation (BF-B) at 7.06%. This indicates that CL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BF-B based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CL | BF-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.32% | 7.06% | +1.26% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.28% | 31.18% | -13.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.83% | 38.27% | -16.44% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.81% | 29.83% | -11.02% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.75% | 28.01% | -8.26% |
Dividends
CL vs. BF-B - Dividend Comparison
CL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.34%, less than BF-B's 3.40% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BF-B Brown-Forman Corporation | 3.40% | 3.49% | 2.32% | 1.46% | 1.17% | 2.37% | 0.88% | 0.99% | 3.10% | 1.09% | 1.54% | 1.29% |
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 2.34% | 2.61% | 2.18% | 2.40% | 2.36% | 2.10% | 2.05% | 2.48% | 2.79% | 2.11% | 2.37% | 2.25% |
Financials
CL vs. BF-B - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Colgate-Palmolive Company and Brown-Forman Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CL vs. BF-B - Profitability Comparison
CL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported a gross profit of 3.23B and revenue of 5.32B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 60.6%.
BF-B - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Brown-Forman Corporation reported a gross profit of 640.00M and revenue of 1.06B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 60.6%.
CL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported an operating income of 1.16B and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.7%.
BF-B - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Brown-Forman Corporation reported an operating income of 343.00M and revenue of 1.06B, resulting in an operating margin of 32.5%.
CL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported a net income of 646.00M and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in a net margin of 12.1%.
BF-B - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Brown-Forman Corporation reported a net income of 267.00M and revenue of 1.06B, resulting in a net margin of 25.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CL and BF-B have a correlation of 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CL has higher volatility (8.32%) compared to BF-B (7.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CL dropped -58.91% vs BF-B's -68.96%.
BF-B currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.06 vs -0.07), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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