CL vs. BTI
CL (Colgate-Palmolive Company) and BTI (British American Tobacco p.l.c.) are both stocks. Both are in the Consumer Defensive sector — CL in Household & Personal Products, BTI in Tobacco. Over the past 10 years, CL returned 4.62%/yr vs 7.69%/yr for BTI. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CL vs. BTI - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CL achieves a 14.60% return, which is significantly higher than BTI's 11.67% return. Over the past 10 years, CL has underperformed BTI with an annualized return of 4.62%, while BTI has yielded a comparatively higher 7.69% 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%
BTI
- 1D
- 1.51%
- 1M
- -4.64%
- YTD
- 11.67%
- 6M
- 12.20%
- 1Y
- 35.86%
- 3Y*
- 34.54%
- 5Y*
- 17.96%
- 10Y*
- 7.69%
CL vs. BTI - 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% |
BTI British American Tobacco p.l.c. | 11.67% | 65.81% | 35.44% | -19.97% | 14.91% | 7.95% | -4.73% | 42.97% | -49.35% | 24.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between CL and BTI is 0.31, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 14, 1980 | 0.21 |
Fundamentals
CL:
$72.02B
BTI:
$136.67B
CL:
$2.58
BTI:
£4.93
CL:
34.68
BTI:
9.44
CL:
8.96
BTI:
0.35
CL:
3.48
BTI:
1.99
CL:
496.66
BTI:
2.13
CL:
$20.80B
BTI:
£51.48B
CL:
$12.49B
BTI:
£42.82B
CL:
$3.92B
BTI:
£20.34B
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
CL vs. BTI — Risk / Return Rank
CL
BTI
CL vs. BTI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) and British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BTI). 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 | BTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.65 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.26 | -0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.08 | 2.62 | -2.70 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.14 | 5.89 | -6.03 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
CL vs. BTI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CL drawdown since its inception was -58.91%, smaller than the maximum BTI drawdown of -64.11%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CL and BTI.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| CL | BTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.91% | -64.11% | +5.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.64% | -13.75% | -4.89% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.05% | -13.75% | -15.30% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.05% | -29.94% | +0.89% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.05% | -56.00% | +26.95% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -14.31% | -6.57% | -7.74% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.24% | -12.93% | +1.69% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.35% | 6.10% | +5.25% |
Volatility
CL vs. BTI - Volatility Comparison
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) has a higher volatility of 8.32% compared to British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BTI) at 7.53%. This indicates that CL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BTI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| CL | BTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.32% | 7.53% | +0.79% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.28% | 18.39% | -1.11% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.83% | 22.78% | -0.95% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.81% | 21.16% | -2.35% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.75% | 24.20% | -4.45% |
Dividends
CL vs. BTI - Dividend Comparison
CL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.34%, less than BTI's 4.95% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BTI British American Tobacco p.l.c. | 4.95% | 5.29% | 8.18% | 9.72% | 7.23% | 7.98% | 7.22% | 6.35% | 8.53% | 4.27% | 3.85% | 4.11% |
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. BTI - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Colgate-Palmolive Company and British American Tobacco p.l.c.. 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. BTI - 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%.
BTI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, British American Tobacco p.l.c. reported a gross profit of 11.30B and revenue of 13.54B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 83.4%.
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%.
BTI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, British American Tobacco p.l.c. reported an operating income of 4.93B and revenue of 13.54B, resulting in an operating margin of 36.4%.
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%.
BTI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, British American Tobacco p.l.c. reported a net income of 3.25B and revenue of 13.54B, resulting in a net margin of 24.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CL and BTI have a correlation of 0.31, 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 BTI (7.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CL dropped -58.91% vs BTI's -64.11%.
BTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.58 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.
Find the right allocation for CL and BTI
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer