CL vs. SO
CL (Colgate-Palmolive Company) and SO (The Southern Company) are both stocks. CL operates in Household & Personal Products (Consumer Defensive), while SO operates in Utilities - Regulated Electric (Utilities). Over the past 10 years, CL returned 4.62%/yr vs 10.77%/yr for SO. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CL vs. SO - 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 SO's 10.02% return. Over the past 10 years, CL has underperformed SO with an annualized return of 4.62%, while SO has yielded a comparatively higher 10.77% annualized return.
CL
- 1D
- 0.07%
- 1M
- 0.69%
- YTD
- 14.60%
- 6M
- 15.59%
- 1Y
- 1.61%
- 3Y*
- 8.47%
- 5Y*
- 3.79%
- 10Y*
- 4.62%
SO
- 1D
- 1.22%
- 1M
- 2.86%
- YTD
- 10.02%
- 6M
- 13.62%
- 1Y
- 7.91%
- 3Y*
- 14.19%
- 5Y*
- 12.20%
- 10Y*
- 10.77%
CL vs. SO - 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% |
SO The Southern Company | 10.02% | 9.47% | 21.72% | 2.21% | 8.24% | 16.34% | 0.63% | 51.65% | -3.75% | 2.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between CL and SO is 0.39, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 31, 1981 | 0.31 |
The correlation between CL and SO shifts across timeframes, from 0.31 (all time) to 0.49 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
CL:
$72.02B
SO:
$106.03B
CL:
$2.58
SO:
$3.92
CL:
34.68
SO:
23.98
CL:
8.96
SO:
1.49
CL:
3.48
SO:
3.47
CL:
496.66
SO:
2.86
CL:
$20.80B
SO:
$30.17B
CL:
$12.49B
SO:
$13.01B
CL:
$3.92B
SO:
$14.44B
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Return for Risk
CL vs. SO — Risk / Return Rank
CL
SO
CL vs. SO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) and The Southern Company (SO). 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 | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.56 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.76 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.10 | -0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.08 | 0.53 | -0.61 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.14 | 1.24 | -1.37 |
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Drawdowns
CL vs. SO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CL drawdown since its inception was -58.91%, which is greater than SO's maximum drawdown of -38.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CL and SO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CL | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.91% | -38.43% | -20.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.64% | -14.99% | -3.65% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.05% | -14.99% | -14.06% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.05% | -23.28% | -5.77% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.05% | -38.43% | +9.38% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -14.31% | -3.95% | -10.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.24% | -6.87% | -4.37% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.35% | 6.39% | +4.96% |
Volatility
CL vs. SO - Volatility Comparison
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) has a higher volatility of 8.32% compared to The Southern Company (SO) at 6.03%. This indicates that CL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CL | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.32% | 6.03% | +2.29% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.28% | 13.07% | +4.21% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.83% | 16.21% | +5.62% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.81% | 18.67% | +0.14% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.75% | 21.96% | -2.21% |
Dividends
CL vs. SO - Dividend Comparison
CL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.34%, less than SO's 3.60% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
SO The Southern Company | 3.60% | 3.37% | 3.47% | 3.96% | 3.78% | 3.82% | 4.13% | 3.86% | 5.42% | 4.78% | 4.52% | 4.60% |
Financials
CL vs. SO - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Colgate-Palmolive Company and The Southern Company. 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. SO - 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%.
SO - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Southern Company reported a gross profit of 3.90B and revenue of 8.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 46.5%.
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%.
SO - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Southern Company reported an operating income of 2.02B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 24.0%.
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%.
SO - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Southern Company reported a net income of 1.36B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in a net margin of 16.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CL and SO have a correlation of 0.39, 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 SO (6.03%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CL dropped -58.91% vs SO's -38.43%.
SO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.49 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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