CL vs. UL
CL (Colgate-Palmolive Company) and UL (The Unilever Group) are both stocks. Both operate in the Household & Personal Products industry within the Consumer Defensive sector. Over the past 10 years, CL returned 4.84%/yr vs 5.13%/yr for UL. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CL vs. UL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CL achieves a 16.05% return, which is significantly higher than UL's -8.71% return. Over the past 10 years, CL has underperformed UL with an annualized return of 4.84%, while UL has yielded a comparatively higher 5.13% annualized return.
CL
- 1D
- 1.26%
- 1M
- 2.78%
- YTD
- 16.05%
- 6M
- 15.45%
- 1Y
- 2.89%
- 3Y*
- 7.73%
- 5Y*
- 4.48%
- 10Y*
- 4.84%
UL
- 1D
- -0.39%
- 1M
- 4.36%
- YTD
- -8.71%
- 6M
- -8.20%
- 1Y
- -13.94%
- 3Y*
- 3.61%
- 5Y*
- 0.50%
- 10Y*
- 5.13%
CL vs. UL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 16.05% | -10.98% | 16.57% | 3.78% | -5.44% | 2.08% | 27.17% | 18.60% | -19.19% | 17.88% |
UL The Unilever Group | -8.71% | 5.96% | 20.90% | -0.17% | -2.82% | -7.61% | 9.04% | 12.88% | -2.34% | 40.15% |
Correlation
The correlation between CL and UL is 0.66, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.66 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 4, 1988 | 0.35 |
Over the past year, CL and UL have become more correlated (0.66) than their long-term average of 0.35, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
CL:
$72.93B
UL:
$128.84B
CL:
$2.58
UL:
€5.06
CL:
35.12
UL:
9.99
CL:
9.07
UL:
1.96
CL:
3.52
UL:
1.08
CL:
502.94
UL:
7.15
CL:
$20.80B
UL:
€109.27B
CL:
$12.49B
UL:
€90.89B
CL:
$3.92B
UL:
€24.12B
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Return for Risk
CL vs. UL — Risk / Return Rank
CL
UL
CL vs. UL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) and The Unilever Group (UL). 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 | UL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.79 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.04 | 0.90 | +0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.16 | -0.56 | +0.71 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.26 | -1.14 | +1.40 |
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Drawdowns
CL vs. UL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CL drawdown since its inception was -58.91%, which is greater than UL's maximum drawdown of -53.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CL and UL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CL | UL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.91% | -53.55% | -5.36% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.64% | -25.09% | +6.45% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.05% | -25.09% | -3.96% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.05% | -26.53% | -2.52% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.05% | -30.13% | +1.08% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.22% | -19.96% | +6.74% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.24% | -10.61% | -0.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.33% | 12.20% | -0.87% |
Volatility
CL vs. UL - Volatility Comparison
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) has a higher volatility of 8.34% compared to The Unilever Group (UL) at 6.12%. This indicates that CL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than UL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CL | UL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.34% | 6.12% | +2.22% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.30% | 16.71% | +0.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.65% | 21.46% | +0.19% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.82% | 20.88% | -2.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.76% | 21.61% | -1.85% |
Dividends
CL vs. UL - Dividend Comparison
CL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.31%, less than UL's 3.89% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 2.31% | 2.61% | 2.18% | 2.40% | 2.36% | 2.10% | 2.05% | 2.48% | 2.79% | 2.11% | 2.37% | 2.25% |
UL The Unilever Group | 3.89% | 3.51% | 3.29% | 3.83% | 3.57% | 3.77% | 3.07% | 3.18% | 3.49% | 2.80% | 3.42% | 3.02% |
Financials
CL vs. UL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Colgate-Palmolive Company and The Unilever Group. 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. UL - 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%.
UL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Unilever Group reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 18.38B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
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%.
UL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Unilever Group reported an operating income of 4.13B and revenue of 18.38B, resulting in an operating margin of 22.5%.
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%.
UL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Unilever Group reported a net income of 2.56B and revenue of 18.38B, resulting in a net margin of 14.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CL and UL have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CL has higher volatility (8.34%) compared to UL (6.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CL dropped -58.91% vs UL's -53.55%.
CL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.13 vs -0.65), 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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