MKC vs. CL
MKC (McCormick & Company, Incorporated) and CL (Colgate-Palmolive Company) are both stocks. Both are in the Consumer Defensive sector — MKC in Packaged Foods, CL in Household & Personal Products. Over the past 10 years, MKC returned 2.06%/yr vs 4.38%/yr for CL. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
MKC vs. CL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MKC achieves a -21.75% return, which is significantly lower than CL's 16.61% return. Over the past 10 years, MKC has underperformed CL with an annualized return of 2.06%, while CL has yielded a comparatively higher 4.38% annualized return.
MKC
- 1D
- 0.21%
- 1M
- 13.26%
- 6M
- -21.43%
- YTD
- -21.75%
- 1Y
- -23.61%
- 3Y*
- -13.71%
- 5Y*
- -7.10%
- 10Y*
- 2.06%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.93%
CL
- 1D
- -1.56%
- 1M
- 1.72%
- 6M
- 7.85%
- YTD
- 16.61%
- 1Y
- 7.07%
- 3Y*
- 7.95%
- 5Y*
- 4.49%
- 10Y*
- 4.38%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.27%
MKC vs. CL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MKC McCormick & Company, Incorporated | -21.75% | -8.33% | 13.97% | -15.68% | -12.65% | 2.67% | 14.70% | 23.65% | 39.01% | 11.34% |
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 16.61% | -10.98% | 16.57% | 3.78% | -5.44% | 2.08% | 27.17% | 18.60% | -19.19% | 17.88% |
Correlation
The correlation between MKC and CL is 0.52, 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 | 0.52 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.35 |
The correlation between MKC and CL shifts across timeframes, from 0.35 (all time) to 0.52 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
MKC:
$14.07B
CL:
$72.42B
MKC:
$6.05
CL:
$2.59
MKC:
8.66
CL:
34.98
MKC:
6.30
CL:
9.04
MKC:
1.91
CL:
3.51
MKC:
2.01
CL:
502.49
MKC:
$7.39B
CL:
$20.80B
MKC:
$2.85B
CL:
$12.49B
MKC:
$1.37B
CL:
$3.92B
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Return for Risk
MKC vs. CL — Risk / Return Rank
MKC
CL
MKC vs. CL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) and Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL). 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.
| MKC | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.11 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.63 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.88 | 1.07 | -0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.66 | 0.42 | -1.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.26 | 0.75 | -2.01 |
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Drawdowns
MKC vs. CL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MKC drawdown since its inception was -52.02%, smaller than the maximum CL drawdown of -58.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MKC and CL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MKC | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -52.02% | -58.91% | +6.89% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -35.93% | -16.97% | -18.96% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.65% | -29.05% | -16.60% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -52.02% | -29.05% | -22.97% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -52.02% | -29.05% | -22.97% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -44.42% | -12.80% | -31.62% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.12% | -11.24% | +0.12% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 18.76% | 9.46% | +9.30% |
Volatility
MKC vs. CL - Volatility Comparison
McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) has a higher volatility of 11.85% compared to Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) at 7.76%. This indicates that MKC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MKC | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.85% | 7.76% | +4.09% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 25.45% | 17.66% | +7.79% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 29.68% | 22.49% | +7.19% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.88% | 19.07% | +5.81% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.44% | 19.86% | +4.58% |
Dividends
MKC vs. CL - Dividend Comparison
MKC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.61%, more than CL's 2.32% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 2.32% | 2.61% | 2.18% | 2.40% | 2.36% | 2.10% | 2.05% | 2.48% | 2.79% | 2.11% | 2.37% | 2.25% |
MKC McCormick & Company, Incorporated | 3.61% | 2.69% | 2.24% | 2.32% | 1.81% | 1.44% | 1.68% | 1.37% | 1.53% | 1.89% | 1.89% | 1.91% |
Financials
MKC vs. CL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between McCormick & Company, Incorporated and Colgate-Palmolive 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
MKC vs. CL - Profitability Comparison
MKC - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported a gross profit of 778.20M and revenue of 1.94B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 40.2%.
CL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 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%.
MKC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported an operating income of 276.40M and revenue of 1.94B, resulting in an operating margin of 14.3%.
CL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported an operating income of 1.16B and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.7%.
MKC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported a net income of 160.20M and revenue of 1.94B, resulting in a net margin of 8.3%.
CL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported a net income of 646.00M and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in a net margin of 12.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
MKC and CL have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MKC has higher volatility (11.85%) compared to CL (7.76%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MKC dropped -52.02% vs CL's -58.91%.
CL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.32 vs -0.80), 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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