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 1.49%/yr vs 4.21%/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 -29.48% return, which is significantly lower than CL's 10.27% return. Over the past 10 years, MKC has underperformed CL with an annualized return of 1.49%, while CL has yielded a comparatively higher 4.21% annualized return.
MKC
- 1D
- 0.78%
- 1M
- -1.47%
- YTD
- -29.48%
- 6M
- -23.94%
- 1Y
- -33.99%
- 3Y*
- -17.31%
- 5Y*
- -9.65%
- 10Y*
- 1.49%
CL
- 1D
- -2.83%
- 1M
- -1.69%
- YTD
- 10.27%
- 6M
- 14.49%
- 1Y
- -2.21%
- 3Y*
- 6.80%
- 5Y*
- 3.26%
- 10Y*
- 4.21%
MKC vs. CL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MKC McCormick & Company, Incorporated | -29.48% | -8.33% | 13.97% | -15.68% | -12.65% | 2.67% | 14.70% | 23.65% | 39.01% | 11.34% |
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 10.27% | -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 0.49, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 27, 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:
$12.83B
CL:
$69.29B
MKC:
$6.10
CL:
$2.58
MKC:
7.80
CL:
33.37
MKC:
5.67
CL:
8.62
MKC:
1.80
CL:
3.35
MKC:
1.84
CL:
477.90
MKC:
$7.11B
CL:
$20.80B
MKC:
$2.70B
CL:
$12.49B
MKC:
$1.22B
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.
| MKC | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.12 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.74 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.80 | 1.00 | -0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.86 | -0.12 | -0.74 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.75 | -0.20 | -1.56 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| MKC | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -1.22 | -0.10 | -1.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.40 | 0.17 | -0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 | 0.21 | -0.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.43 | 0.42 | +0.01 |
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 | -39.50% | -18.64% | -20.86% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -47.65% | -29.05% | -18.60% |
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 | -49.90% | -17.54% | -32.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.01% | -11.24% | +0.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 19.43% | 11.29% | +8.14% |
Volatility
MKC vs. CL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) is 6.70%, while Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) has a volatility of 7.77%. This indicates that MKC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky 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 | 6.70% | 7.77% | -1.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.08% | 17.27% | +5.81% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.96% | 21.67% | +6.29% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.30% | 18.77% | +5.53% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.16% | 19.74% | +4.42% |
Dividends
MKC vs. CL - Dividend Comparison
MKC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.91%, more than CL's 2.43% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 2.43% | 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 | 3.91% | 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 Jun 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported a gross profit of 708.90M and revenue of 1.87B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 37.8%.
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%.
MKC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported an operating income of 227.50M and revenue of 1.87B, resulting in an operating margin of 12.1%.
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%.
MKC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported a net income of 1.02B and revenue of 1.87B, resulting in a net margin of 54.2%.
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%.
Frequently Asked Questions
MKC and CL have a correlation of 0.49, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CL has higher volatility (7.77%) compared to MKC (6.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MKC dropped -52.02% vs CL's -58.91%.
CL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.10 vs -1.22), 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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