Colgate Palmolive shares decline over 5% as soft urban demand dents March quarter results

Shares of Colgate-Palmolive (India) fell over 5 percent on May 22 after the company reported a weaker-than-expected results for the March quarter, with both profit and sales declining year-on-year on softer urban demand and rising competition.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2025, Colgate-Palmolive (India) posted a 6 percent drop in net profit to Rs 355 crore, compared to Rs 379.82 crore in the same period last year. The decline was primarily due to weak business, with net sales down to Rs 1,452 crore from Rs 1,481 crore in the year-ago quarter.

Total income for the quarter stood at Rs 1,481.57 crore, down from Rs 1,512.66 crore, while expenses were marginally higher at Rs 1,003.95 crore versus Rs 1,001.3 crore last year.

Despite the subdued quarterly performance, the company reported an 8.5% increase in net profit for the full financial year 2024-25, reaching Rs 1,437 crore, up from Rs 1,324 crore in the previous year. Annual net sales also rose to Rs 5,999 crore, a 6.3 percent increase year-on-year, supported by mid-single-digit value growth in its toothpaste segment