Colgate-Palmolive: Too Expensive For A Defensive Firm

Colgate-Palmolive delivered 8% sales growth in Q1 2026, but EPS declined 6%, warranting a conservative hold rating. I see organic growth of just 2.9%, with North America sales falling due to increased toothpaste competition and margin compression. FX tailwinds drove significant growth in Latin America, EMEA, and APAC, raising concerns about sustainability if currency trends reverse.