Colgate-Palmolive 10-K/A 2017-12-31

10-K/A 1 cl-12312017x10ka.htm 10-K/A

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K/A

Amendment No. 1

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017

or

For the transition period from to .

Commission File Number 1-644

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code 212-310-2000

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Yes ¨ No x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ¨ No x

The aggregate market value of Colgate-Palmolive Company Common Stock held by non-affiliates as of June 30, 2017 (the last business day of its most recently completed second quarter) was approximately $65.1 billion.

There were 875,326,736 shares of Colgate-Palmolive Company Common Stock outstanding as of January 31, 2018.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A (the “Amendment”) amends the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Colgate-Palmolive Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 15, 2018 (the “Original Filing”).

This Amendment is being filed solely to reformat the conformed signature on the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Due to an inadvertent oversight in the EDGAR preparation process, the conformed signature was included, but not visible, in the Original Filing.

In accordance with Rule 12b-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this Amendment includes new certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, dated as of the filing date of this Amendment. In addition, the consent filed as Exhibit 23 to this Amendment is dated as of the filing date of this Amendment.

No other changes were made to the Original Filing. For ease of reference, the entire Form 10-K, including all other exhibits filed therewith, is included with this Amendment.

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Table of Contents

PART I

(a) General Development of the Business

Colgate-Palmolive Company (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company” or “Colgate”) is a leading consumer products company whose products are marketed in over 200 countries and territories throughout the world. Colgate was founded in 1806 and incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 1923.

For recent business developments and other information, refer to the information set forth under the captions “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations–Executive Overview,” “– Outlook,” “–Results of Operations,” “–Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges” and “– Liquidity and Capital Resources” in Part II, Item 7 of this report.

(b) Financial Information about Segments

Worldwide Net sales and Operating profit by business segment and geographic region during the last three years appear under the caption “Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of this report and in Note 15, Segment Information to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

(c) Narrative Description of the Business

The Company operates in two product segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. Colgate is a global leader in Oral Care with the leading toothpaste and manual toothbrush brands throughout many parts of the world according to market share data. Colgate’s Oral Care products include Colgate Total, Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection plus Sugar Acid Neutralizer, Colgate Triple Action, Darlie Double Action, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate Optic White and Colgate Whitening toothpastes, Colgate 360°, Colgate Extra Clean and Colgate Slim Soft manual toothbrushes and Colgate Plax, meridol and Colgate Total mouthwashes. Colgate’s Oral Care business also includes pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals.

Colgate is a leader in many product categories of the Personal Care market with global leadership in liquid hand soap, which it sells under the Softsoap, Palmolive and Protex brands. Colgate’s Personal Care products also include Palmolive, Sanex and Softsoap brand shower gels, Palmolive, Protex and Irish Spring bar soaps and Speed Stick, Lady Speed Stick and Sanex deodorants and antiperspirants. Colgate is the market leader in liquid hand soap in the U.S. with its line of Softsoap brand products according to market share data. Colgate’s Personal Care business outside the U.S. also includes Palmolive and Caprice shampoos and conditioners.

Colgate manufactures and markets a wide array of products for the Home Care market, including Palmolive and Ajax dishwashing liquids and Fabuloso, Murphy’s Oil Soap and Ajax household cleaners. Colgate is a market leader in fabric conditioners with leading brands, including Suavitel in Latin America, Soupline in Europe and Cuddly in the South Pacific according to market share data.

Sales of Oral, Personal and Home Care products accounted for 48%, 19% and 18%, respectively, of the Company’s total worldwide Net sales in 2017. Geographically, Oral Care is a significant part of the Company’s business in Asia Pacific, comprising approximately 82% of Net sales in that region for 2017.

Colgate, through its Hill’s Pet Nutrition segment (“Hill’s” or “Pet Nutrition”), is a world leader in specialty pet nutrition products for dogs and cats with products marketed in over 80 countries worldwide. Hill’s markets pet foods primarily under three brands: Hill’s Science Diet, a range of products for everyday nutritional needs; Hill’s Prescription Diet, a range of therapeutic products to help nutritionally manage disease conditions in dogs and cats; and Hill’s Ideal Balance, a range of products with natural ingredients. Sales of Pet Nutrition products accounted for 15% of the Company’s total worldwide Net sales in 2017.

For more information regarding the Company’s worldwide Net sales by product category, refer to Note 1, Nature of Operations and Note 15, Segment Information to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

For additional information regarding market share data, see “Market Share Information” in Part II, Item 7 of this report.

Research and Development

Strong research and development capabilities and alliances enable Colgate to support its many brands with technologically sophisticated products to meet consumers’ oral, personal and home care and pet nutrition needs. The Company’s spending related to research and development activities was $285 million in 2017, $289 million in 2016 and $274 million in 2015.

Distribution; Raw Materials; Competition; Trademarks and Patents

The Company’s products are marketed by a direct sales force at individual operating subsidiaries or business units, and by distributors or brokers. The Oral, Personal and Home Care products are sold to a variety of retail and wholesale customers and distributors. Pet Nutrition products are sold by authorized pet supply retailers and veterinarians. Many of the Company’s products are also sold online through various e-commerce platforms and retailers. The Company’s sales to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and its affiliates represent approximately 11% of the Company’s Net sales in 2017. No other customer represents more than 10% of the Company’s Net sales.

The majority of raw and packaging materials used in the Company’s products are purchased from other companies and are available from several sources. No single raw or packaging material represents, and no single supplier provides, a significant portion of the Company’s total material requirements. For certain materials, however, new suppliers may have to be qualified under industry, governmental and Colgate standards, which can require additional investment and take some period of time. Raw and packaging material commodities such as resins, pulp, essential oils, tropical oils, tallow, poultry, corn and soybeans are subject to market price variations.

The Company’s products are sold in a highly competitive global marketplace which has experienced increased trade concentration and the growing presence of e-commerce retailers, large-format retailers and discounters. Products similar to those produced and sold by the Company are available from multinational and local competitors in the U.S. and overseas. Certain of the Company’s competitors are larger and have greater resources than the Company. In certain geographies, particularly in the emerging markets, the Company also faces strong local competitors, who may be more agile and have better local consumer insights than the Company. In addition, private label brands sold by retail trade chains are a source of competition for certain of the Company’s product lines. Product quality, innovation, brand recognition, marketing capability and acceptance of new products largely determine success in the Company’s operating segments.

The Company considers trademarks to be of material importance to its business. The Company follows a practice of seeking trademark protection in the U.S. and throughout the world where the Company’s products are sold. Principal global and regional trademarks include Colgate, Palmolive, Speed Stick, Lady Speed Stick, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, elmex, Tom’s of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Science Diet, Hill’s Prescription Diet and Hill’s Ideal Balance. The Company’s rights in these trademarks endure for as long as they are used and/or registered. Although the Company actively develops and maintains a portfolio of patents, no single patent is considered significant to the business as a whole.

Environmental Matters

The Company has programs that are designed to ensure that its operations and facilities meet or exceed standards established by applicable environmental rules and regulations. Capital expenditures for environmental control facilities totaled approximately $54 million for 2017. For future years, expenditures are currently expected to be of a similar magnitude. For additional information regarding environmental matters refer to Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies, to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Employees

As of December 31, 2017, the Company employed approximately 35,900 employees.

Executive Officers of the Registrant

The following is a list of executive officers as of February 15, 2018:

Each of the executive officers listed above has served the registrant or its subsidiaries in various executive capacities for the past five years with the exception of Jennifer M. Daniels, who joined the Company in 2014 as Chief Legal Officer and Secretary. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Daniels was Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of NCR Corporation, which she joined in 2010.

Under the Company’s By-Laws, the officers of the corporation hold office until their respective successors are chosen and qualified or until they have resigned, retired or been removed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”). There are no family relationships between any of the executive officers, and there is no arrangement or understanding between any executive officer and any other person pursuant to which the executive officer was elected.

(d) Financial Information about Geographic Areas

For financial data by geographic region, refer to the information set forth under the caption “Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7, of this report and in Note 15, Segment Information to the Consolidated Financial Statements. For a discussion of risks associated with our international operations, see Item 1A “Risk Factors.”

(e) Available Information

The Company’s website address is www.colgatepalmolive.com. The information contained on the Company’s website is not included as a part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company makes available, free of charge, on its website its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, its interactive data files posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T, its Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to such reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company has electronically filed such material with, or furnished it to, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Also available on the Company’s website are the Company’s Code of Conduct and Board Guidelines on Significant Corporate Governance Issues, the charters of the Committees of the Board, Form SD and the related Conflict Minerals Disclosure and Report, reports under Section 16 of the Exchange Act of transactions in Company stock by directors and officers and its proxy statements.

In addition to the risks described elsewhere in this report, set forth below is a summary of the material risks to an investment in our securities. These risks are not the only ones we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also have an adverse effect on us. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be materially and adversely impacted, which might cause the value of our securities to decline.

We face risks associated with significant international operations, including exposure to foreign currency fluctuations.

We operate on a global basis serving consumers in more than 200 countries and territories with approximately 75% of our Net sales originating in markets outside the U.S. While geographic diversity helps to reduce our exposure to risks in any one country or part of the world, it also means that we are subject to the full range of risks associated with significant international operations, including, but not limited to:

These risks could have a significant impact on our ability to sell our products on a competitive basis and may adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

In an effort to minimize the impact on earnings of foreign currency rate movements, we engage in a combination of selling price increases, where permitted, sourcing strategies, cost-containment measures and selective hedging of foreign currency transactions. However, the impact of these measures may not fully offset any negative impact of foreign currency rate movements on our business and results of operations.

Significant competition in our industry could adversely affect our business.

We face vigorous competition worldwide, including from strong local competitors and from other large, multinational companies, some of which may have greater resources than we do. We face this competition in several aspects of our business, including, but not limited to, the pricing of products, promotional activities, new product introductions and expansion into new geographies. Some of our competitors may spend more aggressively on advertising and promotional activities than we do, introduce competing products more quickly and/or respond more effectively to changing business and economic conditions. Such competition also extends to administrative and legal challenges of product claims and advertising. Our ability to compete also depends on the strength of our brands and on our ability to enforce and defend our intellectual property, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and trade dress rights against infringement and legal challenges by competitors.

We may be unable to anticipate the timing and scale of such initiatives or challenges by competitors or to successfully respond to them, which could harm our business. In addition, the cost of responding to such initiatives and challenges, including management time, out-of-pocket expenses and price reductions, may affect our performance in the relevant period. A failure to compete effectively could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Our business is subject to legal and regulatory risks in the U.S. and abroad.

Our business is subject to extensive legal and regulatory requirements in the U.S. and abroad. Such legal and regulatory requirements apply to most aspects of our products, including their development, ingredients, manufacture, packaging, labeling, storage, transportation, distribution, export, import, advertising and sale. U.S. federal authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency, regulate different aspects of our business, along with parallel authorities at the state and local levels and comparable authorities overseas. Also, our selling practices are regulated by competition law authorities in the U.S. and abroad.

New or more stringent legal or regulatory requirements, or more restrictive interpretations of existing requirements, could adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For example, from time to time, various regulatory authorities in Europe, the U.S. and other countries review the use of various ingredients in consumer products. Triclosan, an ingredient used by us in Colgate Total toothpaste, is an example of an ingredient that has undergone reviews by various regulatory authorities worldwide, both by itself and in the context of its use in specific products or types of products. In the U.S., Colgate Total toothpaste is subject to the FDA’s rigorous New Drug Application (“NDA”) process for safety and efficacy. Effective September 2017, the FDA restricted the use of 19 active ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban, in antibacterial consumer soaps in the U.S. Our consumer soaps do not contain triclosan or triclocarbon. Some states and municipalities in the U.S. have proposed, and Minnesota has passed, legislation banning the sale of certain consumer products containing triclosan. The Minnesota legislation does not cover Colgate Total toothpaste. In November 2016, the Canadian government finalized its review of the potential human and environmental risks of triclosan, concluding that triclosan does not enter the environment in quantities or conditions that pose a danger in Canada to human life or health, and that triclosan is neither bioaccumulative nor persistent, but that triclosan could be entering the environment at levels that could potentially cause harm to some aquatic organisms. The Canadian government is now working with stakeholders to ensure triclosan remains under a level it has determined to be safe, and we will participate in this process. Triclosan is also currently being evaluated under the European Union’s Regulation for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals, which evaluation process is expected to take several years to complete.

A decision by a regulatory or governmental authority that triclosan, or any other of our ingredients, should not be used in certain consumer products or should otherwise be newly regulated, could adversely impact our business, as could negative reactions by our consumers, trade customers or non-governmental organizations to our use of such ingredients. Additionally, an inability to develop new or reformulated products containing alternative ingredients or to obtain regulatory approval of such products on a timely basis could likewise adversely affect our business.

Because of our extensive international operations, we could be adversely affected by violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”) and similar worldwide anti-bribery laws. The FCPA and similar worldwide anti-bribery laws generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to government officials or other third parties for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. While our policies mandate compliance with these anti-bribery laws, we cannot provide assurance that our internal control policies and procedures will always protect us from reckless or criminal acts committed by our employees, joint-venture partners or agents. Violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and adversely affect our reputation and our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

While it is our policy and practice to comply with all legal and regulatory requirements applicable to our business, a finding that we are in violation of, or out of compliance with, applicable laws or regulations could subject us to civil remedies, including fines, damages, injunctions or product recalls, or criminal sanctions, any of which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Even if a claim is unsuccessful, is without merit or is not fully pursued, the negative publicity surrounding such assertions regarding our products, processes or business practices could adversely affect our reputation and brand image. For information regarding our legal and regulatory matters, see Item 3 “Legal Proceedings” and Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Increasing dependence on key retailers in developed markets, changes in the policies of our retail trade customers, the emergence of new sales channels and the growing presence of e-commerce retailers may adversely affect our business.

Our products are sold in a highly competitive global marketplace which has experienced increased trade concentration and the growing presence of large-format retailers and discounters. With the growing trend toward retail trade consolidation, we are increasingly dependent on key retailers, and some of these retailers, including large-format retailers, may have greater bargaining strength than we do. They may use this leverage to demand higher trade discounts, allowances or slotting fees, which could lead to reduced sales or profitability. The loss of a key customer or a significant reduction in sales to a key customer could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For additional information regarding our customers, see “Distribution; Raw Materials; Competition; Trademarks and Patents” in Item 1 “Business.”

We also have been and may continue to be negatively affected by changes in the policies or practices of our retail trade customers, such as inventory de-stocking, limitations on access to shelf space, delisting of our products, environmental or sustainability initiatives and other conditions. For example, a determination by a key retailer that any of our ingredients should not be used in certain consumer products could adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. In addition, private label products sold by retail trade chains, which are typically sold at lower prices than branded products, are a source of competition for certain of our product lines. The emergence of new sales channels for our products may affect, and the growing presence of e-commerce retailers have affected and may continue to affect, consumer preferences and market dynamics and could also adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

The growth of our business depends on the successful identification, development and launch of innovative new products.

Our growth depends on the continued success of existing products, as well as the successful launch of innovative new products and line extensions. Our ability to launch new products and line extensions and to sustain existing products is affected by whether we can successfully:

The identification, development and introduction of innovative new products and line extensions involve considerable costs, and any new product or line extension may not generate sufficient customer and consumer interest and sales to become a profitable product or to cover the costs of its development and promotion. Our ability to achieve a successful launch of a new product or line extension could also be adversely affected by preemptive actions taken by competitors in response to the launch, such as increased promotional activities and advertising.

The failure to develop and launch successful new products could hinder the growth of our business and any delay in the development or launch of a new product could result in us not being the first to market, which could compromise our competitive position and adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

If, in the course of identifying or developing new products, we are found to have infringed the trademark, trade secret, copyright, patent or other intellectual property rights of others, directly or indirectly, through the use of third-party ideas or technologies, such a finding could adversely affect our ability to develop innovative new products and adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Even if we are not found to infringe a third party’s intellectual property rights, claims of infringement could adversely affect us, including by increasing costs and by delaying the launch of new products.

We may not realize the benefits that we expect from our Global Growth and Efficiency Program.

Our restructuring program, which we refer to as the “Global Growth and Efficiency Program,” is ongoing. The Global Growth and Efficiency Program’s initiatives are expected to help us ensure sustained solid worldwide growth in unit volume, organic sales, operating profit and earnings per share and enhance our global leadership positions in our core businesses. While implementation of the Global Growth and Efficiency Program is well underway and many of the initiatives under the program have been successfully implemented or are nearing completion, the successful implementation of the remainder of the program presents significant organizational challenges and, in some cases, may require successful negotiations with third parties. As a result, we may not be able to realize all of the remaining anticipated benefits from the Global Growth and Efficiency Program. Events and circumstances, such as financial or strategic difficulties, delays and unexpected costs may occur that could result in our not realizing all of the remaining anticipated benefits or our not realizing such benefits on our expected timetable. In addition, changes in foreign exchange rates or in tax, labor or immigration laws may result in our not achieving the remaining anticipated cost savings as measured in U.S. dollars. If we are unable to realize the remaining anticipated savings of the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, our ability to fund other initiatives and enhance profitability may be adversely affected. Any failure to implement the Global Growth and Efficiency Program in accordance with our expectations could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For additional information regarding the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Significant Items Impacting Comparability” and “– Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges.”

There is no guarantee that our ongoing efforts to reduce costs will be successful.

One way that we generate funds needed to support the growth of our business is through our continuous, Company-wide initiatives to lower costs and increase effective asset utilization, which we refer to as our funding-the-growth initiatives. These initiatives are designed to reduce costs associated with direct materials, indirect expenses, distribution and logistics, and advertising and promotional materials, among other things. The achievement of our funding-the-growth goals depends on our ability to successfully identify and realize additional savings opportunities. Events and circumstances, such as financial or strategic difficulties, delays and unexpected costs may occur that could result in our not realizing any or all of the anticipated benefits or our not realizing the anticipated benefits on our expected timetable. If we are unable to realize the anticipated savings of our funding-the-growth initiatives, our ability to fund other initiatives and achieve our profitability goals may be adversely affected. Any failure to implement our funding-the-growth initiatives in accordance with our expectations could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For additional information regarding our funding-the-growth initiatives, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Executive Overview.”

Damage to our reputation could have an adverse effect on our business.

Maintaining our strong reputation with consumers and our trade partners globally is critical to selling our branded products. Accordingly, we devote significant time and resources to programs designed to protect and preserve our reputation, such as our Ethics and Compliance, Sustainability, Brand Protection and Product Safety, Regulatory and Quality initiatives. Adverse publicity about us, our brands, our supply chain or our ingredients regarding health concerns, legal or regulatory proceedings, environmental impacts (including packaging, energy and water use and waste management) or other sustainability or policy issues, whether or not deserved, could jeopardize our reputation. In addition, widespread use of digital and social media by consumers has greatly increased the accessibility of information and the speed of its dissemination. Negative publicity, posts or comments on social media about us, our brands or our products, whether true or untrue, could damage our brands and our reputation. The success of our brands could also suffer if our marketing initiatives do not have the desired impact on a brand’s image or its ability to attract consumers.

Additionally, due to the scale and scope of our business, we must rely on relationships with third parties, including our suppliers, distributors, contractors, joint venture partners and other external business partners, for certain functions. While we have policies and procedures for managing these relationships, they inherently involve a lesser degree of control over business operations, governance and compliance, thereby potentially increasing our reputational and legal risk.

In addition, third parties sell counterfeit versions of our products, which are inferior or may pose safety risks. As a result, consumers of our brands could confuse our products with these counterfeit products, which could cause them to refrain from purchasing our brands in the future and in turn could impair our brand equity and adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Damage to our reputation or loss of consumer confidence in our products for these or any other reasons could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, as well as require resources to rebuild our reputation.

Volatility in material and other costs could adversely impact our profitability.

Raw and packaging material commodities such as resins, pulp, essential oils, tropical oils, tallow, poultry, corn and soybeans are subject to wide price variations. Increases in the costs and availability of these commodities and the costs of energy, transportation and other necessary services have affected and may continue to adversely affect our profit margins if we are unable to pass along such higher costs in the form of price increases or otherwise achieve cost efficiencies, such as in manufacturing and distribution. As a result, fluctuations in such prices and costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. See “Disruption in our global supply chain or key office facilities could adversely impact our business” below for additional information.

Legal claims and proceedings could adversely impact our business.

As a global company serving consumers in more than 200 countries and territories, we may be subject to a wide variety of legal claims and proceedings, including disputes relating to intellectual property, contracts, product liability, marketing, advertising, foreign exchange controls, antitrust and trade regulation, as well as labor and employment, pension, privacy, environmental and tax matters and consumer class actions. Regardless of their merit, these claims can require significant time and expense to investigate and defend. Since litigation is inherently uncertain, there is no guarantee that we will be successful in defending ourselves against such claims or proceedings, or that our assessment of the materiality of these matters, including any reserves taken in connection therewith, will be consistent with the ultimate outcome of such matters. In addition, if one of our products, or a raw material contained in our products, is perceived or found to be defective or unsafe, we may need to recall some of our products. Whether or not a legal claim or proceeding is successful, or a recall is required, such assertions could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, and the negative publicity surrounding them could harm our reputation and brand image. See Item 3 “Legal Proceedings” and Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on certain of our legal claims and proceedings.

Disruption in our global supply chain or key office facilities could adversely impact our business.

We are engaged in manufacturing and sourcing of products and materials on a global scale. Our operations and those of our suppliers could be disrupted by a number of factors, including, but not limited to:

In addition, we purchase certain key raw and packaging materials from single-source suppliers or a limited number of suppliers and new suppliers may have to be qualified under industry, governmental and Colgate standards, which can require additional investment and take a significant period of time.

While we believe that the supplies of raw materials needed to manufacture our products are adequate and have business continuity and contingency plans in place for key manufacturing sites and the supply of raw and packaging materials, significant disruption of manufacturing or sourcing of products or materials for any reason, including any of the above reasons, could interrupt product supply and, if not remedied, have an adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

In addition, as a result of our clustering of single-country subsidiaries into regional commercial hubs and our implementation of a global shared service organizational model, certain of our functions, such as marketing, finance and accounting, customer service and logistics, and human resources, have become more concentrated in key office facilities. A significant disruption to any of our key office facilities for any reason, including natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism, could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

A cyber-security incident, data breach or a failure of a key information technology system could adversely impact our business or reputation.

We rely extensively on information technology systems (“IT Systems”), including some which are managed, hosted, provided and/or used by third parties and their vendors, in order to conduct our business. Our uses of these systems include, but are not limited to:

Although we have a broad array of information security measures in place, our IT Systems, including those of third-party service providers with whom we have contracted, have been, and will likely continue to be, subject to computer viruses or other malicious codes, unauthorized access attempts, phishing and other cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks and other cyber incidents are occurring more frequently, are constantly evolving in nature, are becoming more sophisticated and are being made by groups and individuals with a wide range of expertise and motives. Such cyber-attacks and cyber incidents can take many forms, including cyber extortion, social engineering, password theft or introduction of viruses or malware, such as ransomware through phishing emails. We cannot guarantee that our security efforts will prevent breaches or breakdowns of our, or our third-party service providers’, IT Systems since the techniques used in these attacks change frequently and may be difficult to detect for periods of time. In addition, although we have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all personal information collected by us or our third-party service providers is securely maintained, data breaches due to human error or intentional or unintentional conduct have occurred and likely will continue to occur. Although we have seen no material impact on our business operations from the cyber-security attacks and data breaches we have experienced to date, if we suffer a loss or disclosure of confidential business or stakeholder information as a result of a breach of our IT Systems, including those of third-party service providers with whom we have contracted, we may suffer reputational, competitive and/or business harm, incur significant costs and be subject to government investigations, litigation, fines and/or damages, which may adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Furthermore, while we have disaster recovery and business continuity plans in place, if our IT Systems are damaged, breached or cease to function properly for any reason, including the poor performance of, failure of or cyber-attack on third-party service providers, catastrophic events, power outages, cyber-security breaches, network outages, failed upgrades or other similar events and, if the disaster recovery and business continuity plans do not effectively resolve such issues on a timely basis, we may suffer interruptions in our ability to manage or conduct business as well as reputational harm, and may be subject to governmental investigations and litigation, any of which may adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Uncertain global economic conditions and disruptions in the credit markets may adversely affect our business.

Uncertain global economic conditions could adversely affect our business. Recent global economic trends pose challenges to our business and could result in declining revenues, profitability and cash flows. Although we continue to devote significant resources to support our brands and market our products at multiple price points, during periods of economic uncertainty consumers may reduce consumption or switch to economy brands, which could reduce sales volumes of our products or result in a shift in our product mix from higher margin to lower margin product offerings. Additionally, retailers may increase pressure on our selling prices or increase promotional activity for lower-priced or value offerings as they seek to maintain sales volumes and margins.

While we currently generate significant cash flows from ongoing operations and have access to global credit markets through our various financing activities, a disruption in the credit markets could negatively impact the availability or cost of funding. Reduced access to credit or increased costs could adversely affect our liquidity and capital resources or significantly increase our cost of capital. In addition, if any financial institutions that hold our cash or other investments or that are parties to our revolving credit facilities supporting our commercial paper program or other financing arrangements, such as interest rate or foreign exchange hedging instruments, were to declare bankruptcy or become insolvent, they may be unable to perform under their agreements with us. This could leave us with reduced borrowing capacity or unhedged against certain interest rate, foreign currency or commodity price exposures. In addition, tighter credit markets may lead to business disruptions for certain of our suppliers, contract manufacturers or trade customers which could, in turn, adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Our success depends upon our ability to attract and retain key employees and the succession of senior management.

Our success largely depends on the performance of our management team and other key employees. If we are unable to attract and retain talented, highly qualified senior management and other key people, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected. In addition, if we are unable to effectively provide for the succession of senior management, including our Chief Executive Officer, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition may be adversely affected. While we follow a disciplined, ongoing succession planning process and have succession plans in place for senior management and other key executives, these do not guarantee that the services of qualified senior executives will continue to be available to us at particular moments in time.

We have pursued and may continue to pursue acquisitions and divestitures, which could adversely impact our results.

We have pursued and may continue to pursue acquisitions of brands, businesses or technologies from third parties. Acquisitions and their pursuit involve numerous potential risks, including, among other things:

Moreover, acquisitions could result in substantial additional debt, exposure to contingent liabilities, such as litigation (including for infringement of intellectual property) or earn-out obligations, the potential impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets, or transaction costs. Any of these risks, should they materialize, could adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

We also may periodically divest brands or businesses. These divestitures may adversely impact our results of operations if we are unable to offset the dilutive impacts from the loss of revenue associated with the divested brands or businesses, or otherwise achieve the anticipated benefits or cost savings from the divestitures. In addition, businesses under consideration for, or otherwise subject to, divestiture may be adversely impacted prior to the divestiture, which could negatively impact our results of operations.

None.

The Company owns or leases approximately 320 properties which include manufacturing, distribution, research and office facilities worldwide. Our corporate headquarters is located in leased property at 300 Park Avenue, New York, New York.

In the U.S., the Company operates in approximately 70 properties, of which 14 are owned. Major U.S. manufacturing and warehousing facilities used by the Oral, Personal and Home Care product segment of our business are located in Greenwood, South Carolina; Morristown, Tennessee; and Cambridge, Ohio. The Pet Nutrition segment has major manufacturing and warehousing facilities in Bowling Green, Kentucky; Topeka, Kansas; Emporia, Kansas; and Richmond, Indiana. The primary research center for Oral, Personal and Home Care products is located in Piscataway, New Jersey, and the primary research center for Pet Nutrition products is located in Topeka, Kansas. Our global data center is also located in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Overseas, the Company operates in approximately 250 properties, of which 68 are owned, in over 80 countries. Major overseas manufacturing and warehousing facilities used by the Oral, Personal and Home Care product segment of our business are located in Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Greece, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela and Vietnam. The Pet Nutrition segment has major manufacturing and warehousing facilities in the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

The Company has shared business service centers in Mexico, Poland and India, which are located in leased properties.

All of the facilities we operate are well maintained and adequate for the purpose for which they are intended.

As a global company serving consumers in more than 200 countries and territories, the Company is routinely subject to a wide variety of legal proceedings. These include disputes relating to intellectual property, contracts, product liability, marketing, advertising, foreign exchange controls, antitrust and trade regulation, as well as labor and employment, pension, privacy, environmental and tax matters, and consumer class actions. Management proactively reviews and monitors the Company’s exposure to, and the impact of, environmental matters. The Company is party to various environmental matters and, as such, may be responsible for all or a portion of the cleanup, restoration and post-closure monitoring of several sites.

The Company establishes accruals for loss contingencies when it has determined that a loss is probable and that the amount of loss, or range of loss, can be reasonably estimated. Any such accruals are adjusted thereafter as appropriate to reflect changes in circumstances.

The Company also determines estimates of reasonably possible losses or ranges of reasonably possible losses in excess of related accrued liabilities, if any, when it has determined that a loss is reasonably possible and it is able to determine such estimates. For those matters disclosed below for which the amount of any potential losses can be reasonably estimated, the Company currently estimates that the aggregate range of reasonably possible losses in excess of any accrued liabilities is $0 to approximately $250 million (based on current exchange rates). The estimates included in this amount are based on the Company’s analysis of currently available information and, as new information is obtained, these estimates may change. Due to the inherent subjectivity of the assessments and the unpredictability of outcomes of legal proceedings, any amounts accrued or included in this aggregate amount may not represent the ultimate loss to the Company. Thus, the Company’s exposure and ultimate losses may be higher or lower, and possibly significantly so, than the amounts accrued or the range disclosed above.

Based on current knowledge, management does not believe that the ultimate resolution of loss contingencies arising from the matters discussed herein will have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position or its ongoing results of operations or cash flows. However, in light of the inherent uncertainties noted above, an adverse outcome in one or more matters could be material to the Company’s results of operations or cash flows for any particular quarter or year.

Brazilian Matters

There are certain tax and civil proceedings outstanding, as described below, related to the Company’s 1995 acquisition of the Kolynos oral care business from Wyeth (the “Seller”).

The Brazilian internal revenue authority has disallowed interest deductions and foreign exchange losses taken by the Company’s Brazilian subsidiary for certain years in connection with the financing of the Kolynos acquisition. The tax assessments with interest, penalties and any court-mandated fees, at the current exchange rate, are approximately $165 million. This amount includes additional assessments received from the Brazilian internal revenue authority in April 2016 relating to net operating loss carryforwards used by the Company’s Brazilian subsidiary to offset taxable income that had also been deducted from the authority’s original assessments. The Company has been disputing the disallowances by appealing the assessments since October 2001. Appeals are currently pending at the administrative level. In the event the Company is ultimately unsuccessful in its administrative appeals, further appeals are available within the Brazilian federal courts.

In September 2015, the Company lost one of its appeals at the administrative level and filed a lawsuit in Brazilian federal court. In February 2017, the Company lost an additional administrative appeal and filed a similar action in Brazilian federal court. Although there can be no assurances, management believes, based on the opinion of its Brazilian legal counsel, that the disallowances are without merit and that the Company should ultimately prevail. The Company is challenging these disallowances vigorously.

In July 2002, the Brazilian Federal Public Attorney filed a civil action against the federal government of Brazil, Laboratorios Wyeth-Whitehall Ltda. (the Brazilian subsidiary of the Seller) and the Company, as represented by its Brazilian subsidiary, in the 6th. Lower Federal Court in the City of São Paulo, seeking to annul an April 2000 decision by the Brazilian Board of Tax Appeals that found in favor of the Seller’s Brazilian subsidiary on the issue of whether it had incurred taxable capital gains as a result of the divestiture of Kolynos. The action seeks to make the Company’s Brazilian subsidiary jointly and severally liable for any tax due from the Seller’s Brazilian subsidiary. The case has been pending since 2002, and the Lower Federal Court has not issued a decision. Although there can be no assurances, management believes, based on the opinion of its Brazilian legal counsel, that the Company should ultimately prevail in this action. The Company is challenging this action vigorously.

In December 2005, the Brazilian internal revenue authority issued to the Company’s Brazilian subsidiary a tax assessment with interest, penalties and any court-mandated fees of approximately $74 million, at the current exchange rate, based on a claim that certain purchases of U.S. Treasury bills by the subsidiary and their subsequent disposition during the period 2000 to 2001 were subject to a tax on foreign exchange transactions. The Company had been disputing the assessment within the internal revenue authority’s administrative appeals process. However, in November 2015, the Superior Chamber of Administrative Tax Appeals denied the Company’s final administrative appeal and the Company has filed a lawsuit in the Brazilian federal court. In the event the Company is unsuccessful in this filing, further appeals are available within the Brazilian federal courts. Although there can be no assurances, management believes, based on the opinion of its Brazilian legal counsel, that the tax assessment is without merit and that the Company should ultimately prevail. The Company is challenging this assessment vigorously.

Competition Matters

Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries have historically been subject to investigations, and, in some cases, fines, by governmental authorities in a number of countries related to alleged competition law violations. Substantially all of these matters also involved other consumer goods companies and/or retail customers. The Company’s policy is to comply with antitrust and competition laws and, if a violation of any such laws is found, to take appropriate remedial action and to cooperate fully with any related governmental inquiry. The status of pending competition law matters as of December 31, 2017 is set forth below.

Talcum Powder Matters

The Company has been named as a defendant in civil actions alleging that certain talcum powder products that were sold prior to 1996 were contaminated with asbestos. Most of these actions involve a number of co-defendants from a variety of different industries, including suppliers of asbestos and manufacturers of products that, unlike the Company’s products, were designed to contain asbestos. As of December 31, 2017, there were 193 individual cases pending against the Company in state and federal courts throughout the United States, as compared to 115 cases as of December 31, 2016. During the year ended December 31, 2017, 132 new cases were filed and 54 cases were resolved by voluntary dismissal, appeal in the Company’s favor or settlement. The value of settlements in the years presented was not material, either individually or in the aggregate, to each such period’s results of operations.

The Company believes that a significant portion of its costs incurred in defending and resolving these claims will be covered by insurance policies issued by several primary and excess insurance carriers, subject to deductibles, exclusions, retentions and policy limits.

While the Company and its legal counsel believe that these cases are without merit and intend to challenge them vigorously, there can be no assurances regarding the ultimate resolution of these matters. Since the amount of any potential losses from these cases currently cannot be reasonably estimated, the range of reasonably possible losses in excess of accrued liabilities disclosed above does not include any amount relating to these cases.

N8

The Company was a defendant in a lawsuit that was brought in Utah federal court by N8 Medical, Inc. (“N8 Medical”), Brigham Young University (“BYU”) and N8 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“N8 Pharma”). The complaint, originally filed in November 2013, alleged breach of contract and other torts arising out of the Company’s evaluation of a technology owned by BYU and licensed, at various times, to Ceragenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., now in bankruptcy, N8 Medical and N8 Pharma.

In 2016, the Company resolved the claims brought by BYU and N8 Medical. These claims were each resolved in an amount that is not material to the Company’s results of operations. In the first quarter of 2017, the court dismissed the claims of N8 Pharma and, in the third quarter of 2017, N8 Pharma appealed the decision.

ERISA Matter

In June 2016, a putative class action claiming that residual annuity payments made to certain participants in the Colgate-Palmolive Company Employees’ Retirement Income Plan (the “Plan”) did not comply with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act was filed against the Plan, the Company and certain individuals in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. This action has been certified as a class action. The relief sought includes recalculation of benefits, pre- and post-judgment interest and attorneys’ fees. The Company is contesting this action vigorously. Since the amount of any potential loss from this case currently cannot be reasonably estimated, the range of reasonably possible losses in excess of accrued liabilities disclosed above does not include any amount relating to the case.

Not Applicable.

PART II

For information regarding the market for the Company’s common stock, including quarterly market prices and dividends and stock price performance graphs, refer to “Market and Dividend Information” included in Part IV, Item 15 of this report. For information regarding the number of common shareholders of record, refer to “Historical Financial Summary” included in Part IV, Item 15 of this report. For information regarding the securities authorized for issuance under our equity compensation plans, refer to “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” included in Part III, Item 12 of this report.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

On February 19, 2015, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) authorized the repurchase of shares of the Company’s common stock having an aggregate purchase price of up to $5 billion under a share repurchase program (the “2015 Program”), which replaced a previously authorized share repurchase program. The Board also has authorized share repurchases on an ongoing basis to fulfill certain requirements of the Company’s compensation and benefit programs. The shares are repurchased from time to time in open market or privately negotiated transactions at the Company’s discretion, subject to market conditions, blackout periods and other factors.

The following table shows the stock repurchase activity for each of the three months in the quarter ended December 31, 2017:

Refer to the information set forth under the caption “Historical Financial Summary” included in Part IV, Item 15 of this report.

(Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Amounts)

Executive Overview

Colgate-Palmolive Company (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company” or “Colgate”) seeks to deliver strong, consistent business results and superior shareholder returns by providing consumers globally with products that make their lives healthier and more enjoyable.

To this end, the Company is tightly focused on two product segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. Within these segments, the Company follows a closely defined business strategy to develop and increase market leadership positions in key product categories. These product categories are prioritized based on their capacity to maximize the use of the organization’s core competencies and strong global equities and to deliver sustainable long-term growth.

Operationally, the Company is organized along geographic lines with management teams having responsibility for the business and financial results in each region. The Company competes in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide with established businesses in all regions contributing to the Company’s sales and profitability. Approximately 75% of the Company’s Net sales are generated from markets outside the U.S., with approximately 50% of the Company’s Net sales coming from emerging markets (which consist of Latin America, Asia (excluding Japan), Africa/Eurasia and Central Europe). This geographic diversity and balance help to reduce the Company’s exposure to business and other risks in any one country or part of the world.

The Oral, Personal and Home Care product segment is managed geographically in five reportable operating segments: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa/Eurasia, all of which sell to a variety of retail and wholesale customers and distributors. The Company, through Hill’s Pet Nutrition, also competes on a worldwide basis in the pet nutrition market, selling its products principally through authorized pet supply retailers and veterinarians. Many of the Company’s products are also sold online through various e-commerce platforms and retailers.

On an ongoing basis, management focuses on a variety of key indicators to monitor business health and performance. These indicators include market share, net sales (including volume, pricing and foreign exchange components), organic sales growth (net sales growth excluding, as applicable, the impact of foreign exchange, acquisitions, divestments and the deconsolidation of the Company’s Venezuelan operations), a non-GAAP financial measure, and gross profit margin, operating profit, net income and earnings per share, in each case, on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis, as well as measures used to optimize the management of working capital, capital expenditures, cash flow and return on capital. The monitoring of these indicators and the Company’s Code of Conduct and corporate governance practices help to maintain business health and strong internal controls. For additional information regarding non-GAAP financial measures, see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below.

To achieve its business and financial objectives, the Company focuses the organization on initiatives to drive and fund growth. The Company seeks to capture significant opportunities for growth by identifying and meeting consumer needs within its core categories, through its focus on innovation and the deployment of valuable consumer and shopper insights in the development of successful new products regionally, which are then rolled out on a global basis. To enhance these efforts, the Company has developed key initiatives to build strong relationships with consumers, dental and veterinary professionals and retail customers. In addition, the Company has strengthened its capabilities in e-commerce, including by developing its relationships with online-only retailers and enhancing its digital marketing capabilities. Growth opportunities are greater in those areas of the world in which economic development and rising consumer incomes expand the size and number of markets for the Company’s products.

The investments needed to support growth are developed through continuous, Company-wide initiatives to lower costs and increase effective asset utilization. Through these initiatives, which are referred to as the Company’s funding-the-growth initiatives, the Company seeks to become even more effective and efficient throughout its businesses. These initiatives are designed to reduce costs associated with direct materials, indirect expenses, distribution and logistics, and advertising and promotional materials, among other things, and encompass a wide range of projects, examples of which include raw material substitution, reduction of packaging materials, consolidating suppliers to leverage volumes and increasing manufacturing efficiency through SKU reductions and formulation simplification. The Company also continues to prioritize its investments toward its higher margin businesses, specifically Oral Care, Personal Care and Pet Nutrition.

(Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Amounts)

Significant Items Impacting Comparability

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “TCJA” or “U.S. tax reform”) was enacted, which, among other things, lowered the U.S. corporate income tax rate to 21% from 35% and established a modified territorial system requiring a mandatory deemed repatriation tax on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries. Beginning in 2018, the TCJA also requires a minimum tax on certain future earnings generated by foreign subsidiaries while providing for future tax-free repatriation of such earnings through a 100% dividends-received deduction.

The Company recorded a provisional charge of $275 based on its initial analysis of the TCJA using available information and estimates. As a result, applicable U.S. and foreign taxes have been provided on substantially all of the Company’s accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiaries previously considered indefinitely reinvested. Given the significant complexity of the TCJA, anticipated guidance from the U.S. Treasury about implementing the TCJA and the potential for additional guidance from the SEC or the FASB related to the TCJA or additional information becoming available, the Company’s provisional charge may be adjusted during 2018 and is expected to be finalized no later than the fourth quarter of 2018. Other provisions of the TCJA that impact future tax years are still being assessed. Refer to “Results of Operations – Income Taxes” below for additional details.

In September 2016, the Company’s Mexican subsidiary completed the sale to the United States of America of the Mexico City site on which its commercial operations, technology center and soap production facility were previously located and received $60 as the third and final installment of the sale price. The total sale price (including the third installment and the previously received first and second installments) was $120. The Company recognized a pretax gain of $97 ($63 aftertax gain) in the third quarter of 2016, net of costs primarily related to site preparation.

In August 2015, the Company completed the sale of its laundry detergent business in the South Pacific to Henkel AG & Co. KGaA for an aggregate purchase price of approximately 310 Australian dollars ($221) and recorded a pretax gain of $187 ($120 aftertax or $0.13 per diluted share) in Other (income) expense, net. The gain is net of charges related to the right-sizing of the Company’s South Pacific business, asset write-offs related to the divested laundry detergent business and other costs related to the sale.

Effective December 31, 2015, the Company concluded it no longer met the accounting criteria for consolidation of its Venezuelan subsidiary (“CP Venezuela”) and began accounting for CP Venezuela using the cost method of accounting. As such, effective December 31, 2015, the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet no longer includes the assets and liabilities of CP Venezuela.

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See “Managing Foreign Currency, Interest Rate, Commodity Price and Credit Risk Exposure” in Part II, Item 7.

See “Index to Financial Statements.”

None.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company’s management, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2017 (the “Evaluation”). Based upon the Evaluation, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) are effective.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Management, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based upon the framework in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and concluded that it is effective as of December 31, 2017.

The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, has audited the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, and has expressed an unqualified opinion in their report, which appears under “Index to Financial Statements – Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.”

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. As part of the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, the Company is implementing a shared business service organization model in all regions of the world. At this time, certain financial transaction processing activities have been transitioned to these shared business service centers. This transition has not materially affected the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

None.

PART III

See “Executive Officers of the Registrant” in Part I, Item 1 of this report.

Additional information required by this Item relating to directors, executive officers and corporate governance of the Company and information regarding compliance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act is incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Proxy Statement for its 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2018 Proxy Statement”).

Code of Ethics

The Company’s Code of Conduct promotes the highest ethical standards in all of the Company’s business dealings. The Code of Conduct satisfies the SEC’s requirements for a Code of Ethics for senior financial officers and applies to all Company employees, including the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and the Vice President and Corporate Controller, and the Company’s directors. The Code of Conduct is available on the Company’s website at www.colgatepalmolive.com. Any amendment to the Code of Conduct will promptly be posted on the Company’s website. It is the Company’s policy not to grant waivers of the Code of Conduct. In the extremely unlikely event that the Company grants an executive officer a waiver from a provision of the Code of Conduct, the Company will promptly disclose such information by posting it on its website or by using other appropriate means in accordance with SEC rules.

The information regarding executive compensation set forth in the 2018 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

The information regarding certain relationships and related transactions and director independence set forth in the 2018 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

The information regarding auditor fees and services set forth in the 2018 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

PART IV

See “Index to Financial Statements.”

The exhibits indicated above that are not included with the Form 10-K are available upon request and payment of a reasonable fee approximating the registrant’s cost of providing and mailing the exhibits. Inquiries should be directed to:

None.

COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Index to Financial Statements

All other financial statements and schedules not listed have been omitted since the required information is included in the financial statements or the notes thereto or is not applicable or required.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the consolidated financial statements, including the related notes and financial statement schedule, of Colgate-Palmolive Company and its subsidiaries as listed in the accompanying index (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2017 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.

Basis for Opinions

The Company’s management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting, appearing under Item 9A. Our responsibility is to express opinions on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

Consolidated Statements of Income

For the years ended December 31,

(Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Amounts)

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