Item 1. BUSINESS

General Development of the Business

Colgate-Palmolive Company (together with its subsidiaries, “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or “Colgate”) is a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. We seek to deliver consistent compounded earnings per share growth to help drive superior total shareholder return, as well as to provide Colgate people with an innovative and inclusive work environment. We do this by developing and selling science-led products globally that make people’s and their pets’ lives healthier and more enjoyable and by embracing our Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy across our organization. Our 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” and “– Liquidity and Capital Resources” in Part II, Item 7 of this report.

Description of the Business

We operate in two product segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. We are a leader in Oral Care with global leadership in the toothpaste and manual toothbrush categories according to market share data. We sell our toothpastes under brands such as Colgate, Darlie, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso and Tom’s of Maine, our toothbrushes under brands such as Colgate, Darlie, elmex and meridol and our mouthwashes under brands such as Colgate, elmex and meridol. Our Oral Care business also includes pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals.

We are a leader in many product categories of the Personal Care market with global leadership in liquid hand soap, according to market share data, which we sell under brands such as Palmolive, Protex and Softsoap. Our Personal Care products also include Irish Spring, Palmolive and Protex bar soaps, Irish Spring, Palmolive, Sanex and Softsoap shower gels, Lady Speed Stick, Sanex, Speed Stick and Tom’s of Maine deodorants and antiperspirants, EltaMD, Filorga and PCA SKIN skin health products and Palmolive shampoos and conditioners.

We manufacture and market a wide array of products for the Home Care market, including Ajax, Axion and Palmolive dishwashing liquids, Ajax, Fabuloso and Murphy household cleaners and Suavitel, Soupline, Fluffy and Cuddly fabric conditioners.

Sales of Oral, Personal and Home Care products accounted for 43%, 18% and 17%, respectively, of our total worldwide Net sales in 2024. Geographically, Oral Care is a substantial part of our business in Asia Pacific.

Through our Hill’s Pet Nutrition segment (“Hill’s” or “Pet Nutrition”), we are a leader in specialty pet nutrition products for dogs and cats with products marketed in over 80 countries and territories worldwide. Hill’s markets pet foods primarily under two brands. Hill’s Science Diet, which is called Hill’s Science Plan in Europe, is a range of products for everyday nutritional needs. Hill’s Prescription Diet is a range of therapeutic pet foods to help nutritionally support dogs and cats in different stages of health. Sales of Pet Nutrition products accounted for 22% of our total worldwide Net sales in 2024.

For more information regarding our worldwide Net sales by product category, refer to Note 1, Nature of Operations and Note 13, 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.

Distribution; Raw Materials; Competition; Trademarks and Patents

Our Oral, Personal and Home Care products are sold to a variety of retailers, wholesalers and distributors worldwide. Pet Nutrition products are sold by authorized pet supply retailers, veterinarians and eCommerce retailers. Certain of our products are also sold direct-to-consumer. Our sales to Walmart, Inc. and its affiliates represented approximately 11% of our Net sales in 2024. No other customer represented more than 10% of our Net sales in 2024. We support our products with advertising, promotion and other marketing (with increasing emphasis on digital) to build awareness and trial of our products. Our products are marketed by a direct sales force at individual operating subsidiaries or business units and by distributors or brokers.

The majority of raw and packaging materials used in our products is purchased from other companies and is available from several sources. No single raw or packaging material represents, and no single supplier provides, a significant portion of our total material requirements. We do, however, purchase certain key raw and packaging materials from single-source suppliers or a limited number of suppliers. For certain materials, new suppliers may have to be qualified under industry, governmental and/or Colgate standards (including those relating to responsible sourcing), which can require additional investment and/or take a significant period of time. Raw and packaging material commodities, such as resins, essential oils, tropical oils, pulp, tallow, corn, poultry and soybeans, are subject to market price variations. For further information regarding the impact of changes in commodity prices, see Item 1A, “Risk Factors - Volatility in material and other costs has in the past and may continue to adversely impact our profitability” and Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

Our products are sold in a highly competitive global marketplace which has experienced increased retail trade concentration, the substantial growth of eCommerce, the integration of traditional and digital operations at key retailers and the growing presence of large-format retailers, discounters and eCommerce retailers. Products similar to ours are available from multinational and local competitors in the U.S. and around the world. Certain of our competitors are larger and have greater resources than we do. In addition, the substantial growth in eCommerce has encouraged the entry of new competitors and business models. In certain geographies, we also face strong local competitors, who may be more agile and have better local consumer insights than we do. Private label brands sold by retailers are also a source of competition for certain of our products.

The retail landscape in many of our markets continues to evolve as a result of the continued growth of eCommerce, changing consumer behavior and preferences (as consumers increasingly shop online, including to compare prices and product availability) and the increased presence of alternative retail channels, such as subscription services and direct-to-consumer businesses. We face competition in several aspects of our business, including pricing, promotional activities, new products and brand introductions and expansion into new geographies and channels.

We consider trademarks to be material to our business. We follow a practice of seeking trademark protection in the U.S. and throughout the world where our products are sold. Principal global and regional trademarks include Colgate, Palmolive, Darlie, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom’s of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, Lady Speed Stick, PCA SKIN, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Murphy, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet. Our rights in these trademarks endure for as long as they are used and/or registered. Although we actively develop and maintain a portfolio of patents, no single patent is considered significant to the business as a whole.

Government Regulations

As a global company, we are subject to extensive governmental regulations, including environmental rules and regulations, in the U.S. and abroad. The most significant government regulations that impact our business are discussed below. We are also subject to laws and regulations relating to sustainability, labor and employment practices, artificial intelligence and taxation. It is our policy and practice to comply with all government regulations applicable to our business. In 2024, compliance with these regulations did not have, and we do not expect such compliance in the future to have, a material adverse effect on our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position. For further discussion of how global legal and regulatory requirements may impact our business, see Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”

Product Development: Legal and regulatory requirements apply to most aspects of our products, including their development, ingredients, formulation, manufacture, packaging, labeling, storage, transportation, distribution, export, import, advertising, sale and environmental impact. U.S. federal authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Occupational, Safety and Health Administration 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.

Anti-Corruption, Anti-Bribery, Commercial Bribery and Competition: We are subject to anti-corruption laws and regulations, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other laws that generally prohibit the making or offering of improper payments to foreign government officials and political figures for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or to gain an unfair business advantage, and laws that prohibit commercial bribery. In addition, our selling practices are regulated by competition law authorities in the U.S. and abroad.

Privacy and Data Protection: Our collection, storage, transfer and/or processing of customer, consumer, employee, vendor and other stakeholder information and personal data is subject to important data protection laws and regulations in the U.S. and abroad, including the General Data Protection Regulation.

Trade Compliance: We are subject to laws and sanctions imposed by the U.S., including those imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (“OFAC”) and/or by other jurisdictions that may prohibit us or certain of our affiliates from doing business in certain countries or restrict the kind of business that may be conducted. For information regarding the impact of the war in Ukraine, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Executive Overview.”

Human Capital Management

Human capital matters at Colgate are managed by our Global Human Resources function, led by our Chief Human Resources Officer, with oversight from the Personnel and Organization Committee of our Board of Directors (the “Board”). As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately 34,000 employees based in over 100 countries. Approximately two-thirds of our revenues are generated from markets outside the U.S. and over 80% of our employees are located outside the U.S. Approximately 33% of our employees are based in Asia Pacific, 30% are based in Latin America, 17% are based in North America, 15% are based in Europe and 5% are based in Africa/Eurasia. Our global workforce covers a broad range of functions, from manufacturing employees to management personnel and certain of our employees are represented by unions or works councils.

Colgate’s Culture and Core Values

Colgate’s purpose is to reimagine a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. We believe Colgate people are crucial to our ongoing business success and aim to recruit, develop and retain strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. As the owner of the world’s most penetrated brand, our business success relies on our ability to market our brands to consumers around the world. We believe having a workforce that can speak to our consumers in an authentic manner enables us to increase our household penetration, an important part of our business strategy. We are committed to fostering a sense of belonging that embodies our purpose and values, which are essential to how we drive innovation and growth. We celebrate differences, emphasize the importance of inclusion and belonging for everyone and value the contributions of all Colgate people. At Colgate, we are proud of our collaborative spirit - what we call The Power of WE.

Colgate people, working around the world, share a commitment to our three corporate values - We are Caring, We are Inclusive and We are Courageous. By encouraging Colgate people to be more caring, inclusive and courageous every day, our goal is to create a healthier future for ourselves and others. Underlying these values and our strong culture is the commitment of all Colgate people to maintain the highest ethical standards and demonstrate ethical leadership, including compliance with Colgate policies and our Code of Conduct.

We are committed to getting better every day in all that we do, as individuals and as teams. We seek to foster an inclusive and supportive workplace that promotes the growth and development of all employees, supported by a robust learning culture that aligns with our business needs. We are also committed to listening to our employees and seeing how the company is evolving and growing through regular employee engagement surveys.

As a truly global company, with employees in over 100 countries, it is important that our employees reflect the communities in which we live and work. As of December 31, 2024, our global workforce was approximately 58% male and 42% female. Women represented approximately 46% of Colgate’s executives and 35% of senior leadership. In the U.S., approximately 33% of our employees self-identify as racial/ethnic minorities, approximately 45% of our executives self-identify as racial/ethnic minorities and approximately 39% of our senior leadership self-identify as racial/ethnic minorities. In this section, “executives” refers to those employees who are eligible to participate in Colgate’s equity incentive compensation plans and “senior leadership” refers to employees who are Senior Vice Presidents and above.

Succession Planning

We have a rigorous succession planning process, led by our Global Human Resources function. Our Board is also extensively involved in succession planning and people development, with special focus on CEO succession. As part of the succession planning process, we review and discuss potential successors to key positions and examine backgrounds, capabilities and appropriate developmental assignments.

Compensation Philosophy

Given the importance of Colgate people to our business success, motivating and retaining critical talent is a key focus. We view compensation as an important tool to motivate leaders at all levels of the organization. For information regarding our compensation philosophy and executive compensation programs, please see our Proxy Statement to be filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Sustainability and Social Impact

Sustainability is critically important to our overall business and growth strategy. Our 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy is focused on three key ambitions - preserving our environment by accelerating action on climate change and reducing our environmental footprint; helping millions of homes by designing more sustainable products and empowering people to develop healthier habits; and driving social impact with a commitment to helping to ensure the wellbeing of all people and their pets. These ambitions are supported by actionable targets consistent with our continued commitment to building environmental and social consciousness into our decision-making.

In 2024, we made progress on the targets set forth in our 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy.

Reduce Plastic Waste: We continue to implement our first-of-its-kind recyclable toothpaste tube across our toothpaste portfolio. We introduced this tube in 2019 and, as of December 31, 2024, we have transitioned approximately 75% of our toothpaste SKUs globally and approximately 95% of our toothpaste SKUs in North America to recyclable tubes. We continue to share the tube technology with third parties and work to encourage recyclability of all tubes in practice and at scale. We are also focused on working with recycling stakeholders and partnering with key third parties to drive tube acceptance and communicating that consumers should check with their local recycling facilities to confirm tube acceptance. We also remain committed to reducing our use of new (virgin) plastic across our portfolio and continue to make progress toward our target to reduce new (virgin) plastic by one-third versus 2019. We are working towards this target with product design changes and by increasing recycled content in our packaging.

Accelerate Action on Climate Change: We are taking steps to accelerate action on climate change through science-based near-term, long-term and Net Zero 2040 emissions targets across our operations and value chain, which have been approved by The Science Based Targets initiative. To support our target to become Net Zero carbon in our operations by 2040, we have built a global renewable energy master plan which includes roadmaps by division to cover our manufacturing facilities and owned warehouses, global technology centers and offices. Renewable energy agreements are a valuable part of this renewable energy master plan and are key contributors to achieving our target to have 100% renewable electricity by 2030. As part of these efforts, in 2023 and 2024, we signed long-term virtual power purchase agreements in the United States and Europe, respectively.

Lead with Zero Waste Facilities: Our goal is to achieve TRUE certification for zero waste at 100% of our operations, which we define as our manufacturing facilities, owned and operated warehouses, global technology centers and strategic offices, by 2025. In 2024, eight more of our sites achieved TRUE certification. That brings the total number of TRUE certified sites to 44 across six continents in 26 countries, as of December 31, 2024.

Social Impact: Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures is our flagship oral health education and well-being initiative. Since the program was established in 1991, we have reached approximately 1.8 billion children and their families with oral health education. Through our Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love program, we have helped over 15 million shelter pets find forever homes since 2002.

Additional information about our sustainability targets and efforts, including our 2023 Sustainability & Social Impact Report and our 2024 Climate Transition & Net Zero Action Plan can be found in the Sustainability section of our website at https://www.colgatepalmolive.com/sustainability. References to these reports and our website are for informational purposes only and neither the reports nor the other information on our website is incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Information about our Executive Officers

The following is a list of our executive officers as of February 13, 2025:

Each of our executive officers listed above has served the Company or our subsidiaries in various executive capacities for the past five years with the exception of Stanley J. Sutula III, Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Sutula was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Pitney Bowes Inc., which he joined in 2017.

Under our By-Laws, our officers 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 our Board. There are no family relationships between any of our 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.

Available Information

Our website address is www.colgatepalmolive.com. The information contained on our website is not included as a part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We make available, free of charge, on our website our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, interactive data files posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T, 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 we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Also available on our website are the Company’s Code of Conduct and Board Guidelines on Significant Corporate Governance Issues, the charters of the Committees of the Board, Specialized Disclosure Reports on Form SD, reports under Section 16 of the Exchange Act of transactions in Company stock by directors and executive officers and our Proxy Statements.