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Colgate-Palmolive Q2 Results: Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd posted its September quarter results, largely in line with expectations set by Zee Business research, as the oral care company dealt with temporary disruptions caused by GST rate changes and a high base from last year.

The company reported a net profit of Rs 327.5 crore, down 17.1 per cent year-on-year from Rs 395.1 crore. This was almost in line with Zee Business’s estimate of Rs 328 crore, which had anticipated a 5–6 per cent decline in toothpaste volumes and an 8 per cent drop in value terms. Excluding a one-time interest gain in the base year, the underlying profit fell by 7.2 per cent.

Revenue for the quarter stood at Rs 1,519.5 crore, declining 6.2 per cent from a year ago, slightly below Zee Business’s estimate of Rs 1,535 crore. The slowdown was attributed to inventory destocking by distributors and retailers, triggered by a GST cut on 95 per cent of the company’s product portfolio, from 18 per cent to 5 per cent.

EBITDA came in at Rs 464.5 crore, marginally above the estimated Rs 458 crore, while operating margins held steady at 30.6 per cent, compared with the projected 29.8 per cent. The company highlighted that its ‘Funding the Growth’ programme helped sustain margins even as it continued investing in brand-building efforts.

Sequentially, net sales rose 6.1 per cent from the previous quarter, suggesting early signs of demand recovery. Premium products, particularly Colgate Visible White Purple, contributed to the stability, even in a challenging market.

Prabha Narasimhan, MD & CEO, commented, “We continued to navigate a tough operating environment. Our performance reflects the temporary disruption caused by the GST rate revision. We expect recovery to strengthen in the second half of FY26.”

The board also declared a first interim dividend of Rs 24 per equity share, payable from November 19.

Shares of Colgate-Palmolive India closed at Rs 2,300 on NSE, up 1.7 per cent, indicating steady investor confidence despite the quarter’s challenges.

Senior Sub-editor at Zee Business English

shweta.shukla@India.com

Shweta Birendra Shukla is a journalist covering the stock market and corporate aff