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Side-by-side financial comparison of Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Ross Stores (ROST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Ross Stores is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($5.6B vs $5.2B, roughly 1.1× Colgate-Palmolive). Ross Stores runs the higher net margin — 9.1% vs -0.7%, a 9.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ross Stores posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.4% vs 5.8%). Colgate-Palmolive produced more free cash flow last quarter ($1.3B vs $617.8M). Over the past eight quarters, Colgate-Palmolive's revenue compounded faster (1.6% CAGR vs -3.6%).

The Colgate-Palmolive Company, commonly known as Colgate-Palmolive, is an American multinational consumer products company headquartered on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The company specializes in the production, distribution, and provision of household, health care, personal care, and veterinary products.

Ross Stores, Inc., operating under the brand name Ross Dress for Less, is an American chain of discount department stores headquartered in Dublin, California. It is the largest off-price retailer in the U.S.; as of July 2024, Ross operates 1,795 stores in 43 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. Puerto Rico and Guam, covering much of the country, but with no presence in New England and Alaska. The company also operates DD's Discounts, a discount department store chain with over 353 locations across t...

CL vs ROST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ROST
ROST
1.1× larger
ROST
$5.6B
$5.2B
CL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ROST
ROST
+4.7% gap
ROST
10.4%
5.8%
CL
Higher net margin
ROST
ROST
9.8% more per $
ROST
9.1%
-0.7%
CL
More free cash flow
CL
CL
$658.2M more FCF
CL
$1.3B
$617.8M
ROST
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CL
CL
Annualised
CL
1.6%
-3.6%
ROST

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Revenue
$5.2B
$5.6B
Net Profit
$-36.0M
$511.9M
Gross Margin
60.2%
28.0%
Operating Margin
1.7%
11.6%
Net Margin
-0.7%
9.1%
Revenue YoY
5.8%
10.4%
Net Profit YoY
-104.9%
4.7%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.04
$1.58

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$5.2B
$5.6B
Q3 25
$5.1B
$5.5B
Q2 25
$5.1B
$5.0B
Q1 25
$4.9B
$5.9B
Q4 24
$4.9B
$5.1B
Q3 24
$5.0B
$5.3B
Q2 24
$5.1B
$4.9B
Q1 24
$5.1B
$6.0B
Net Profit
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$-36.0M
$511.9M
Q3 25
$735.0M
$508.0M
Q2 25
$743.0M
$479.2M
Q1 25
$690.0M
$586.8M
Q4 24
$738.0M
$488.8M
Q3 24
$737.0M
$527.1M
Q2 24
$731.0M
$488.0M
Q1 24
$683.0M
$609.7M
Gross Margin
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
60.2%
28.0%
Q3 25
59.4%
27.6%
Q2 25
60.1%
28.2%
Q1 25
60.8%
26.5%
Q4 24
60.3%
28.3%
Q3 24
61.1%
28.3%
Q2 24
60.6%
28.1%
Q1 24
60.0%
27.3%
Operating Margin
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
1.7%
11.6%
Q3 25
20.6%
11.5%
Q2 25
21.1%
12.2%
Q1 25
21.9%
12.4%
Q4 24
21.5%
11.9%
Q3 24
21.2%
12.5%
Q2 24
21.6%
12.2%
Q1 24
20.7%
13.2%
Net Margin
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
-0.7%
9.1%
Q3 25
14.3%
9.2%
Q2 25
14.5%
9.6%
Q1 25
14.1%
9.9%
Q4 24
14.9%
9.6%
Q3 24
14.6%
10.0%
Q2 24
14.5%
10.0%
Q1 24
13.5%
10.1%
EPS (diluted)
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$-0.04
$1.58
Q3 25
$0.91
$1.56
Q2 25
$0.91
$1.47
Q1 25
$0.85
$1.79
Q4 24
$0.89
$1.48
Q3 24
$0.90
$1.59
Q2 24
$0.89
$1.46
Q1 24
$0.83
$1.82

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.4B
$4.1B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$7.8B
$1.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$54.0M
$5.9B
Total Assets
$16.3B
$15.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
145.17×
0.26×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$1.4B
$4.1B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$3.8B
Q2 25
$1.2B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$1.1B
$4.7B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$4.3B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$1.1B
$4.7B
Q1 24
$1.1B
$4.9B
Total Debt
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$7.8B
$1.5B
Q3 25
$1.5B
Q2 25
$1.5B
Q1 25
$2.2B
Q4 24
$7.0B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$2.5B
Q2 24
$2.5B
Q1 24
$2.5B
Stockholders' Equity
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$54.0M
$5.9B
Q3 25
$856.0M
$5.7B
Q2 25
$702.0M
$5.6B
Q1 25
$363.0M
$5.5B
Q4 24
$212.0M
$5.3B
Q3 24
$435.0M
$5.1B
Q2 24
$123.0M
$4.9B
Q1 24
$230.0M
$4.9B
Total Assets
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$16.3B
$15.4B
Q3 25
$17.5B
$14.5B
Q2 25
$17.5B
$14.3B
Q1 25
$16.6B
$14.9B
Q4 24
$16.0B
$14.9B
Q3 24
$16.8B
$14.7B
Q2 24
$16.5B
$14.5B
Q1 24
$16.6B
$14.3B
Debt / Equity
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
145.17×
0.26×
Q3 25
0.26×
Q2 25
0.27×
Q1 25
0.40×
Q4 24
33.04×
0.42×
Q3 24
0.48×
Q2 24
0.50×
Q1 24
0.51×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.5B
$827.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$1.3B
$617.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
24.4%
11.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.4%
3.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.62×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$3.6B
$2.0B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$1.5B
$827.1M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$668.4M
Q2 25
$884.0M
$409.7M
Q1 25
$600.0M
$882.6M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$513.4M
Q3 24
$1.2B
$592.1M
Q2 24
$990.0M
$368.9M
Q1 24
$681.0M
$948.8M
Free Cash Flow
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$1.3B
$617.8M
Q3 25
$1.1B
$466.6M
Q2 25
$776.0M
$202.3M
Q1 25
$476.0M
$676.6M
Q4 24
$1.1B
$333.0M
Q3 24
$1.0B
$394.6M
Q2 24
$873.0M
$232.7M
Q1 24
$555.0M
$726.4M
FCF Margin
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
24.4%
11.0%
Q3 25
21.6%
8.4%
Q2 25
15.2%
4.1%
Q1 25
9.7%
11.4%
Q4 24
21.9%
6.6%
Q3 24
20.5%
7.5%
Q2 24
17.3%
4.8%
Q1 24
11.0%
12.1%
Capex Intensity
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
3.4%
3.7%
Q3 25
3.0%
3.6%
Q2 25
2.1%
4.2%
Q1 25
2.5%
3.5%
Q4 24
3.7%
3.6%
Q3 24
2.7%
3.7%
Q2 24
2.3%
2.8%
Q1 24
2.5%
3.7%
Cash Conversion
CL
CL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
1.62×
Q3 25
1.72×
1.32×
Q2 25
1.19×
0.85×
Q1 25
0.87×
1.50×
Q4 24
1.72×
1.05×
Q3 24
1.58×
1.12×
Q2 24
1.35×
0.76×
Q1 24
1.00×
1.56×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CL
CL

Other$3.0B58%
Pet Nutrition$1.2B23%
Oral Personal And Home Care$1.0B20%

ROST
ROST

Segment breakdown not available.

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