State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D Sells 14,103 Shares of Colgate-Palmolive Company $CL

State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D trimmed its position in Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) by 5.2% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 255,549 shares of the company’s stock after selling 14,103 shares during the quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D’s holdings in Colgate-Palmolive were worth $20,193,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Maseco LLP bought a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Copia Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. Cloud Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive in the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates lifted its stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 300.0% in the 4th quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 400 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Camelot Portfolios LLC bought a new position in Colgate-Palmolive during the 4th quarter worth $32,000. 80.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Colgate-Palmolive Stock Up 1.1%

Shares of NYSE:CL opened at $85.40 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $68.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.59, a P/E/G ratio of 4.32 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 18.82. Colgate-Palmolive Company has a 12-month low of $74.54 and a 12-month high of $99.33. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $87.95 and a 200 day simple moving average of $84.06.

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The company reported $0.95 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.04. Colgate-Palmolive had a return on equity of 353.72% and a net margin of 10.45%.The firm had revenue of $5.23 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.13 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.91 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Colgate-Palmolive Company will post 3.85 earnings per share for the current year.

Colgate-Palmolive Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 20th. This is an increase from Colgate-Palmolive’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. Colgate-Palmolive’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 80.92%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Colgate-Palmolive news, insider John Hazlin sold 20,989 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.25, for a total transaction of $1,978,213.25. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 17,645 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,663,041.25. This trade represents a 54.33% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Sally Massey sold 15,851 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $95.03, for a total value of $1,506,320.53. Following the sale, the insider owned 13,751 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,306,757.53. The trade was a 53.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 184,683 shares of company stock valued at $17,486,693. 0.43% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $102.00 target price on Colgate-Palmolive in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $85.00 target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Wall Street Zen lowered Colgate-Palmolive from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, March 29th. UBS Group lowered their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $100.00 to $98.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $100.00 target price on Colgate-Palmolive and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $95.56.

Colgate-Palmolive Company Profile

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company with a long history in household and personal care categories. The business traces its roots to the early 19th century and has evolved into a multinational manufacturer and marketer of everyday consumer goods focused on health, hygiene and home care.

The company’s core activities center on oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition. Its product portfolio includes toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash in oral care; soaps, body washes and deodorants in personal care; dishwashing liquids, surface cleaners and other household products in home care; and scientifically formulated pet foods under its pet nutrition business.