Colgate-Palmolive India Net Profit Rises 7% in First Quarter

Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited reported a 7% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit to ₹343.08 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2026. Revenue from operations grew by approximately 12%, reaching between ₹1,591 crore and ₹1,603.30 crore. This growth was driven by high-single-digit volume increases in the toothpaste portfolio and strong demand for premium products.

Gross margins expanded 110 basis points to 69.7%, aided by the company's Funding the Growth cost-savings initiative. However, the company aggressively reinvested these gains into brand building, with advertising and promotional expenditure surging 33.7% to ₹251.86 crore. This investment led to a softening of the EBITDA margin to 30.1%, down from 31.6%.

Excluding exceptional restructuring costs of ₹3.34 crore, the underlying net profit grew by 11%. CEO Prabha Narasimhan attributed the performance to growth momentum across the portfolio, though she identified geopolitical uncertainty and commodity price volatility as primary risks to future margins.