Early Bird Prime for January 11, 2026

As we brush into 2026, the question on every investor's mind is whether to sink their teeth into Colgate-Palmolive's $CL ( ▲ 0.75% ) stock, or to spit it out like a bad mouthwash. With the stock down 5.65% over the past year, it seems the consumer products giant has been struggling.

The decline in 2025 was a perfect storm of sector weakness, slowing organic sales growth, and foreign exchange impacts. Add to that rising input costs, and you’ve got a recipe for a stock that’s been in a bad place.

But this past week, Piper Sandler swooped in and upgraded the stock to Overweight. They claim that the current pressures are “priced in” and that growth can accelerate in 2026, thanks to improving trends in emerging markets.

With the stock down, the valuation is now more reasonable, like finding a discount on your favorite toothpaste. Colgate-Palmolive sells essential products, and they tend to be resilient through economic cycles. After all, people will always need to brush their teeth, wash their hair, and feed their pets, even if the economy is unpredictable.

Wall Street is buzzing with expectations of a reacceleration in organic sales growth in 2026. This optimism is fueled by easier comparisons, emerging markets, and a recovery in oral care share. 

The slow organic sales growth in 2025 is precisely why there is room for a cyclical rebound. If Colgate-Palmolive can improve execution and recover volumes, it might just turn that frown upside down.

Should you buy Colgate-Palmolive’s stock right now in 2026, or should you avoid it? Here’s the answer…