Brands
Colgate-Palmolive (India) Q3 brushes off rivals with Rs 1,452 crore sales
MUMBAI: Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd has reported a steady yet somewhat subdued financial performance for the third quarter and nine months ending 31 December 2024. In a world where Pepsodent, Sensodyne, and a slew of herbal toothpaste brands are fighting tooth and nail (quite literally) for consumer preference, Colgate remains the unshaken champion of oral care.
While macroeconomic headwinds and intensifying competition have made the landscape tougher than biting into a frozen chocolate bar, the company has managed to keep its shine by leveraging premiumisation and technology-driven consumer engagement strategies.
Can Colgate continue to outshine its rivals, or will Sensodyne’s sensitivity play and Pepsodent’s cavity-fighting pitch take a bite out of its market share? For now, Colgate is brushing aside the competition and keeping its growth streak minty fresh.
Headline figures
In Q3 FY25, net sales stood at Rs 1,45,221 lakh (Rs 1,452.21 crore), reflecting a 4.7 per cent year-on-year growth. Not the kind of jaw-dropping leap that makes investors do a double take, but hey, steady growth is better than a cavity-inducing decline! The domestic business, a key driver of performance, saw a 3.2 per cent growth in Q3 and an 8.8 per cent increase over the nine-month period—a testament to India’s undying love for minty-fresh breath and cavity-free smiles.
For the nine-month period, net sales reached Rs 4,54,718 lakh (Rs 4,547.18 crore), an increase of 9.2 per cent compared to Rs 4,16,352 lakh (Rs 4,163.52 crore) during the same period last year. That’s a growth curve any dentist would approve of! It also suggests Colgate still holds its ground in an ever-growing battlefield of oral care brands trying to take a bite out of its market share.
Gross margin and EBITDA margin improved sequentially compared to the last quarter, though they remain under pressure when measured against last year’s higher base. Net profit after tax (PAT) for Q3 FY25 stood at Rs 32,278 lakh (Rs 322.78 crore), a slight decline from Rs 33,011 lakh (Rs 330.11 crore) reported in Q3 FY24. Perhaps inflation took a bite out of those numbers?
However, the nine-month period gave Colgate something to grin about, with PAT increasing 14.6 per cent YoY to Rs 1,08,181 lakh (Rs 1,081.81 crore), up from Rs 94,384 lakh (Rs 943.84 crore) in the previous fiscal period. Looks like strategic premiumisation and efficiency initiatives are keeping things sparkling.
Profit before tax (PBT) for Q3 stood at Rs 39,505 lakh (Rs 395.05 crore), showing that operational efficiencies are still paying off. Meanwhile, basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) stood at Rs 11.87 for Q3 and Rs 39.77 for the nine-month period—numbers solid enough to keep shareholders smiling all the way to the bank!
Colgate-Palmolive’s MD & CEO Prabha Narasimhan acknowledged that the quarter was marked by soft urban demand and heightened competition. Despite these challenges, the company exhibited resilience, with mid-single-digit volume growth in its core toothpaste category and competitive gains in the toothbrush segment.
“While the near-term macro environment remains challenging, we are committed to driving growth through a strategy that works,” remarked Narasimhan, reiterating Colgate’s focus on premiumisation, digital engagement, and category expansion.
A highlight of the quarter was the launch of India’s largest oral health movement, a digital-first, AI-driven initiative that offers personalised AI-generated dental screening reports and free dental check-ups in partnership with the Indian Dental Association (IDA). Available in nine regional languages, this initiative aims to enhance oral health awareness at scale.
Furthermore, Colgate expanded its product portfolio with the “MaxFresh Sensorial” range, building on the success of the “Visible White Purple” series.
But let’s be honest—can even the best toothpaste keep everyone grinning when inflation is chomping away at disposable incomes? While the recent numbers show resilience, the question remains: can Colgate continue to take a big bite out of market share, or will rival brands leave it with a mere nibble?
For now, Colgate is holding its ground, refusing to be rinsed away by competition. With strong brand equity, a tech-savvy approach, and a strategy sharper than the bristles on a new toothbrush, Colgate is setting itself up to flash an even brighter smile in the quarters to come. Stick around—the next quarter’s numbers will tell the real story!
Brands
Hardik Jhaveri named senior director marketing at Colgate-Palmolive Asean hub
Former Hill’s Pet Nutrition general manager returns to the company to steer marketing for South Asean from Kuala Lumpur
KUALA LUMPUR: Hardik Jhaveri has been appointed senior director marketing for the South Asean hub at Colgate-Palmolive, marking a return to the consumer goods major after a three year stint with Hill’s Pet Nutrition. He will be based in Kuala Lumpur and will lead marketing strategy for the region.
Jhaveri joins the role after serving as general manager at Hill’s Pet Nutrition in Taipei, where he led a cross functional team and oversaw the business with full profit and loss responsibility. The role placed him at the helm of operations in Taiwan, managing growth in what he described as a start-up style environment within a global multinational.
Before that, Jhaveri spent over a decade with Colgate-Palmolive across several marketing and innovation roles in Asia. As associate director innovation for Apac excluding China, based in Hong Kong, he led new product development and launches across multiple markets.
His portfolio ranged from developing specialised oral care products such as a diabetes focused toothpaste for the Indian market to launching premium oral care experiences under the Colgate Total brand in Australia. Alongside innovation, he also worked on launch planning, brand strategy and communications for the company’s oral care portfolio.
Earlier in his Colgate-Palmolive journey, Jhaveri held roles including marketing manager innovation, senior brand manager and brand manager. His work spanned urban and rural markets in Mumbai and customer development responsibilities in the Greater Kolkata Area.
Prior to his long association with Colgate-Palmolive, Jhaveri worked as brand officer home care at Unilever, where he helped drive marketing initiatives for the Rin detergent brand, including nationwide relaunch and on ground activation campaigns.
He began his career in advertising with Bates David Enterprise, working on brands such as IDBI Bank, The Leela Hotels and The Times of India.
Jhaveri holds a post graduate programme in management from the Indian School of Business and has also completed a level 4 diploma in wine from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Announcing the move, Jhaveri said he is excited to begin his new chapter at Colgate-Palmolive’s South Asean hub and thanked colleagues and mentors who supported his journey at Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
