Colgate Palmolive (CL) risk factors, FY2025 10-K

Colgate Palmolive's FY2025 10-K, filed Feb 23, 2026, lists 20 risk factors in 4 groups. Against the prior year's 21: 3 new, 4 dropped, 13 substantially reworded.

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Risk factors listed
204 groups
New this year
3vs 21 last year
Dropped
4since the prior 10-K
Substantially reworded
13of those kept
Section length
9k wordsItem 1A

What the changes say

  • Colgate introduced a three-year Strategic Growth and Productivity Program to reduce overhead and optimize supply chains.

What changed since the prior 10-K

New

  • NewBusiness and Industry Risks

    The rapidly changing retail landscape and changing consumer preferences may adversely affect our business

    Competition intensified in the omni-channel retail landscape due to social commerce, AI assistants, and powerful retailers holding first-party consumer data.

  • NewOperational Risks

    Raw and packaging material commodities, such as resins, essential oils, tropical oils, pulp, tallow, corn, poultry and

    Commodity costs for items like resins, oils, pulp, and grains fluctuate due to geopolitical tensions in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Venezuela.

  • NewOperational Risks

    We may not realize the benefits that we expect from our Strategic Growth and Productivity Program

    The Board approved the Strategic Growth and Productivity Program on July 31, 2025, but execution risks and union negotiations threaten expected benefits.

Dropped

  • DroppedBusiness and Industry Risks

    andtensions may also heighten other risks disclosed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, any of which could have an adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition

  • DroppedBusiness and Industry Risks

    Increasing dependence on key retailers in developed markets, changes in the policies of our retail trade customers, the emergence of alternative retail channels and the rapidly changing retail landscape and changing consumer preferences may adversely affect our business

    Eurasia region operations and war in Ukraine impact.

  • DroppedBusiness and Industry Risks

    We face various risks related to pandemics, epidemics or other widespread public health concerns, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition

  • DroppedOperational Risks

    Volatility in material and other costs has in the past and may continue to adversely impact our profitability

    Dependence on key retailers and changing retail landscape.

Reworded

  • 66% rewrittenBusiness and Industry Risks

    We face risks associated with significant international operations, including exposure to foreign currency fluctuations

    Removed war in Ukraine and Middle East conflict from macroeconomic conditions, and added foreign exchange supply cost impacts.

  • 49% rewrittenOperational Risks

    Climate change and other sustainability matters could have an adverse impact on our business and results of operations

    Reordered the physical effects of climate change regarding facilities, supply chain, product demand, and water challenges.

  • 44% rewrittenBusiness and Industry Risks

    Our success depends upon our ability to recruit, attract and retain key employees and the succession of senior management

    Added the Strategic Growth and Productivity Program to the organizational changes impacting key employee retention and senior management succession.

  • 42% rewrittenFinancial and Economic Risks

    Uncertain or unfavorable global macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions may adversely affect our business

    Updated macroeconomic conditions to include Venezuela, trade developments, tariffs, sanctions, and export controls.

    Was: Uncertain or unfavorable global economic conditions may adversely affect our business

  • 41% rewrittenFinancial and Economic Risks

    Tax matters, including changes in tax rates, disagreements with taxing authorities and imposition of new taxes could negatively impact our business

    Changed references from foreign jurisdictions to foreign jurisdictions.

  • 40% rewrittenBusiness and Industry Risks

    We have taken and, in the future may take, certain actions to safeguard our reputation and uphold our ethical values, such as changes to how and where we sell, advertise and invest behind our products and operations, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition

    Added that actions to identify and remove counterfeit products may not be successful.

  • 39% rewrittenLegal and Regulatory Risks

    Legal claims and proceedings could adversely impact our business

    Specified United States product liability and consumer class action litigation uncertainties.

  • 36% rewrittenBusiness and Industry Risks

    Damage to our reputation could have an adverse effect on our business

    Slightly streamlined sustainability and social impact program descriptions.

  • 31% rewrittenBusiness and Industry Risks

    Significant competition in our industry could adversely affect our business

  • 30% rewrittenLegal and Regulatory Risks

    Our business is subject to legal and regulatory risks in the United States and abroad

    Was: Our business is subject to legal and regulatory risks in the U.S. and abroad

  • 26% rewrittenOperational Risks

    Our business results are impacted by our ability to manage disruptions in our global supply chain and/or key office facilities

  • 24% rewrittenOperational Risks

    Our reliance on third parties in many aspects of our business could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations

  • 22% rewrittenBusiness and Industry Risks

    We have pursued and may continue to pursue acquisitions and divestitures, which could adversely impact our business

All 20 risk factors

Headings as the filing states them, in filing order.

Business and Industry Risks

  1. 01We face risks associated with significant international operations, including exposure to foreign currency fluctuations66% rewritten
  2. 02Significant competition in our industry could adversely affect our business31% rewritten
  3. 03The rapidly changing retail landscape and changing consumer preferences may adversely affect our businessNew
  4. 04The growth of our business depends on the successful identification, development and launch of innovative new products
  5. 05Damage to our reputation could have an adverse effect on our business36% rewritten
  6. 06We have taken and, in the future may take, certain actions to safeguard our reputation and uphold our ethical values, such as changes to how and where we sell, advertise and invest behind our products and operations, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition40% rewritten
  7. 07Our success depends upon our ability to recruit, attract and retain key employees and the succession of senior management44% rewritten
  8. 08We have pursued and may continue to pursue acquisitions and divestitures, which could adversely impact our business22% rewritten

Operational Risks

  1. 09Our business results are impacted by our ability to manage disruptions in our global supply chain and/or key office facilities26% rewritten
  2. 10Raw and packaging material commodities, such as resins, essential oils, tropical oils, pulp, tallow, corn, poultry andNew
  3. 11There is no guarantee that our ongoing efforts to reduce costs will be successful
  4. 12We may not realize the benefits that we expect from our Strategic Growth and Productivity ProgramNew
  5. 13A cybersecurity incident, data incident or a failure of key technology systems could adversely impact our business
  6. 14Climate change and other sustainability matters could have an adverse impact on our business and results of operations49% rewritten
  7. 15Our reliance on third parties in many aspects of our business could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations24% rewritten

Legal and Regulatory Risks

  1. 16Our business is subject to legal and regulatory risks in the United States and abroad30% rewritten
  2. 17Legal claims and proceedings could adversely impact our business39% rewritten

Financial and Economic Risks

  1. 18Uncertain or unfavorable global macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions may adversely affect our business42% rewritten
  2. 19Disruptions in the credit markets or changes to our credit ratings may adversely affect our business
  3. 20Tax matters, including changes in tax rates, disagreements with taxing authorities and imposition of new taxes could negatively impact our business41% rewritten

Other Colgate Palmolive 10-Ks

  • FY2024 10-K risk factors
    21 risks

    Colgate faces significant international exposure with two-thirds of sales outside the US. Global supply chain disruptions and raw material volatility threaten profitability. Geopolitical tensions and intense eCommerce and retail competition pressure margins.

    Filed Feb 13, 2025

About this page

The headings are the filing's own. The one-line readings and the overview are automated and can be wrong: read Item 1A of the 10-K for the exact wording.