Mumbai, July 22 (IANS) Colgate Palmolive India on Tuesday reported an 11.8 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline in its net profit to Rs 321 crore for the April-June quarter of 2025-26 (Q1 FY26), compared to Rs 364 crore during the same period previous fiscal (Q1 FY25).

The company’s net sales also dropped by more than 4.4 per cent, falling from Rs 1,486 crore in Q1 FY25 to Rs 1,421 crore this quarter, according to its stock exchange filing.

Revenue from operations saw a similar decline of 4.3 per cent, reaching Rs 1,433 crore compared to Rs 1,496.71 crore in the year-ago period.

Colgate’s operating margin also fell this quarter, slipping to 31.6 per cent from 34 per cent previous financial year.

This reflects a contraction of 240 basis points. The company’s EBITDA also declined by 11 per cent to Rs 453 crore from Rs 508.34 crore in the same quarter previous fiscal.

Commenting on the results, Prabha Narasimhan, Managing Director and CEO of Colgate-Palmolive India, said that the performance was affected by weak urban demand and rising competition.

She also noted that the results were impacted due to a strong base from the previous year, when net sales had grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12 per cent between Q1 FY23 and Q1 FY25.

Despite the challenges, Narasimhan highlighted that the company continued to invest in strategic areas, including brand building and product innovation.

She said that Colgate made good progress in the premium category, which showed strong revenue growth.

“The company also used its healthy profit margins to boost brand investment,” she mentioned.

In a bid to drive growth through innovation, Colgate introduced new products this quarter.

These include the Colgate Kids Squeezy Toothpaste in strawberry and watermelon flavours, designed for children aged 3 to 6, and the MaxFresh Mouthwash Sachet Stick in Fresh Tea flavour for customers seeking freshness on the go.

Narasimhan said the company expects conditions to improve in the second half of the financial year and remains confident about its growth strategy.

–IANS

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