Compare Stocks › CL vs MA

Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) vs Mastercard Incorporated (MA): Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?

As of 2026-06-19, CL is overvalued at $89, with a DCF intrinsic value of $45 and a margin of safety of -98%. MA is fairly valued at $490, with an intrinsic value of $571 and a margin of safety of 14%. Of the two, MA has the wider margin of safety.

Colgate-Palmolive Company

$89.48

Mastercard Incorporated

$489.79

Rewards

★Colgate-Palmolive Company has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
★Gross margin of 60.1% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
★Colgate-Palmolive Company scores 98/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.

★Mastercard Incorporated has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
★Gross margin of 100.0% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
★Mastercard Incorporated scores 99/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.

Risks

⚠High leverage (13.49x net debt/equity) combined with thin interest coverage (-1.0x) poses financial risk.
⚠10 insider sales with no purchases over the past 12 months — a persistent pattern of insider selling.

⚠High leverage (1.60x net debt/equity) combined with thin interest coverage (-1.0x) poses financial risk.
⚠12 insider sales with no purchases over the past 12 months — a persistent pattern of insider selling.

Key Valuation Metrics

Learn more →

Valuation

$3.32B

Free Cash Flow

$16.15B

4.64%

FCF Yield

3.73%

34.68

Trailing P/E

28.31

22.13

Forward P/E

21.50

Quality & Moat

40.64%

ROIC

63.51%

363.58%

ROE

232.08%

60.06%

Gross Margin

100.00%

1.62

PEG Ratio

1.54

Balance Sheet Safety

13.49

Net Debt / Equity

1.60

N/A

Interest Coverage

N/A

1.33

Net Debt / EBITDA

0.50

2.30%

Dividend Yield

0.69%

CL: 3Ties: 2MA: 7

CLMA

Historical Fundamentals

Learn more →

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

$1 Retained Earnings Test

Learn more →

$-1.07

created per $1 retained over 3 years

Market Cap Declined

Σ Retained

$1.96B

Δ Market Cap

$-2.10B

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

$5.62

created per $1 retained over 3 years

Exceptional Value Creator

Σ Retained

$31.68B

Δ Market Cap

+$177.96B

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

Learn more →

98.0% Overvalued

Price is 98.0% above estimated fair value

Current Price: $89.48

Strongly undervalued

Fairly valued

Strongly overvalued

Fair Value: $45.20

Strongly undervalued

Undervalued

Fairly valued

Overvalued

Strongly overvalued

14.2% Margin of Safety

Price is 14.2% below estimated fair value

Current Price: $489.79

Strongly undervalued

Undervalued

Fairly valued

Overvalued

Strongly overvalued

Fair Value: $571.14

Strongly undervalued

Undervalued

Fairly valued

Overvalued

Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

Learn more →

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $89?

+15.5%

Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth

Standard FCF implies +9.9%

The market implies +15.5% Owner Earnings growth, above historical trends.

Standard FCF implies a demanding +9.9%, reflecting heavy growth investment.

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $490?

+13.0%

Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth

Standard FCF implies +12.0%

The market implies +13.0% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.

Standard FCF implies +12.0%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.

Economic Moat Score

Learn more →

98/100

Wide Moat

70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. ROIC Consistency is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

99/100

Wide Moat

70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. ROIC Consistency is the standout factor.

Forensic Accounting

Learn more →

-3.00

Unlikely Manipulator

Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

-2.53

Unlikely Manipulator

Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Ownership Breakdown

Learn more →

Insiders 0.1%Institutions 88.1%Retail & Other 11.8%

No. of Institutional Holders2,617

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insiders 0.1%Institutions 91.6%Retail & Other 8.3%

No. of Institutional Holders4,804

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

Learn more →

Buys (3M)

Buys (12M)

No open market insider purchases found.

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Buys (3M)

Buys (12M)

No open market insider purchases found.

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

Learn more →

Sells (3M)

Sells (12M)

Total value (12M): $26.11M

MALCOLM GREGORY

Officer

$203,412

@ $88.44 · 2026-05-15

MASSEY SALLY

Officer

$751,633

@ $87.41 · 2026-05-07

TSOURAPAS PANAGIOTIS

Officer

$4.78M

@ $95.57 · 2026-02-12

HAZLIN JOHN

Officer

$1.98M

@ $94.25 · 2026-02-10

MALCOLM GREGORY

Officer

$1.21M

@ $94.91 · 2026-02-06

MASSEY SALLY

Officer

$1.51M

@ $95.03 · 2026-02-05

WALLACE NOEL R

Chief Executive Officer

$4.28M

@ $93.91 · 2026-02-04

DANIELS JENNIFER M.

Officer

$2.08M

@ $94.34 · 2026-02-04

SUTULA STANLEY J III

Chief Financial Officer

$9.22M

@ $94.27 · 2026-02-04

MASSEY SALLY

Officer

$100,061

@ $80.89 · 2025-11-21

MASSEY SALLY

Officer

$200,183

@ $88.97 · 2025-05-15

MASSEY SALLY

Officer

$736,152

@ $92.02 · 2025-02-25

MALCOLM GREGORY

Officer

$101,121

@ $95.94 · 2024-11-26

WALLACE NOEL R

Chief Executive Officer

$3.17M

@ $95.00 · 2024-11-22

SUTULA STANLEY J III

Chief Financial Officer

$4.27M

@ $94.11 · 2024-11-05

SUTULA STANLEY J III

Chief Financial Officer

$4.68M

@ $93.53 · 2024-11-01

HUND-MEJEAN MARTINA

Director

$240,228

@ $103.86 · 2024-08-23

DANIELS JENNIFER M.

Officer

$2.26M

@ $102.76 · 2024-08-08

TSOURAPAS PANAGIOTIS

Officer

$1.52M

@ $102.94 · 2024-08-08

KOOYMAN JOHN W

Officer

$2.55M

@ $102.88 · 2024-08-06

MASSEY SALLY

Officer

$1.64M

@ $103.28 · 2024-08-06

MALCOLM GREGORY

Officer

$1.09M

@ $103.10 · 2024-08-06

TSOURAPAS PANAGIOTIS

Officer

$3.98M

@ $99.47 · 2024-07-31

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Sells (3M)

Sells (12M)

Total value (12M): $39.22M

LING HAI

Officer

$4.48M

@ $499.20 · 2026-02-24

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$10.20M

@ $591.00 · 2025-09-02

LING HAI

Officer

$2.69M

@ $600.00 · 2025-08-22

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$10.46M

@ $586.89 · 2025-08-19

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$3.83M

@ $566.46 · 2025-08-05

GENACHOWSKI JULIUS

Director

$178,049

@ $570.67 · 2025-07-07

KIRKPATRICK LINDA PISTECCHIA

Officer

$536,480

@ $560.00 · 2025-06-30

SESHADRI RAJEEV

Officer

$601,447

@ $546.77 · 2025-06-27

GENACHOWSKI JULIUS

Director

$173,910

@ $561.00 · 2025-06-24

KIRKPATRICK LINDA PISTECCHIA

Officer

$536,480

@ $560.00 · 2025-06-24

SESHADRI RAJEEV

Officer

$508,474

@ $535.80 · 2025-06-20

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$5.02M

@ $532.97 · 2025-06-20

SESHADRI RAJEEV

Officer

$1.76M

@ $561.78 · 2025-06-16

KIRKPATRICK LINDA PISTECCHIA

Officer

$549,373

@ $572.86 · 2025-06-13

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$5.55M

@ $588.18 · 2025-06-12

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$8.22M

@ $585.05 · 2025-06-05

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$218,223

@ $577.31 · 2025-05-15

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$257,535

@ $572.30 · 2025-05-12

MIEBACH MICHAEL

Chief Executive Officer

$8.68M

@ $550.16 · 2025-03-26

MCLAUGHLIN EDWARD GRUNDE

Officer

$3.81M

@ $534.68 · 2025-03-19

MIEBACH MICHAEL

Chief Executive Officer

$9.78M

@ $553.76 · 2025-03-05

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$6.12M

@ $556.14 · 2025-03-05

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$6.19M

@ $562.72 · 2025-02-26

MCLAUGHLIN EDWARD GRUNDE

Officer

$6.18M

@ $564.99 · 2025-02-18

MIEBACH MICHAEL

Chief Executive Officer

$10.17M

@ $564.95 · 2025-02-18

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$7.97M

@ $565.00 · 2025-02-18

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$2.36M

@ $500.44 · 2024-11-01

MADABHUSHI VENKATA RAJAMANNAR

Officer

$2.30M

@ $491.03 · 2024-09-27

MADABHUSHI VENKATA RAJAMANNAR

Officer

$2.29M

@ $489.86 · 2024-09-20

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$550,000

@ $500.00 · 2024-09-17

MADABHUSHI VENKATA RAJAMANNAR

Officer

$2.31M

@ $493.10 · 2024-09-13

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$528,000

@ $480.00 · 2024-08-29

MASTERCARD FOUNDATION ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security

$42.19M

@ $468.80 · 2024-08-22

MASTERCARD FOUNDATION ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security

$42.03M

@ $467.02 · 2024-08-21

LING HAI

Officer

$1.36M

@ $470.00 · 2024-08-16

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$3.16M

@ $470.00 · 2024-08-16

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$6.11M

@ $455.00 · 2024-08-05

LING HAI

Officer

$1.35M

@ $465.46 · 2024-08-01

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$512,006

@ $465.46 · 2024-08-01

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$4.07M

@ $451.06 · 2024-06-20

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

Learn more →

😐Neutral(55/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

😐Neutral(47/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

Learn more →

⚪Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (55)

⚪Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (47)

View CL Full Analysis View MA Full Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions: CL vs MA

Is Colgate-Palmolive Company or Mastercard Incorporated more undervalued in 2026?▼

Based on our discounted cash flow model, MA trades at a 14.2% margin of safety (intrinsic value $571 vs. price $490), compared to CL's -98.0% margin of safety (intrinsic $45 vs. $89).

Which stock has a wider economic moat, Colgate-Palmolive Company or Mastercard Incorporated?▼

MA scores 99/100 (Wide moat), while CL scores 98/100 (Wide moat). The moat score measures competitive advantage durability across ROIC consistency, margin stability, revenue predictability, and reinvestment efficiency.

Which company has better free cash flow, Colgate-Palmolive Company or Mastercard Incorporated?▼

Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) generates a 4.6% free cash flow yield, compared to Mastercard Incorporated's 3.7%. A higher FCF yield means the business converts more of its market value into cash that can be returned to shareholders or reinvested.

Which stock has higher return on invested capital, Colgate-Palmolive Company or Mastercard Incorporated?▼

MA earns 63.5% ROIC versus CL's 40.6%. A higher ROIC means the company generates more profit per dollar of capital employed, a hallmark of durable competitive advantage in Buffett-style analysis.

Which dividend is safer, Colgate-Palmolive Company's or Mastercard Incorporated's?▼

MA's dividend earns a safety score of 94/100 (Very Safe), compared to CL's 64/100 (Safe). MA has raised its dividend for 3 consecutive years.