Colgate India Reports 9% Sales Growth In Q4 Despite Flat Profit; Declares ₹24 Dividend

Colgate-Palmolive (India) closed FY26 with a 9% year-on-year revenue growth in the fourth quarter as its premium portfolio gained pace and domestic demand held up across categories.

Net sales for the January-March quarter rose to ₹1,583 crore from ₹1,452 crore in the same period last year. Net profit after tax came in at ₹353 crore, broadly flat against ₹355 crore a year earlier. Excluding one-off items and exceptional charges — including costs related to organisational restructuring and GST-linked inverted duty structure adjustments — profit growth on a like-for-like basis stood at 9% for the quarter. Advertising spend increased 10% year-on-year.

For the full year, net sales stood at ₹5,984 crore, roughly flat compared to the previous year. Full-year net profit after tax declined to ₹1,325 crore from ₹1,437 crore, weighed down by inverted duty structure charges arising from GST changes and a higher base from interest income on tax refunds in the prior year.

Managing Director and CEO Prabha Narasimhan said the acceleration in the strategic premium business was a standout feature of the year, delivering growth at three times the overall company rate. She noted that the momentum was balanced between volume and pricing, and broad-based across both core and premium segments. The company is watching commodity price volatility linked to geopolitical developments but said it is positioned to manage input cost pressures through cost discipline and calibrated pricing.

On the dividend front, the board declared a second interim dividend of ₹24 per share, taking the total payout for FY26 to ₹48 per share. The dividend, amounting to ₹653 crore in aggregate, will be paid from 17 June 2026 to shareholders on the register as of 1 June 2026.

The board also approved the re-appointment of Jacob Sebastian Madukkakuzy as Whole-time Director and Chief Financial Officer for a five-year term beginning October 2026, subject to shareholder approval. Madukkakuzy has been with Colgate for over 30 years, having held finance leadership roles across Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Asia Pacific division before joining the Indian subsidiary.