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Colgate Palmolive cash flow, quarter by quarter

Latest: Q3 2026 · from the cash-flow statements filed with the SEC

Free cash flow$1.0B in Q3 2026 · $3.8B over twelve months

Operating cash flow$1.2B
Capital spending−$134M
Free cash flow+$1.0B
Cash / net income1.5×
Cash conversion cycle36 days

Analysis

In Q3 2026, Colgate Palmolive generated $1.2B of operating cash flow and spent $134M on capital projects, leaving free cash flow of $1.0B. That is $69.0M less than in Q3 2025 ($1.1B).

Over the twelve months to Sep 30, 2026, operating cash flow was $4.4B; the largest uses were dividends ($1.8B), buybacks ($1.3B), capital spending ($577M); besides operations, cash came from shares issued ($196M), other investing ($93.0M); the cash balance rose by $248M.

Operating cash flow was $1.2B against net income of $779M — 1.5× profit, cash ran ahead of reported earnings. The largest differences: depreciation & amortization +$159M, deferred taxes +$69.0M, stock-based pay +$63.0M.

Its cash conversion cycle was 36 days (receivables 33 + inventory 94 − payables 91).

Free cash flow

Colgate Palmolive: free cash flow by quarterColgate Palmolive: free cash flow by quarter$1.1BQ4 2024$476MQ1 2025$776MQ2 2025$1.1BQ3 2025$1.3BQ4 2025$609MQ1 2026$867MQ2 2026$1.0BQ3 2026
Operating cash flow less capital spending.
Colgate Palmolive: operating cash flow against capital spendingColgate Palmolive: operating cash flow against capital spendingOperating cash flowCapital spending$1.3B$184MQ4 2024$600M$124MQ1 2025$884M$108MQ2 2025$1.3B$155MQ3 2025$1.5B$177MQ4 2025$747M$138MQ1 2026$995M$128MQ2 2026$1.2B$134MQ3 2026
Latest (Q3 2026): Operating cash flow $1.2B, Capital spending $134M.

Capital allocation, year by year

Colgate Palmolive: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearColgate Palmolive: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearOperating cash flowNet borrowingShares issuedCapital spendingAcquisitionsBuybacksDividendsFY2021: Operating cash flow $3.3BFY2021: Net borrowing −$171MFY2021: Shares issued $424MFY2021: Capital spending −$567MFY2021: Buybacks −$1.3BFY2021: Dividends −$1.7B$3.7BFY2021FY2022: Operating cash flow $2.6BFY2022: Net borrowing $1.1BFY2022: Shares issued $418MFY2022: Capital spending −$696MFY2022: Acquisitions −$809MFY2022: Buybacks −$1.3BFY2022: Dividends −$1.7B$4.1BFY2022FY2023: Operating cash flow $3.7BFY2023: Net borrowing −$906MFY2023: Shares issued $380MFY2023: Capital spending −$705MFY2023: Buybacks −$1.1BFY2023: Dividends −$1.7B$4.1BFY2023FY2024: Operating cash flow $4.1BFY2024: Net borrowing $93.0MFY2024: Shares issued $638MFY2024: Capital spending −$561MFY2024: Buybacks −$1.7BFY2024: Dividends −$1.8B$4.8BFY2024FY2025: Operating cash flow $4.2BFY2025: Net borrowing −$989MFY2025: Shares issued $101MFY2025: Capital spending −$564MFY2025: Acquisitions −$293MFY2025: Buybacks −$1.2BFY2025: Dividends −$1.8B$4.3BFY2025
Over these 5 years operating cash flow totalled $17.9B; the largest uses were dividends ($8.7B) and buybacks ($6.7B). Cash-flow statements as filed.

Cash runway and the debt wall

Cash & investments$1.6B
Debt$7.8B
Net debt$6.2B
Due within a year$1.1B

Colgate Palmolive funds itself: free cash flow was $3.8B over the last twelve months, and $1.6B of cash and investments stands against $7.8B of debt ($1.1B due within a year, 1.5× covered by cash).

Colgate Palmolive: debt maturities by year (FY2025)Colgate Palmolive: debt maturities by year (FY2025)$1.1BYear 1$523MYear 2$615MYear 3$591MYear 4$500MYear 5$4.5BAfter year 5
Principal due in each year as disclosed in the annual report, against $1.6B of cash and investments now.

Where the cash came from and went

Colgate Palmolive: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Colgate Palmolive: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Operating cash flow$1.2BDividends−$429MBuybacks−$330MCash drawn (+) / kept (−)−$157MCapital spending−$134MNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)−$106MShares issued$40.0MOther financing−$33.0MExchange rates−$19.0MOther investing−$3.0M
Colgate Palmolive: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Colgate Palmolive: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Operating cash flow$4.4BDividends−$1.8BBuybacks−$1.3BCapital spending−$577MOther financing−$484MCash drawn (+) / kept (−)−$248MShares issued$196MNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)−$181MOther investing$93.0MExchange rates−$1.0M

From profit to cash

Colgate Palmolive: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Colgate Palmolive: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Net income$779MDepreciation & amortization$159MStock-based pay$63.0MDeferred taxes$69.0MReceivables$50.0MInventory$6.0MOther liabilities−$32.0MOperating cash flow$1.2B
Non-cash charges are added back; money tied up in receivables or inventory is subtracted.
QuarterReceivable daysInventory daysPayable daysCash conversion cycle
Q3 202633949136
Q2 202633949334
Q1 202630889029
Q4 202531918735
Q3 202532938145
Q2 202531958046
Q1 202530968442
Q4 202430948044

Every quarter

QuarterOperating cash flowCapital spendingBuybacksDividendsNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)Shares issuedCash drawn (+) / kept (−)Free cash flow
Q3 2026$1.2B−$134M−$330M−$429M−$106M$40.0M−$157M$1.0B
Q2 2026$995M−$128M−$291M−$462M−$85.0M$11.0M−$35.0M$867M
Q1 2026$747M−$138M−$306M−$417M$1.1B$127M−$47.0M$609M
Q4 2025$1.5B−$177M−$406M−$523M−$1.1B$18.0M−$9.0M$1.3B
Q3 2025$1.3B−$155M−$288M−$420M$169M$18.0M−$64.0M$1.1B
Q2 2025$884M−$108M−$232M−$474M−$194M$25.0M−$103M$776M
Q1 2025$600M−$124M−$284M−$406M$164M$40.0M−$16.0M$476M
Q4 2024$1.3B−$184M−$455M−$514M−$244M$27.0M$138M$1.1B

Colgate Palmolive: income statement and cash flow

Colgate Palmolive, Q3 2026: revenue $5.4B (+5% year over year), operating margin 20.3%. The chart follows the revenue to costs, profit and cash.

Colgate Palmolive: every quarter, Q/Q and Y/Y → Open in the app

Read automatically from the company’s XBRL cash-flow statements; quarterly figures for the fourth quarter are the year less the first three. Errors are possible. Not investment advice.