Q1 2026 Colgate Palmolive Co Earnings Call

May 1, 2026

Speaker #1: Good morning. Welcome to today's Colgate-Palmolive first quarter 2026 earnings conference call. This call is being recorded and is being simulcast live at www.colgatepalmolive.com.

Operator: Good morning. Welcome to today's Colgate-Palmolive Q1 2026 Earnings Conference Call. This call is being recorded and is being simulcast live at www.colgatepalmolive.com. For opening remarks, I'd like to turn this call over to Executive Vice President, Investor Relations, Claire Ross.

Speaker #1: Now, for opening remarks, I'd like to turn this call over to Executive Vice President, Investor Relations, Claire Ross.

Speaker #2: Thank you, Drew. Good morning, and welcome to our first quarter 2026 earnings release conference call. This is Claire Ross, Executive Vice President, Investor Relations.

Claire Ross: Thank you, Drew. Good morning, and welcome to our Q1 2026 Earnings Release Conference Call. This is Claire Ross, Executive Vice President, Investor Relations. Today's conference call will include forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from these statements. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties and are made on the basis of our views and assumptions at this time. Please refer to the earnings press release and our most recent filings with the SEC, including our 2025 annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings, all available on our website, for a discussion of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. These remarks also include a discussion of non-GAAP financial measures, which excludes certain items from reported results, including those identified in tables 3 and 6 of the Q1 earnings press release.

Speaker #2: Today's conference call will include forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from these statements. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties, and are made on the basis of our views and assumptions at this time.

Speaker #2: Please refer to the earnings press release and our most recent filings with the SEC, including our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings, all available on our website, for a discussion of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements.

Claire Ross: Please refer to the earnings press release and our most recent filings with the SEC, including our 2025 annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings, all available on our website, for a discussion of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. These remarks also include a discussion of non-GAAP financial measures, which excludes certain items from reported results, including those identified in Tables 3 and 6 of the Q1 earnings press release. A full reconciliation to the corresponding GAAP financial measures and related definitions are included in the earnings press release.

Speaker #2: These remarks also include a discussion of non-GAAP financial measures, which exclude certain items from reported results, including those identified in Tables 3 and 6 of the Q1 earnings press release.

Speaker #2: A full reconciliation to the corresponding GAAP financial measures and related definitions are included in the earnings press release. Joining me on the call this morning are Noel Wallace, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer; Stan Sutulla, Chief Financial Officer; and John Faucher, EVP, M&A and Special Projects.

Claire Ross: A full reconciliation to the corresponding GAAP financial measures and related definitions are included in the earnings press release. Joining me on the call this morning are Noel Wallace, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Stanley J. Sutula, Chief Financial Officer, and John Faucher, EVP, M&A and Special Projects. Noel will provide you with his thoughts on our results and on our 2026 outlook. We will open it up for Q&A.

Claire Ross: Joining me on the call this morning are Noel Wallace, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Sutula, Chief Financial Officer, and John Faucher, EVP, M&A and Special Projects. Noel will provide you with his thoughts on our results and on our 2026 outlook. We will open it up for Q&A.

Speaker #2: Noel will provide you with his thoughts on our results and our 2026 outlook. We will then open it up for Q&A.

Speaker #1: Thanks, Claire. And good morning, everyone. We're pleased with how we started the year, as we delivered strong top and bottom line growth. Organic sales growth accelerated from the fourth quarter, driven by improved volume performance, particularly in Asia Pacific.

Noel Wallace: Thanks, Claire, good morning, everyone. We're pleased with how we started the year as we delivered strong top and bottom-line growth. Organic sales growth accelerated from the Q4, driven by improved volume performance, particularly in Asia Pacific. Excluding the impact of private label pet food exit, we grew both volume and pricing in all 4 categories and 4 of 5 divisions. Our sales growth was led by emerging markets, the regions where our strong global brands generally have higher market shares and the greatest scaled advantages. We believe emerging markets are accretive in terms of growth prospects and are investing in them accordingly. We used the strong net and organic sales growth to deliver gross profit, operating profit, EPS, and free cash flow growth, while still increasing investment in our brands and capabilities.

Noel Wallace: Thanks, Claire, good morning, everyone. We're pleased with how we started the year as we delivered strong top- and bottom-line growth. Organic sales growth accelerated from the Q4, driven by improved volume performance, particularly in Asia Pacific. Excluding the impact of private label pet food exit, we grew both volume and pricing in all four categories and four of five divisions. Our sales growth was led by emerging markets, the regions where our strong global brands generally have higher market shares and the greatest scaled advantages. We believe emerging markets are accretive in terms of growth prospects and are investing in them accordingly. We used the strong net and organic sales growth to deliver gross profit, operating profit, EPS, and free cash flow growth, while still increasing investment in our brands and capabilities.

Speaker #1: Excluding the impact of the private label pet food exit, we grew both volume and price in all four categories and four of five divisions.

Speaker #1: Our sales growth was led by emerging markets. The reasons were that our strong global brands generally have higher market shares and the greatest scale advantages.

Speaker #1: We believe emerging markets are accretive in terms of growth prospects and are investing in them accordingly. And we used the strong net and organic sales growth to deliver gross profit, operating profit, earnings per share, and free cash flow growth, while still increasing investment in our brands and capabilities.

Speaker #1: This encouraging start to the year gives us confidence in our outlook for the balance of the year. Though we are seeing significant increases in raw material and packaging costs, we have built into our guidance a reduction in our expectations for gross margin for the year.

Noel Wallace: This encouraging start to the year gives us confidence in our outlook for the balance of the year. Though significant increases in raw material and packaging costs, we have built into our guidance to reduce our expectations for gross margin for the year. When I spoke to you on our Q4 2025 call, I talked about the strength of our 2030 strategic plan. It's the choices that we made in building this plan, along with the flexibility that we've built into our P&L that allow us to deliver short-term results in a volatile environment while simultaneously building for the long term. Best-in-class companies need to do both short-term results and long-term strategy. Our global brands are driving broad-based growth by geography, by category, and with volume and pricing.

Speaker #1: When I spoke to you on our Q4 2025 call, I talked about the strength of our 2030 strategic plan. It's the choices that we've made in building this plan, along with the flexibility that we've built into our P&L, that allow us to deliver short-term results in a volatile environment, while simultaneously building for the long term.

Speaker #1: And best-in-class companies need to do both: short-term results and long-term strategy. Our global brands are driving broad-based growth by geography, by category, and with volume and pricing.

Speaker #1: Our investments in advertising through our omni-channel demand generation model keep our brands top of mind with consumers in the moments that matter, and we continue to drive higher ROI even as we increase spending.

Noel Wallace: Our investments in advertising through our omni-channel demand generation model, keep our brands top of mind with consumers in the moments that matter, and we continue to drive higher ROI even as we increase spending. We have built our capabilities in areas like innovation, data, analytics, digital, AI, and we'll continue to invest behind them and scale them across the organization. This leaves us well-positioned to delight consumers with perceivable superior products to accelerate category growth and drive market share improvement. We believe our efforts in RGM, promo AI, and funding the growth give us the ability to drive profit and EPS growth even in a period of significant cost inflation. Our strategic growth and productivity program is another great example of how we're working to deliver in the short term while building up for our 2030 strategy.

Speaker #1: We have built our capabilities in areas like innovation, data, analytics, digital, and AI, and will continue to invest behind them and scale them across the organization.

Speaker #1: This leaves us well-positioned to delight consumers with perceivably superior products to accelerate category growth and drive market share improvement. We believe our efforts in RGM, promo AI, and funding the growth give us the ability to drive profit and EPS growth even in a period of significant cost inflation.

Speaker #1: And our strategic growth and productivity program is another great example of how we're working to deliver in the short term, while building up for our 2030 strategy.

Speaker #1: This morning, we announced an update along with an annualized savings target of $200 to $300 million, with the majority of the savings focused in 2027 and 2028.

Noel Wallace: This morning, we announced an update along with annualized savings target of $200 to 300 million, with the majority of the savings focused in 2027 and 2028. This is not an extension of the program, as we still expect the program to be completed by the end of 2028. The savings will enable us to fund investments and capabilities to deliver on the 2030 strategy, as well as to drive consistent compounded dollar-based EPS growth. More importantly, the changes we are making to our organizational structure by reducing complexity will help us build a more agile company that can thrive in an omni-channel environment. There is still uncertainty in how the rest of 2026 will play out, where oil will be, what will happen with interest rates, how the consumers will respond.

Speaker #1: This is not an extension of the program, as we still expect the program to be completed by the end of 2028. The savings will enable us to fund investments and capabilities to deliver on the 2030 strategy, as well as to drive consistent, compounded dollar-based EPS growth.

Speaker #1: More importantly, the changes we are making to our organizational structure by reducing complexity will help us build a more agile company that can thrive in an omni-channel environment.

Speaker #1: There is still uncertainty in how the rest of 2026 will play out—where oil will be, what will happen with interest rates, how the consumers will respond.

Speaker #1: But I can tell you that we believe we've built a model that can deliver in this environment, while setting us up for long-term success.

Noel Wallace: I can tell you this, that we believe we've built a model that can deliver in this environment while setting us up for long-term success. With that, I'll take your questions.

Speaker #1: And with that, I'll take your questions.

Speaker #3: We will now begin the question-and-answer session. To ask a question, you may press star then 1 on your touchtone phone. To withdraw your question, please press star then 2.

Operator: We will now begin the question-and-answer session. The first question comes from Dara Mohsenian with Morgan Stanley. Please go ahead.

Speaker #3: Please limit yourself to one question. If you have further questions, you may re-enter the question queue. Once again, if you would like to ask a question, please press star then 1.

Speaker #3: The first question comes from Dara Mohsenian with Morgan Stanley. Please go ahead.

Speaker #1: Hey, Dara. So, Noel, just wanted to focus on volume mix. You clearly had strong results in emerging markets in Q1 last year. You talked about real-time marketing spend to some higher growth areas and opportunities.

Dara Mohsenian: Hey.

Noel Wallace: Hey, Dara.

Dara Mohsenian: Noel, just wanted to focus on volume mix. You clearly had strong results in emerging markets in Q1. Last year, you talked about reallocating marketing spend in some higher growth areas and opportunities. Wanted to get a sense of how tangible the payoffs are from those efforts. Is that showing up in the Q1 results? Really, the question is how sustainable the volume strength in emerging markets might be going forward with those efforts, but also if you're seeing any negative impact post Iran. Maybe while we're on the subject, on the other side, North America continued to lag in Q1 in volume mix. You did talk about improvement in Q2 in the published remarks. Just wanted to get more detail on the plans there, the level of improvement that might be realistic in North America.

Speaker #1: So I wanted to get a sense of how tangible the payoffs are from those efforts. Is that showing up in the Q1 results? And really, the question is, how sustainable is the volume strength in emerging markets?

Speaker #1: Might be going forward with those efforts, but also if you're seeing any negative impact post or on. And maybe while we're on the subject, on the other side, just North America continued to lag in Q1 in volume mix.

Speaker #1: You did talk about improvement in Q2 in the published remarks. But just wanted to get more detail on the plans there, the level of improvement that might be realistic in North America.

Speaker #4: Yeah. Thanks, Dara. Let me take the volume piece first. Clearly, globally, we're seeing volume still be rather sluggish in our categories. So, in that environment, you can imagine we're particularly pleased with the acceleration of volume growth in the quarter.

Noel Wallace: Thanks, Dara. Let me take the volume piece first. You know, clearly, globally, we're seeing volume still be rather sluggish in our categories. In that environment, you can imagine we're particularly pleased with the acceleration of volume growth in the quarter, certainly from the Q4, and we saw that across almost all divisions in all categories, which is particularly pleasing to us. The broad baseness of that growth, so to speak, is clearly showing up, in fact, that emerging markets have accelerated. Asia Pacific was a big driver of that. We continue to see the interventions that we're taking with the Hawley & Hazel business pay dividends for us moving forward. I wouldn't say we're completely out of the woods yet.

Speaker #4: Certainly, from the fourth quarter. And we saw that across almost all divisions in all categories, which is particularly pleasing to us. The broad-based—broad-basedness of that growth, so to speak, is clearly showing up in the fact that emerging markets have accelerated.

Speaker #4: Asia Pacific was a big driver of that. We've continued to see the interventions that we're taking with the Holly and Hazel business pay dividends for us moving forward.

Speaker #4: I wouldn't say we're completely out of the woods yet. The category continues to be pretty sluggish in China, but our business is executing better against the intervention strategies that we put in.

Noel Wallace: The category continues to be pretty sluggish in China, our business is executing better against the intervention strategies that we put in. The Colgate business continues to perform well. Latin America, from a volume standpoint, continues to hold its own, driving nice volume shares through the quarter. Africa, Middle East, and Europe continue to do better than we expected, quite frankly, given some of the pricing that we've taken in those regions. I think that's the other point. The strength of our brands is allowing us to drive that volume share. That, coming back to the initial part of your question, that the fact that we've continued to sustain high levels of advertising investment, particularly in emerging markets, has allowed us to accelerate the growth. That combined with good RGM, we had a good balance, obviously, of pricing in the quarter as well.

Speaker #4: The Colgate business continues to perform well. Latin America, from a volume standpoint, continues to hold its own, driving nice volume shares through the quarter.

Speaker #4: Africa, Middle East, and Europe continue to do better than we expected, quite frankly, given some of the pricing that we've taken in those regions.

Speaker #4: And I think that's the other point. The strength of our brands is allowing us to drive that volume share. And coming back to the initial part of your question, the fact that we've continued to sustain high levels of advertising investment, particularly in emerging markets, has allowed us to accelerate the growth.

Speaker #4: That, combined with good RGM, we had a good balance, obviously, of pricing in the quarter as well. So overall, we're very pleased with the volume results.

Noel Wallace: Overall, we're very pleased with the volume results. Going on to North America. Listen, I was pretty clear on the Q4 call that North America was gonna take some time. The interventions are in place. I know Jon and Shane are working very diligently on a strategy reset for North America. That's gonna include some real brand interventions, accelerated innovation, more RGM, better execution, getting our promotion strategy right with some of the key retailers. There's a whole myriad of different initiatives taking place, and we started to see some of those come through in the back half of the Q1. Volume was a little dampened by the fact that some of the shelf resets were later than we expected. The new product that we shipped in the Q1 came later as well.

Speaker #4: Going on to North America—listen, I was pretty clear on the fourth quarter call that North America was going to take some time. The interventions are in place.

Speaker #4: I know John and Shane are working very diligently on a strategy reset for North America. That's going to include some real brand interventions, accelerated innovation, more RGM, better execution, and getting our promotion strategy right with some of the key retailers.

Speaker #4: So there's a whole myriad of different initiatives being taken place. And we started to see some of those come through in the back half of the first quarter.

Speaker #4: Volume was a little dampened by the fact that some of the shelf resets were later than we expected. The new product that we shipped in the first quarter came later as well.

Speaker #4: We started to see that accelerate as we exited the quarter. So, plans are in place to address North America overall. Quite pleased with the sequential volume growth across all of our business, particularly in emerging markets.

Noel Wallace: We started to see that accelerate as we exited the quarter. Plans in place to address North America. Overall, quite pleased with the sequential volume growth across all of our business, particularly in emerging markets.

Speaker #3: The next question comes from Filippo Folorni with Citi. Please go ahead.

Operator: The next question comes from Filippo Falorni with Citi. Please go ahead.

Speaker #5: Hi, good morning, everyone. I was hoping you could give a little bit more color on the cost inflation that is currently embedded in guidance.

Filippo Falorni: Hi, good morning, everyone. I was hoping you can give a little more color on the cost inflation that is currently embedded in guidance. I know you changed your gross margin guidance to down year-over-year versus up previously. How much incremental cost inflation are you assuming? What are your assumption on kind of like the crude oil underlying? maybe if you can talk a little bit about a high level of the potential of fats as you get into the back half of the year and as we start thinking about next year as well? Thank you.

Speaker #5: I know you changed your gross margin guidance to down year over year versus up previously. So, how much incremental cost inflation are you assuming?

Speaker #5: What are your assumptions on, kind of like, the crude oil underlying? And maybe if you can talk a little bit at a high level about potential offsets as you get into the back half of the year, and as we start thinking about next year as well.

Speaker #5: Thank you.

Speaker #4: Yeah, let me just address it. From a macro standpoint, I'll let Stan provide some more details. Clearly, the assumptions that we have embedded into our guidance for the year include the $300 million of additional raw materials.

Noel Wallace: Yeah, let me just address it from a macro standpoint. I'll let Stan provide some more details. You know, clearly the assumptions that we've embedded into our guidance for the year include the $300 million of additional raw materials. We're assuming oil roughly at around $110. I think importantly strategically, as we've always gotten ahead of the cost environment, we need to ensure that our operating units are planning for these types of inflationary environments that are coming. Clearly, we'll wait and see. There's a lot of ups and downs moving around the world, so to speak, on oil pricing.

Speaker #4: We're assuming oil roughly at around $110. I think, importantly, strategically, as we've always gotten ahead of the cost environment, we need to ensure that our operating units are planning for these types of inflationary environments that are coming.

Speaker #4: Clearly, we'll wait and see. There's a lot of ups and downs moving around the world, so to speak, on all pricing. But for us, strategically, it's important that the operating units start to build this into their strategies on how they want to execute some of the stronger innovation plans that we have for the balance of the year, how we execute funding the growth for the rest of the year.

Noel Wallace: For us, strategically, it's important that the operating units start to build this into their strategies on how they wanna execute some of the strong innovation plans we have for the balance of the year, how we execute funding the growth for the rest of the year. Again, we feel it's very prudent to get those numbers out there, and we built that into our guidance. Clearly, some of the inflationary environments is forced us to take the gross margin down for the year, but overall, we still feel we're well in line with our guidance on earnings per share. Stan?

Speaker #4: So again, we feel it's very prudent to get those numbers out there, and we've built that into our guidance. Clearly, some of the inflationary environment has forced us to take the gross margin down for the year.

Speaker #4: But overall, we still feel we're well in line with our guidance on earnings per share. Stan?

Speaker #1: Yes, let me pick that up. Our assumptions for the year are embedded in our gross profit margin guidance. It includes rough oil at roughly $110, on average, for the remainder of the year.

Stanley J. Sutula: Yes, let me pick that up. Our assumptions for the year embedded in our gross profit margin guidance includes oil at roughly $110 on average for the remainder of the year, and the associated impact that has on raw and packaging materials. Since the Q4 call, you know, we've seen an additional raw materials and logistics impact for the year of roughly $300 million. You should think of that as roughly two-thirds raw materials and one-third logistics. The biggest incremental impact, Filippo, is coming from oil byproducts, resins, petrochemicals, fats and oils. We now expect that spending in those areas to be up more than 20% year on year for the full year. You can see the impact that that has. Our logistics costs are up nearly 10%, impacting both ocean and land freight.

Stanley Sutula: Yes, let me pick that up. Our assumptions for the year embedded in our gross profit margin guidance includes oil at roughly $110 on average for the remainder of the year, and the associated impact that has on raw and packaging materials. Since the Q4 call, you know, we've seen an additional raw materials and logistics impact for the year of roughly $300 million. You should think of that as roughly two-thirds raw materials and one-third logistics. The biggest incremental impact, Filippo, is coming from oil byproducts, resins, petrochemicals, fats and oils. We now expect that spending in those areas to be up more than 20% year on year for the full year. You can see the impact that that has. Our logistics costs are up nearly 10%, impacting both ocean and land freight.

Speaker #1: And the associated impact that has on raw and packaging materials. Since the fourth quarter call, we've seen an additional raw materials and logistics impact for the year of roughly $300 million.

Speaker #1: And you should think of that as roughly two-thirds raw materials and one-third logistics. The biggest incremental impact, Filippo, is coming from oil byproducts—resins, petrochemicals, fats, and oils.

Speaker #1: And we now expect that spending in those areas to be up more than 20% year on year for the full year. So, you can see the impact that that has.

Speaker #1: Our logistics costs are up nearly 10%, impacting both ocean and land freight. So that's what led us to take a look and put that into our guidance, and offsetting that is the work around RGM, productivity across the entire P&L, which allows us to maintain our guidance.

Stanley J. Sutula: That's what led us to take a look and put that into our guidance. Offsetting that is the work around RGM productivity across the entire P&L, which allows us to maintain our guidance.

Stanley Sutula: That's what led us to take a look and put that into our guidance. Offsetting that is the work around RGM productivity across the entire P&L, which allows us to maintain our guidance.

Speaker #4: Filippo, just one other point I'd make on that is to remember the logistics goes into the SG&A, not into the gross margin. So there'll be an incremental impact in SG&A from—

John Faucher: Filippo, just one other point I'd make on that is remember, the logistics goes into the SG&A, not in the gross margin. There'll be an incremental impact in SG&A from that.

[Company Representative] (Colgate-Palmolive): Filippo, just one other point I'd make on that is remember, the logistics goes into the SG&A, not in the gross margin. There'll be an incremental impact in SG&A from that.

Speaker #3: The next question comes from Bonnie Herzog with Goldman Sachs. Please go ahead.

Operator: The next question comes from Bonnie Herzog with Goldman Sachs. Please go ahead.

Speaker #6: All right. Thank you. Good morning, everyone. I guess I had a quick question on your guidance. You maintain your top- and bottom-line guidance, but you highlighted gross margins will be more pressured.

Bonnie Herzog: All right, thank you. Good morning, everyone. I guess I had a quick question on your guidance. You know, you maintain your top and bottom line guidance. You know, you highlighted gross margins will be more pressured. Maybe first, could you know, just maybe touch a little bit further on some of the key puts and takes on the gross margin headwinds? Ultimately, I'm curious if you see scope for incremental pricing. Second, you know, you talked about, you know, the flexibility you have to potentially pull forward some cost savings or productivity initiatives. Any more color on that would be helpful.

Speaker #6: So maybe first, could you just maybe touch a little bit further on some of the key puts and takes on the gross margin headwinds? But ultimately, I'm curious if you see scope for incremental pricing?

Speaker #6: And then, second, you talked about the flexibility you have to potentially pull forward some cost savings or productivity initiatives. So any more color on that would be helpful.

Speaker #6: I'm thinking about it in the context of your ability to deliver on the bottom line, but I guess ultimately wondering if we should realistically think about your EPS coming in closer to the midpoint of your range or possibly below.

Bonnie Herzog: You know, I'm thinking about in the context of your ability to deliver on the bottom line, but I guess ultimately wondering if we should realistically think about, you know, your EPS coming in closer to the midpoint of your range or possibly below. Again, I'm just trying to understand how much flexibility you have there. Thank you.

Speaker #6: Again, I'm just trying to understand how much flexibility you have there. Thank you.

Speaker #4: Yeah. Good morning, Bonnie. Thank you. So, our guidance reflects what we believe is the increased volatility that we see today in the current environment.

Noel Wallace: Yeah, good morning, Bonnie. Thank you. Our guidance reflects what we believe is the increased volatility that we see today in the current environment. Clearly, we had a strong start to the year. We've maintained our organic sales growth guidance in the 1 to 4, and we're waiting to see what if, quite frankly, what impact that has on the consumer moving forward. I would say currently, we're not seeing a significant impact, but time will tell. From an earnings standpoint, we're watching oil and other commodities, as you can imagine, to see where these prices settle out, but we feel very comfortable with our current range of low to mid-single digits. I would suggest you reflect the lower gross margin in your algorithm. It includes our increased oil and commodity assumptions for the balance of the year.

Speaker #4: And clearly, we had a strong start to the year. So we've maintained our organic sales growth guidance in the 1 to 4 range. And we're waiting to see, quite frankly, what impact that has on the consumer moving forward.

Speaker #4: I would say, currently, we're not seeing a significant impact, but time will tell. From an earnings standpoint, we're watching oil and other commodities, as you can imagine, to see where these prices settle out.

Speaker #4: But we feel very comfortable with our current range of low to mid-single digits. I would suggest you reflect the lower gross margin in your algorithm.

Speaker #4: It includes our increased oil and commodity assumptions for the balance of the year. As Stan just mentioned, with oil at a price of $110 for the balance of the year, it works out to an incremental $300 across the board, including logistics in that number.

Noel Wallace: As Stan just mentioned, with oil at a price of $110 for the balance of the year, works out to an incremental $300 across the board, including logistics in that number. As you think of the rest of the income statement, understand that we remain deeply committed to offsetting as much of that as we possibly can. Clearly, the RGM efforts that we're executing across the world, we will possibly be taking pricing that will come through improved premium innovation as we execute some of the new product launches we have throughout the year. We'll look at price pack architectures as well. We'll look at mix opportunities as we move through the balance of the year. As Stan rightfully called out, I mean, obviously our SGPP program will allow us to offset some of that as well.

Speaker #4: So, as you think of the rest of the income statement, understand that we remain deeply committed to offsetting as much of that as we possibly can.

Speaker #4: Clearly, the RGM efforts that we are executing across the world—we will possibly be taking pricing that will come through improved premium innovation as we execute some of the new product launches we have throughout the year.

Speaker #4: We'll look at price pack architectures as well. We'll look at mixed opportunities as we move through the balance of the year. And as Stan rightfully called out, I mean, obviously, our SGPP program will allow us to offset some of that as well.

Speaker #4: But for right now, the clear indication that we have is that margins will likely be down. And so we want to be prudent in getting that number out there ahead of time.

Noel Wallace: For right now, the clear indication that we have is that margins will likely be down. We wanna be prudent in getting that number out there ahead of time. Stan, anything to add to that?

Speaker #4: Stan, anything to add to that?

Speaker #1: No, just we have a regular productivity program outside of SGPP, and our teams do an exceptionally good job executing that. So we’ll be looking to drive that productivity.

Stanley J. Sutula: No, just, we have a regular productivity program outside of SGPP, and our teams do an exceptionally good job executing that. We'll be looking to drive that productivity. That is not just in the cost line. That also impacts SG&A. As we look to drive that productivity, that'll be one of the other flexibility points that we execute on.

Stanley Sutula: No, just, we have a regular productivity program outside of SGPP, and our teams do an exceptionally good job executing that. We'll be looking to drive that productivity. That is not just in the cost line. That also impacts SG&A. As we look to drive that productivity, that'll be one of the other flexibility points that we execute on.

Speaker #1: That is not just in the cost line. That also impacts SG&A. So as we look to drive that productivity, that'll be one of the other flexibility points that we execute on.

Speaker #3: The next question comes from Peter Galbo with Bank of America. Please go ahead.

Operator: The next question comes from Peter Galbo with Bank of America. Please go ahead.

Speaker #5: Hey, good morning, guys. Thanks for the question. Noel, I was actually hoping to pivot back to APAC. You called it out in your prepared remarks as a source of strength.

Peter Galbo: Hey, good morning, guys. Thanks for the question.

Noel Wallace: Thank you.

Peter Galbo: Noel, I was actually hoping to pivot back to APAC. You called it out in your prepared remarks as a source of strength. In the prepared remarks, I think you noted India very briefly just as kind of the main driver. Hoping to unpack that a little bit more, just India growth in the quarter, and then any help around just whether GST is really aiding that business and what you've seen so far. Thanks very much.

Speaker #5: And in the prepared remarks, I think you noted India very briefly, just as kind of the main driver. So, hoping to unpack that a little bit more—just India growth in the quarter, and then any help around whether GST is really aiding that business and what you've seen so far.

Speaker #5: Thanks very much.

Speaker #4: Yeah, thanks, Peter. I can't give a lot of detail on India. They haven't announced officially their numbers. But we did say, obviously, the growth in Asia Pacific was strong.

Noel Wallace: Thanks, Peter. I can't give a lot of detail on India. They haven't announced officially their numbers, we did say obviously the growth in Asia Pacific was strong, you can clearly connect that back to the two largest markets, which are China and India. As I look at Asia Pacific in general, I'm really pleased with the acceleration that we saw in Q1. As I mentioned, on the first question, you know, we're not out of the woods yet on Hawley & Hazel, they're making some very significant improvements in their execution and the strategic interventions we've taken over the last year are starting to take hold. One, we've accelerated innovation in that market.

Speaker #4: And you can clearly connect that back to the two largest markets, which are China and India. So as I look at Asia Pacific in general, I'm really pleased with the acceleration that we saw in the first quarter.

Speaker #4: As I mentioned on the first question, we're not out of the woods yet on Holly and Hazel, but they're making some very significant improvements in their execution.

Speaker #4: And the strategic interventions we've taken over the last year are starting to take hold. One, we've accelerated innovation in that market. We're seeing that through the dual tube technology that's in some of the prepared charts that we shared with everyone earlier.

Noel Wallace: We're seeing that through the dual tool technology that's in some of the prepared charts that we shared with everyone earlier. Clearly, that's having a great impact. We're getting our omni-channel execution much, much more effectively implemented across the different platforms that exist, including Douyin. We feel good about where Hawley & Hazel is going. We've got some good brand work going on in the balance of the year. Investment levels continue to be strong. You couple that with the strength of the Colgate business in that market, which is executing very, very well. The Colgate business delivered mid-single digit growth in a flat to declining market. Again, very encouraged by what we saw across China.

Speaker #4: Clearly, that's having a great impact. We're getting our omnichannel execution much more effectively implemented across the different platforms that exist, including Douyin. And so we feel good about where Holly and Hazel is going.

Speaker #4: We've got some good brand work going on in the balance of the year. Investment levels continue to be strong. And you couple that with the strength of the Colgate business in that market, which is executing very, very well.

Speaker #4: The Colgate business delivered mid-single-digit growth in a flat to declining market. So, again, very encouraged by what we saw across China. That being said, if you go across the rest of the region, the Philippines performed well.

Noel Wallace: That being said, if you go across the rest of the region, Philippines performed well, Thailand performed well, Malaysia performed well, Australia a little softer than anticipated. Overall, Asia doing quite well, and clearly some of the volume drivers that volume acceleration we saw in the quarter was coming out of that region.

Speaker #4: Thailand performed well. Malaysia performed well. Australia was a little softer than anticipated. But overall, Asia is doing quite well. And clearly, some of the volume drivers—the volume acceleration we saw in the quarter—was coming out of that region.

Speaker #3: The next question comes from Peter Grum with UBS. Please go ahead.

Operator: The next question comes from Peter Grom with UBS. Please go ahead.

Speaker #4: Great, thank you. And good morning, everyone. So I was hoping to get some perspective on Latin America. Another strong volume quarter—can you maybe just give us some more context on category growth and market share performance in the region?

Peter Grom: Great. Thank you, and good morning, everyone. I was hoping to get some perspective on Latin America, another strong volume quarter. Can you maybe just give us some more context on category growth and market share performance in the region? Noel, you sounded pretty confident on emerging market growth from here in your response to Dara's question. Curious, just as you look ahead, do you expect this momentum to continue? Maybe specifically, do you expect to see continued balance from a volume and price perspective? Thanks.

Speaker #4: And Noel, you sounded pretty confident on emerging market growth from here in your response to Dara's question. So, curious—just as you look ahead, do you expect this momentum to continue?

Speaker #4: And maybe specifically, do you expect to see continued balance from a volume and price perspective? Thanks.

Speaker #5: Yeah, good morning, Peter. Thank you. Listen, Latin America continues to execute very, very well. We've got a really—I was down in Mexico and Brazil and Argentina in the last month, and really pleased to see how some of the strategic capabilities that we're building and driving from the center, Latin America is definitely at the forefront of executing some of those.

Noel Wallace: Yeah. Good morning, Peter. Thank you. listen, Latin America continues to execute very, very well. We've got a I was down in Mexico and Brazil and Argentina in the last month and really pleased to see how some of the strategic capabilities that we're building and driving from the center, Latin America is definitely at the forefront of executing some of those. Clearly, their omni demand generation, work is excellent. Some of the work they're using AI for is excellent. RGM continues to be best in class, and their in-store execution and driving numeric and weighted distribution across some of our adjacency categories looks terrific as well. overall, they're executing terrifically, and you saw the obviously mid-single digit growth coming out of them, and particularly the growth being Mexico and Brazil driven.

Speaker #5: Clearly, their omni-demand generation work is excellent. Some of the work they're using AI for is excellent. RGM continues to be best in class. And their in-store execution and driving numeric and weighted distribution across some of our adjacency categories looks terrific as well.

Speaker #5: So overall, they're executing terrifically. And you saw, obviously, the mid-single-digit growth coming out of them, and particularly the growth being Mexico- and Brazil-driven.

Speaker #5: So, excellent results from that perspective. The innovation—I'll talk to for just a moment in Latin America. And we're seeing that across emerging markets.

Noel Wallace: Excellent results from that perspective. The innovation I'll talk to for just a moment in Latin America. We're seeing that across emerging markets. I talked a lot about that last year, how we're truly trying to step up Emerging markets to continue to drive the growth for the balance of the year. That will be driven by some of the changes that we've made on accelerating innovation at the lower price points and mid-price points while continuing to see the biggest strategic growth opportunity to be in the premium side. You'll see that unveiled. The purple launch that we had in Asia that we've carried through Latin America now is doing very, very well. Our home care launch and some of the adjacencies that we've gotten into and the relaunch of our core business on Suavitel is performing quite well.

Speaker #5: I talked a lot about that last year, how we're truly trying to step up. Emerging markets continue to drive the growth for the balance of the year.

Speaker #5: And that will be driven by some of the changes that we've made on accelerating innovation at the lower price points and mid-price points, while continuing to see the biggest strategic growth opportunity to be in the premium side.

Speaker #5: So you'll see that unveiled. The purple launch that we had in Asia, that we've carried through Latin America now, is doing very, very well.

Speaker #5: Our home care launch and some of the adjacencies that we've gotten into, and the relaunch of our core business on Suavitel, is performing quite well.

Speaker #5: So the good news is we have ample opportunities across the innovation to continue to drive growth. And I think some of the capabilities that we're executing from the center and Latam taking on gives us great confidence that they'll continue to perform well in the quarter.

Noel Wallace: The good news is we have ample opportunities across the innovation to continue to drive growth, and I think some of the capabilities that we're executing from the center and LatAm taking on gives us great confidence that they'll continue to perform well in the quarter.

Speaker #3: The next question comes from Alex—excuse me, Andrea Teixeira with JPMorgan. Please go ahead.

Operator: The next question comes from excuse me, Andrea Teixeira with J.P. Morgan. Please go ahead.

Speaker #6: Thank you, Operator. And good morning, everyone. I was just hoping to know if you could elaborate a little bit more on how competitive the U.S. auto care business is now.

Andrea Teixeira: Thank you, operator, good morning, everyone. I was just hoping to know if you can elaborate a little bit more on the, how competitive the US oral care business is now. I understand there were some, you know, setups on the innovation side. Historically, you have had a higher volume share, which sets you well for this type of, like, more RGM-driven market. I was hoping to see how you left the quarter, you exit the quarter, and as you said, those, if you see sequential improvement in market shares and how you're seeing that set up going into the balance of the year.

Speaker #6: And I understand there were some setups on the innovation side. And historically, you have had a higher volume share, which sets you well for this type of more RGM-driven market.

Speaker #6: So I was hoping to see how you left the quarter. You exited the quarter and, as you said, those—if you see sequential improvement in market shares—and how you're seeing that set up going into the balance of the year.

Speaker #5: Yeah, thanks, Andrea. Yes, very much the case. We expect sequential improvement in North America moving forward. The innovation came late in the quarter; we're getting that executed.

Noel Wallace: Thanks, Andrea. Yes, very much the case. We expect sequential improvement in North America moving forward. The innovation came late in the quarter. We're getting that executed, and some of the early signs are encouraging, but clearly a lot more work to do in North America. I have been through some of the strategic interventions that we're taking. I'm quite pleased with some of the decisions they're taking. The environment, to your point, is quite competitive. We see quite a bit of our competition spending a little bit more money on couponing. Nothing tremendously unusual, but one of our competitors certainly trying to drive more volume in that regard. We will step up our investments in North America. Clearly, as we look at the balance of the year, that's a strategic growth opportunity for us, particularly in toothpaste.

Speaker #5: And some of the early signs are encouraging. But clearly, a lot more work to do in North America. And I have been through some of the strategic interventions that we're taking—I'm quite pleased with some of the decisions they're taking.

Speaker #5: The environment, to your point, is quite competitive. We see quite a bit of our competition spending a little bit more money on couponing. Nothing tremendously unusual.

Speaker #5: But one of our competitors is certainly trying to drive more volume in that regard. So we will step up our investments in North America. Clearly, as we look at the balance of the year, that's a strategic growth opportunity for us, particularly in toothpaste.

Speaker #5: The toothbrush business continues to perform very well, and we're starting to see nice growth with some of the other categories as well. We've taken a much more aggressive stance on innovation, both in Home Care and Personal Care, and particularly the early signs on Home Care are encouraging.

Noel Wallace: The toothbrush business continues to perform very well. We're starting to see nice growth from some of the other categories as well. We've taken a much more aggressive stance on innovation, both in home care and personal care, and particularly the early signs on home care are encouraging. Sequentially, the business should improve as we move through the balance of the year, and shares should come right behind that.

Speaker #5: So, sequentially, the business should improve as we move through the balance of the year. And shares should come right behind that.

Speaker #3: The next question comes from Chris Carey with Wells Fargo Securities. Please go ahead.

Operator: The next question comes from Chris Carey with Wells Fargo Securities. Please go ahead.

Speaker #7: Hi, everyone. Thanks so much for the question. Just given that inflation is picking up over the course of the year, I just wanted to see if this adjusts or alters your plans for pricing, perhaps specifically in emerging markets where pricing can move a bit quicker, and whether that's factored into your outlook.

Chris Carey: Hi, everyone.

Noel Wallace: Chris.

Chris Carey: Thanks so much for the question. Just given the inflation is picking up over the course of the year, I just wanted to see if this adjusts or alters your plans for pricing, you know, perhaps specifically in emerging markets where pricing can move a bit quicker and whether that's factored in your outlook. You know, just as a follow-up on North America, the margins were a bit light this quarter. Any context on that and how you see those, you know, tracking from here? Thanks so much.

Speaker #7: And just as a follow-up on North America, the margins were a bit light this quarter. Any context on that, and how you see those tracking from here?

Speaker #7: Thanks so much.

Speaker #5: Yeah. First, we'll watch the consumer very, very carefully. Clearly, there's been some compounded inflation over the last couple of years. We've seen that, obviously, lead to a little bit more of the sluggishness we're seeing in the categories.

Noel Wallace: Yeah, you know, first, we'll watch the consumer very, very carefully. You know, clearly there's been some compounded inflation over the last couple years. We've seen that obviously lead to a little bit more of the sluggishness we're seeing in the categories, but the categories have not worsened. In fact, we think emerging markets are picking up a little bit, but we're gonna watch that very, very closely. That being said, I mean, the key focus for most companies today is the inflationary environment, and your ability to get pricing in the category continues to be critically important to maintain the margin dollars and the spending in the categories. I think you'll see pricing still come through as we move through the balance of the year, but that needs to be coupled with strong in-innovation.

Speaker #5: But the categories are not worsened. In fact, we think emerging markets are picking up a little bit. But we're going to watch that very, very closely.

Speaker #5: That being said, I mean, the key focus for most companies today is the inflationary environment. And your ability to get pricing in the category continues to be critically important to maintain the margin dollars and the spending in the categories.

Speaker #5: And so, I think you'll see pricing still come through as we move through the balance of the year, but that needs to be coupled with strong innovation.

Speaker #5: If we have the right value proposition across our different price points, consumers are willing to pay more. We've seen that coming out of COVID, when we saw the inflationary environment then.

Noel Wallace: If we have the right value proposition across our different price points, consumers are willing to pay more. We've seen that coming out of COVID when we saw the inflationary environment then. The key for us is getting the innovation executed and maximizing the opportunities we see both at the top end of the market in premium, as well as making sure that we have choiceful offerings at the bottom end of the market. The answer to your question on pricing, we will take pricing where we see the opportunities. More of that will be innovation-led as we move through the balance of the year. Part of the reason why we wanted to get the raw materials into our guidance is to make sure the operations are planning accordingly.

Speaker #5: So, the key for us is getting the innovation executed and maximizing the opportunities we see both at the top end of the market and premium, as well as making sure that we have a choice for offerings at the bottom end of the market.

Speaker #5: So, the answer to your question on pricing: we will take pricing where we see the opportunities. More of that will be innovation-led as we move through the balance of the year.

Speaker #5: But part of the reason why we wanted to get the raw materials into our guidance is to make sure the operations are planning accordingly.

Speaker #5: And we want to be very thoughtful about them thinking about where the cost environment is going, so they can maintain the investment in the P&L moving forward.

Noel Wallace: We wanna be very thoughtful about them thinking about where the cost environment is going so they can maintain the investment in the P&L moving forward.

Speaker #5: I'll pick up the gross profit margin piece on North America. So their margins, obviously, are significantly pressured by tariffs on a year-on-year basis.

Stanley J. Sutula: I'll pick up the gross profit margin piece on North America. Their margins obviously are significantly pressured by tariffs on a year-on-year basis. If you recall, there was minimal tariffs in the prior year, but North America incurs the vast majority of them. Obviously, higher raw material costs. We are lapping the highest gross profit margin quarter last year with no incremental tariffs, and that year-on-year impact we expect will be less going forward. Within North America as well, you know, the actions that we're taking, the raw materials is the biggest impact that we have. We will continue to drive the productivity to look to improve that margin, and then the tariffs will normalize as we go through the year.

Stanley Sutula: I'll pick up the gross profit margin piece on North America. Their margins obviously are significantly pressured by tariffs on a year-on-year basis. If you recall, there was minimal tariffs in the prior year, but North America incurs the vast majority of them. Obviously, higher raw material costs. We are lapping the highest gross profit margin quarter last year with no incremental tariffs, and that year-on-year impact we expect will be less going forward. Within North America as well, you know, the actions that we're taking, the raw materials is the biggest impact that we have. We will continue to drive the productivity to look to improve that margin, and then the tariffs will normalize as we go through the year.

Speaker #5: If you recall, there were minimal tariffs in the prior year, but North America incurs the vast majority of them. And, obviously, higher raw material costs.

Speaker #5: So we are lapping the highest gross profit margin quarter last year, with no incremental tariffs. And that year-on-year impact, we expect, will be less going forward.

Speaker #5: Within North America as well, the actions that were taken—the raw materials is the biggest impact that we have. We will continue to drive the productivity to look to improve that margin.

Speaker #5: And then the tariffs will normalize as we go through the year. Yeah. The other thing I would add is the cost environment, obviously, is an industry issue.

Noel Wallace: Yeah. The other thing I would add is the cost environment obviously is an industry issue and impacting everyone. My sense is you will see some pricing move through the categories over time as people try to offset the inflationary environment moving through their P&L. You know, for us, being proactive is very important to ensure that we protect the margin lines in the P&L to ensure we maintain the investment.

Speaker #5: And impacting everyone. So you might sense, as you will see, some pricing move through the categories over time as people try to offset the inflationary environment moving through their P&L.

Speaker #5: For us, being proactive is very important to ensure that we protect the margin lines in the P&L to ensure we maintain the investment.

Speaker #3: The next question comes from Robert Moscow with TD Cowen. Please go ahead.

Operator: The next question comes from Robert Moskow with TD Cowen. Please go ahead.

Speaker #8: Hi. Thanks, Noel. I was wondering, what made you decide today, or just recently, to expand the scope of the SGPP program to $350 to $500 million?

Robert Moskow: Hey, thanks, Noel. I was wondering what made you decide today or just recently to expand the scope of the SGPP program to $350 million to $500 million? What held you back last year from making that your original recommendation to the board? Does it have anything to do with the higher cost environment that we're in now?

Speaker #8: What held you back last year from making that your original recommendation to the board? Does it have anything to do with the higher cost environment that we're in now?

Speaker #5: No, I mean, the latter part of your question—no. I mean, clearly, we've been very proactive on putting that program together, and these programs are complex.

Noel Wallace: No, it. I mean, the latter part of your question, no. I mean, clearly, we've been very proactive on putting that program together, and these programs are complex. I mean, they involve a lot of different inputs and a lot of different assumptions, which the team here painstakingly goes through to ensure the assumptions are correct. I think what's so pleasing about the program, the fact that we got ahead of it, is that we've seen the execution from our teams on the ground be a lot better than we expected. A lot more ideas have come to the table as they've thought it through in terms of the opportunities they have to simplify the operational structure of our business and drive more accountability across the enterprise.

Speaker #5: I mean, they involve a lot of different inputs, and a lot of different assumptions, which the team here painstakingly goes through to ensure the assumptions are correct.

Speaker #5: I think what's so pleasing about the program, the fact that we got ahead of it, is that we've seen the execution from our teams on the ground be a lot better than we expected.

Speaker #5: And a lot more ideas have come to the table as they've thought it through in terms of the opportunities they have to simplify the operational structure of our business and drive more accountability across the enterprise.

Speaker #5: And so we're pleased with the fact that the programs have come in better than we anticipated. And there's been a lot of very interesting ideas that came through.

Noel Wallace: We're pleased with the fact that the programs have come in better than we anticipated, and there's been a lot of very interesting ideas that came through. You don't necessarily always know those. You know the big ones from the start, but the more important ones are how the operations are thinking about structuring themselves in a more efficient manner, and those seem to be coming through. Let me turn it over to Stan, who's been driving this from the top and doing a wonderful job in making sure the teams are really proactive in thinking about the opportunities that we can go after.

Speaker #5: You don't necessarily always know those. You know the big ones, from the start. But the more important ones are how the operations are thinking about structuring themselves in a more efficient manner.

Speaker #5: And those seem to be coming through. Let me turn it over to Stan, who's been driving this from the top and doing a wonderful job in making sure the teams are really proactive in thinking about the opportunities that we can go after.

Speaker #6: Thanks, Noel. So, first of all, the strong execution from the teams when we first went in—this program is a little bit different than some of our previous ones in that it was addressed a little bit more methodically, addressing structure through spans and layers and items like that.

Stanley J. Sutula: Thanks, Noel. First of all, the strong execution from the teams. When we first went in, this program is a little bit different to some of our previous ones, that it was addressed a little bit more methodically on addressing structure through spans and layers and items like that. The strong execution has gotten us to the high end of the initial targets. As Noel mentioned, we've identified additional opportunities since that launch of the program as teams look to simplify the operations, enhance the efficiency of how we operate day-to-day. Importantly, we're not extending the program, this is going to still end by 31 December 2028. As a result of these actions, we now expect that we'll be able to generate $200 to 300 million of savings over the term of the program.

Stanley Sutula: Thanks, Noel. First of all, the strong execution from the teams. When we first went in, this program is a little bit different to some of our previous ones, that it was addressed a little bit more methodically on addressing structure through spans and layers and items like that. The strong execution has gotten us to the high end of the initial targets. As Noel mentioned, we've identified additional opportunities since that launch of the program as teams look to simplify the operations, enhance the efficiency of how we operate day-to-day. Importantly, we're not extending the program, this is going to still end by 31 December 2028. As a result of these actions, we now expect that we'll be able to generate $200 to 300 million of savings over the term of the program.

Speaker #6: The strong execution has gotten us to the high end of the initial targets. And then, as Noel mentioned, we've identified additional opportunities since that launch of the program as teams look to simplify the operations and enhance the efficiency of how we operate day-to-day.

Speaker #6: Importantly, we're not extending the program, so this is still going to end by December 31, 2028. But as a result of these actions, we now expect that we'll be able to generate $200 million to $300 million of savings over the term of the program.

Speaker #6: And the majority of those savings, we expect, will flow through in 2027 and 2028. I think also an important note, as we said when we launched this program, we’ll utilize these savings in two primary areas.

Stanley J. Sutula: The majority of those savings, we expect, will flow through in 2027 and 2028. I think also an important note, as we said when we launched this program, we'll utilize these savings in 2 primary areas: to fund incremental investments, accelerating growth as part of our 2030 strategy, and then, of course, bottom-line contribution. We'll balance those based on the opportunities that we see and the overall market conditions.

Stanley Sutula: The majority of those savings, we expect, will flow through in 2027 and 2028. I think also an important note, as we said when we launched this program, we'll utilize these savings in 2 primary areas: to fund incremental investments, accelerating growth as part of our 2030 strategy, and then, of course, bottom-line contribution. We'll balance those based on the opportunities that we see and the overall market conditions.

Speaker #6: To fund incremental investments, accelerating growth as part of our 2030 strategy—and that, of course, bottom line contribution. And we'll balance those based on the opportunities that we see and the overall market conditions.

Speaker #3: The next question comes from Olivia Tong with Raymond James. Please go ahead.

Operator: The next question comes from Olivia Tong with Raymond James. Please go ahead.

Speaker #8: Great, thanks. Good morning. New plan that, even with the cost inflation—good morning—new flag that, even with the cost inflation headwinds, your plan is to stay disciplined on brand spend.

Olivia Tong: Great. Thanks. Good morning. Oh, good morning. You find that even with the cost inflation headwinds, your plans are stay disciplined on brand spend. Clearly, a lot of your peers feel the same. I'm wondering how your strategy and management of brand spend potentially pivots given the cost environment, you know, looking for additional efficiencies, for example. What's your view also on how this could impact the promotional environment?

Speaker #8: Clearly, a lot of your peers feel the same. But I'm wondering how your strategy and management of brand spend potentially pivots, given the cost environment.

Speaker #8: Looking for additional efficiencies, for example. And what's your view also on how this could impact the promotional environment?

Speaker #5: Yeah, listen, I think most of us in the industry understand that innovation is a clear driver of sustainable, long-term growth. And the exciting aspect for us is the flexibility that we have in the P&L to ensure that we're supporting our innovation in a meaningful way.

Noel Wallace: Yeah. Listen, I think most of us in the industry understand that innovation is a clear driver of sustainable long-term growth. The exciting aspect for us is the flexibility that we have in the P&L to ensure that we're supporting our innovation in a meaningful way, and that will continue to be the strategy that we adopt. That's been successful for us over the last couple years, and we'll continue to execute that. The combination of our strong funding to growth, our RGM, and the productivity initiatives that Stan just took you through give us confidence that we can continue to invest at healthy levels behind our brands, and that will help drive category growth in the long term. Clearly, we see an opportunity to elevate top-line investment.

Speaker #5: And that will continue to be the strategy that we adopt. That's been successful for us over the last couple of years. And we'll continue to execute that.

Speaker #5: And the combination of our strong funding the growth, our RGM, and the productivity initiatives that Stan just took you through give us confidence that we can continue to invest health at healthy levels behind our brands.

Speaker #5: And that will help drive category growth in the long term. So clearly, we see an opportunity to elevate top-line investment. I talked a lot about omni-demand generation.

Noel Wallace: I talked a lot about omni-demand generation, we're putting a significant amount of time within the company to truly understand the pressure points in omni-demand generation and making sure that we have the appropriate understanding and insights to drive persuasion and excitement behind our brands. That might include different platform advertising. That might include increased focus on social commerce or agentic commerce. We clearly are understanding where profit pools are, revenue pools are, so to speak, in using our money wisely. We're spending significantly more time understanding ROI as more of our money moves into digital advertising. Overall, we feel the increased advertising is something that will benefit us, benefit our brands. We're not necessarily suggesting that's going into promotion at all.

Speaker #5: And we're putting a significant amount of time within the company to truly understand the pressure points in omni-demand generation and making sure that we have the appropriate understanding and insights to drive persuasion and excitement behind our brands.

Speaker #5: And that might include different platform advertising. That might include increased focus on social commerce or agentic commerce. So we've clearly are understanding where the profit pools are, the revenue pools are, so to speak.

Speaker #5: And using our money wisely. And we're spending significantly more time understanding ROI as more of our money moves into digital advertising. So overall, we feel the increased advertising is something that will benefit us, benefit our brands.

Speaker #5: We're not necessarily suggesting that's going into promotion at all. Quite frankly, on the contrary, we expect our advertising, our thematic brand building, work to be much more effective as we move forward, as we accelerate advertising, particularly in some of the key geographies where we need more aggressive intervention relative to the success we're having.

Noel Wallace: Quite frankly, on the contrary, we expect our advertising, our thematic brand-building work to be much more effective as we move forward, as we accelerate advertising, particularly in some of the key geographies where we need more aggressive intervention relative to the success we're having. We also have brands where the advertising's driving real momentum across the world. Hill's is a great example of that, and we'll continue to accelerate growth in that part of the business where we're seeing great returns on that investment.

Speaker #5: We also have brands where the advertising is driving real momentum across the world. Hills is a great example of that. And we'll continue to accelerate growth in that part of the business where we're seeing great returns on that investment.

Speaker #3: The next question comes from Robert Ottenstein with Evercore ISI. Please go ahead.

Operator: The next question comes from Robert Ottenstein with Evercore ISI. Please go ahead.

Speaker #6: Great. So I was wondering if you can talk a little bit more about Hills. Which has largely gone unnoticed so far in this call except for your last mention.

Robert Ottenstein: Great. I was wondering if you can talk a little bit more about Hill's, which, you know, has largely gone unnoticed so far on this call except for your last mention. You know, first off, how is the category doing? Is there any signs of improvement? Second, you know, following on that competitive activity, how your innovations are going, how household penetration is, and then taking out the private label side, would you expect the core business to accelerate as the year goes? Thank you.

Speaker #6: Can you—first off, how is the category doing? Are there any signs of improvement? And then, second, following on that, competitive activity—how are your innovations going?

Speaker #6: How household penetration is? And then taking out the private label side, would you expect the core business to accelerate as the year goes? Thank you.

Speaker #5: Yeah. Good morning, Robert. Thanks. And thanks for bringing up a wonderful business that continues to perform exceptionally well. They had an impressive quarter and arguably what's a tough market.

Noel Wallace: Yeah. Good morning, Robert. Thanks. Thanks for bringing up, you know, a wonderful business that continues to perform exceptionally well. They had an impressive quarter in arguably what's a tough market. We delivered solid organic, I would say, both volume and price, ex private label, at, you know, at 4.8%. The US grew at 5, so excellent growth on top line basis, way outperforming the market, which is roughly flat right now. As you saw in the prepared remarks, private label is at 260 basis point negative. That will continue to taper off. It'll probably be on the total company 20 to 30 basis points of negative impact in Q2, and then we should be out of that by the H2.

Speaker #5: We delivered solid organic, I would say, both volume and price, ex-private label. At 4.8%, the US grew at 5. So excellent growth on top-line basis, way outperforming the market, which is roughly flat right now.

Speaker #5: As you saw in the prepared remarks, private label is at 260 basis points negative. That will continue to taper off. It'll probably be on the total company 20 to 30 basis points of negative impact in the second quarter.

Speaker #5: And then we should be out of that by the back half of the year. Our volume continues to be impressive on that business, excluding the impact of private label.

Noel Wallace: Our volume continues to be impressive on that business. Excluding the impact of private label, volume was up 1%, which is terrific. We're seeing Science Diet and Prescription Diet continuously grow. Particularly, the Prescription Diet business had an exceptional quarter. We had double-digit growth in some of the areas that we wanted to go after, particularly on some of the strong indications that we're focused on. Importantly, as I mentioned on the Q4 call, we're seeing broad-based growth across that business, across all of the key growing segments. The only part of the category that's suffering more than others is dry dog, and we've seen that category continue to slip, and our growth was not where we'd like it to be.

Speaker #5: Volume was up 1%, which is terrific. We're seeing science diet and prescription diet continuously grow, particularly the prescription diet business had an exceptional quarter.

Speaker #5: We had double-digit growth in some of the areas that we wanted to go after, particularly on some of the strong indications that we're focused on.

Speaker #5: Importantly, as I mentioned on the fourth quarter call, we're seeing broad-based growth across that business, across all of the key growing segments. The only part of the category that's suffering more than others is dry dog.

Speaker #5: And we've seen that category continue to slip. And our growth was not where we'd like it to be, but across the growing segments—whether it's wet, whether it's cat, whether it's small paws—we continue to see nice, nice growth.

Noel Wallace: Across the growing segments, whether it's cat, whether it's Small Paws, we continue to see nice growth. We're gaining share across almost every single channel, across the innovation that we put into the market, which is terrific. We're gaining shelf space based on the strong growth that we're bringing to our retailers. Overall, we feel very good about the business. We feel very good about the innovation cycle coming through the balance of the year. The supply chain, as we've talked about a couple times, continues to perform exceptionally well, giving us a lot more flexibility and leverage as we move through, as we look through the P&L. Overall, business in good shape. We'd like to see the category turn a little bit more.

Speaker #5: We're gaining share across almost every single channel, across the innovation that we put into the market, which is terrific. We're gaining shelf space based on the strong growth that we're bringing to our retailers.

Speaker #5: So overall, we feel very good about the business. We feel very good about the innovation cycle coming through the balance of the year. And the supply chain, as we've talked about a couple of times, continues to perform exceptionally well, giving us a lot more flexibility and leverage as we move through, as we look through the P&L.

Speaker #5: So overall, business is in good shape. We'd like to see the category turn a little bit more. I think that's going to take some time.

Noel Wallace: I think that's gonna take some time, but we feel we've got real growth opportunities in some of those segments I mentioned that we continue to be under-indexed in.

Speaker #5: But we feel we've got real growth opportunities in some of those segments I mentioned that we continue to be underindexed in.

Speaker #3: The last question will come from Michael Avery with Piper Sandler. Please go ahead.

Operator: The last question will come from Michael Lavery with Piper Sandler. Please go ahead.

Speaker #7: Thank you. Good morning.

Michael Lavery: Thank you. Good morning.

Speaker #5: Good morning, Mark.

Noel Wallace: Good morning.

Speaker #7: Just actually wanted to come back to Hills and I know you gave a lot of color just then, but I was wondering if you could unpack that consumer a little bit and just maybe what, if any, risk from higher gas prices on how they think about maybe trading up or getting a pet in the first place or just some of the kind of ways you see where that consumer sits in some of the various markets and if there's ways to think about how sustainable the momentum is from their point of view.

Michael Lavery: Just actually wanted to come back to Hill's, and I know you gave a lot of color just then, but was wondering if you could unpack that consumer a little bit and, you know, just maybe what, if any, risk from higher gas prices on how they think about, you know, trading up or getting a pet in the first place or just some of the kind of ways you see where that consumer sits in some of the various markets and if there's ways to think about how sustainable the momentum is from their point of view.

Speaker #5: Yeah, thanks. Recall and remember that we compete at the super-premium end of the market on Hills. And clearly, we'll continue to focus on real value-added innovation, particularly on the prescription diet side, which is an area where, when you have a sick pet, you're very apt to spend more money to address those issues in the prescription diet formulations that we have.

Noel Wallace: Yeah. Thanks. You know, recall and remember that we compete at the super premium end of the market on Hill's. Clearly, we'll continue to focus on real value-added innovation, particularly on the Prescription Diet side, which is an area where when you have a sick pet, you're very apt to spend more money to address those issues. The Prescription Diet formulations that we have are absolutely outstanding in addressing a lot of the health concerns that pet owners have. Given the vet endorsement that comes behind that brand, that allows us to continue to justify the premium price, obviously delivered by the strong efficacy that's delivered through that product.

Speaker #5: Our product is absolutely outstanding in addressing a lot of the health concerns that pet owners have. And given the vet endorsement that comes behind that brand, that allows us to continue to justify the premium price, obviously delivered by the strong efficacy that's delivered through that product.

Speaker #5: We're not immune. Obviously, to the compounding inflation that will likely come in the market over the next six to nine months based on where energy prices are today.

Noel Wallace: We're not immune, obviously, to the compounding inflation that will likely come in the market over the next 6 to 9 months based on where energy prices are today. As I mentioned up front, no different on the Hill's business, we have to continue to drive real value-added innovation into the category, innovation that means something to the consumer. The Hill's business clearly is at the center of that is the science. The science that we bring to the market is clearly differentiated in a very meaningful way. Hence, we have such strong endorsement from vet professionals to recommend the product. That's the case across all of our advocacy-driven brands, whether it's oral care, whether it's skin health or others. We'll continue to drive real science-based innovation to make sure that we're bringing real value.

Speaker #5: But as I mentioned, up front, no different on the Hills business. We have to continue to drive real value-added innovation into the category. Innovation that means something to the consumer.

Speaker #5: And the Hills business clearly is—at the center of that—is the science. The science that we bring to the market is clearly differentiated in a very meaningful way.

Speaker #5: Hence, we have such strong endorsement from vet professionals to recommend the product. And that's the case across all of our advocacy-driven brands, whether it's oral care, whether it's skin health, or others.

Speaker #5: We'll continue to drive real science-based innovation to make sure that we're bringing real value. And you balance that with a strong innovation across some of our big core businesses around the world.

Noel Wallace: You balance that with a strong innovation across some of our big core businesses around the world, we find that we'll figure out ways to at least address some of the inflationary concerns to the consumer, but we're not immune to it, and we're gonna have to watch that very carefully.

Speaker #5: We find that we'll figure out ways to at least address some of the inflationary concerns through the consumer, but we're not immune to it.

Speaker #5: We're going to have to watch that very carefully.

Speaker #3: This concludes.

Operator: This concludes.

Operator: This concludes—

Speaker #5: Okay. Well, thank you. I appreciate it, everyone. And thanks for listening in on the call today. And you're interested in the company, I hope you share our confidence that we have the short-term plans in place and more importantly, investing in the long-term capabilities of the company to continue to drive superior returns in what is obviously a very volatile operating environment.

Noel Wallace: Well, thank you. I appreciate it, everyone, and thanks for listening in on the call today, and your interest in the company. I hope you share our confidence that we have the short-term plans in place and more importantly, investing in the long-term capabilities of the company to continue to drive superior returns in what is obviously a very volatile operating environment. I wanna make sure I thank the 34,000 Colgate people around the world who are doing just extraordinary work in a very difficult environment to deliver strong results, and their tireless effort needs to be recognized and thanked. Look forward to our next discussions. Thanks, everyone.

Speaker #5: I want to make sure I thank the 34,000 Colgate people around the world who do just extraordinary work in a very difficult environment to deliver strong results.

Speaker #5: And their tiredness from this effort needs to be recognized and thanked. So look forward to our next discussions. Thanks, everyone.

Operator: The conference has now concluded. Thank you for attending today's call. You may now disconnect.