Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL) reported earnings on Jan. 26. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), Colgate-Palmolive met expectations on revenue and beat expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue increased, and earnings per share dropped.

Margins shrank across the board.

Revenue details
Colgate-Palmolive logged revenue of $4.17 billion. The 18 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected revenue of $4.18 billion. Sales were 4.9% higher than the prior-year quarter's $3.98 billion.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions.

EPS details
Non-GAAP EPS came in at $1.30. The 22 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ averaged $1.30 per share on the same basis. GAAP EPS of $1.21 for Q4 were 3.1% lower than the prior-year quarter's $1.25 per share.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Figures may be non-GAAP to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 57.4%, 170 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 22.1%, 250 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 14.1%, 160 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $4.16 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.27.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $17.26 billion. The average EPS estimate is $5.48.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 1,257 members out of 1,309 rating the stock outperform, and 52 members rating it underperform. Among 491 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 479 give Colgate-Palmolive a green thumbs-up, and 12 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Colgate-Palmolive is hold, with an average price target of $93.95.

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