Colgate-Palmolive is considering selling some of its mass-market personal care brands, including Softsoap, Irish Spring and Speed Stick, as it plans to streamline its business and focus on its core portfolio, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Combined, the assets could bring in more than $1 billion.
The consumer products company is working with investment bank Goldman Sachs on the process, the people said.
Colgate’s broader personal care business also includes shower gels and skin care products. However, the company is currently aiming to sell only a select group of brands rather than exiting the category altogether, the sources said.
Colgate and Goldman Sachs declined to comment.
The consumer brands sector is undergoing a shake-up.
Many consumer brands are now rebuilding their portfolios to better weather the tariff storm, consumer financial pressures and higher energy and other resource costs that are impacting their revenues. Offloading parts of the broader portfolio also helps focus resources on core brands.
Earlier this year, Unilever agreed to sell its food business to McCormick for $45 billion. The company also spun off its Magnum ice cream division last year following the sale of more than 20 beauty and personal care brands to Yellow Wood Partners in 2024.
In August, Nestle agreed to sell its vitamins business to Yellow Wood for about $1 billion after selling a stake in its premium water and beverage business to another firm, Platinum Equity.
New York-based Colgate has a market capitalization of about $70 billion and its shares are up about 11% year to date, according to data provider LSEG. In the latest quarterly report, net sales rose 4.9%. However, sales of organic products in the North American market fell by 3%.
Colgate CEO Noel Wallace said at the Barclays consumer conference this week that the company faces increased competition in North America and will require a “long-term turnaround” to get the business to where it needs to be.
Colgate’s entire personal care division, which includes both mass and prestige brands, accounted for 17% of net sales in 2025, representing approximately $3.5 billion in net sales.
The company’s largest segment is oral care, which includes Colgate’s eponymous toothpaste brand, which accounts for nearly half of net sales. Its other segments are home care and pet nutrition.
(According to Reuters)