Colgate-Palmolive Hires Goldman Sachs to Explore Sale of Softsoap, Irish Spring and Speed Stick

M&A · PartnershipCorporate Action

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Summary · why it matters

Colgate-Palmolive has hired Goldman Sachs to explore a sale of Softsoap, Irish Spring and Speed Stick, according to Reuters reporting citing unnamed sources. No buyer has been identified and Colgate has not confirmed any sale. The pruning fits a broader Strategic Growth and Productivity Program that took a $129 million charge in the second quarter of 2026, with cumulative pretax charges now guided to $350 million to $550 million, as North America revenue fell 3.0% in the quarter to $891 million. Private equity is seen as the likeliest buyer, with Yellow Wood Partners and Platinum Equity both recently acquiring similar mature personal care brands, while every named strategic acquirer is blocked by scale gaps, leverage limits or an active acquisition lock-up. Church & Dwight, with a $22.3 billion market cap and $6.23 billion in trailing 12-month revenue, has been divesting slower-growth lines; Edgewell Personal Care, at a $1.2 billion market cap, is too small for the reported price tag and is guiding adjusted net debt leverage to 3.3x to 3.4x; and Kenvue is itself being acquired by Kimberly-Clark for $48.7 billion and has withdrawn all forward guidance. Colgate shares changed hands at $87.49 in premarket trading on September 14, 2026, down 3.7% over one week but up 9.9% year to date, with a market cap near $69.2 billion.

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Colgate hired Goldman Sachs to explore a sale of Softsoap, Irish Spring and Speed Stick as part of its Strategic Growth and Productivity Program, a portfolio/M&A move with unclear net effect.