In the third quarter of fiscal year 2025, Hill’s Pet Nutrition outperformed Colgate-Palmolive’s corporate average on profitability and year-to-date momentum. Hill’s Pet Nutrition accounted for 22% of total company sales and grew net sales 1.4% year-over-year, but its organic sales declined 1.3%, reflecting volume pressure partially offset by pricing. In the quarter, Colgate-Palmolive’s total net sales rose 2.0% to US$5,131 million, with organic sales up 0.4%, including a 0.8 percentage point drag from lower private label pet sales following the company’s exit from that business. Hill’s Pet Nutrition accounted for 22% of total company sales and grew net sales 1.4% year-over-year, but its organic sales declined 1.3%, reflecting volume pressure partially offset by pricing.
Hill’s sales volume fell 2.6% in the quarter and organic volume declined 4.2%, compared with total company volume declines of 1.5% as reported and 1.9% organically. Pricing was a key lever: Hill’s increased prices 2.9% versus a 2.3% rise for the total company, while foreign exchange was a 1.1% benefit for Hill’s and 1.2% for Colgate overall. The company noted that the acquisition of the Prime100 pet food business contributed 1.6 percentage points to volume growth for its pet segment in the quarter, compared with 0.4 percentage points for the total company.
On profitability, Hill’s posted third-quarter operating profit of US$255 million, down 1% from the prior year, with an operating margin of 22.4%, 50 basis points lower than a year ago. Colgate-Palmolive’s total operating profit also declined 1% to US$1,059 million, with a 20.6% margin, down 60 basis points on a reported basis and 90 basis points on a base business basis. Hill’s thus maintained a margin premium to the broader portfolio despite similar year-over-year profit pressure.
For the first nine months of 2025, Hill’s Pet Nutrition net sales increased 2.2%, to US$3,417 million, compared with flat reported sales for the total company. Hill’s year-to-date operating profit rose to US$778 million from US$691 million, while total company operating profit was essentially unchanged at US$3,214 million versus US$3,205 million a year earlier.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition remains a growth-contributing pillar within Colgate-Palmolive.
About Hill’s Pet Nutrition
According to Petfood Industry’s Top Companies database, Hill's Pet Nutrition sells more than 300 products, principally through authorized pet supply retailers and veterinarians in more than 80 countries worldwide. Hill's operates major manufacturing and warehousing facilities in Bowling Green, Kentucky; Topeka, Kansas; Emporia, Kansas; and Richmond, Indiana, USA. Its primary research center is located in Topeka, Kansas, USA. Hill's also runs major manufacturing and warehousing facilities in the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. Hill’s annual revenue in 2024 was US$4,483 million.
