The biggest consumer staples companies in the United States have spent decades providing millions of consumers with high-quality products. Their efforts mean that today their products can be found in nearly every aisle of the local grocery store.
As a result, companies including The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG), The Clorox Co (NYSE:CLX) , and Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) have cultivated millions of repeat customers, who purchase their products every day regardless of the overall economy.
The level of consumer loyalty these consumer stocks have achieved means they enjoy rock-solid business models, and profits that are all but assured. Consequently, these three stocks are great long-term buy and hold candidates.
A consumer giant with a stable of great brands
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) is truly a juggernaut. The company holds a massive $214 billion market capitalization, and in its last fiscal year raked in more than $84 billion in sales. P&G takes great pride in its 50 Leadership Brands, which cumulatively account for 90% of the company’s products. 25 of these 50 brands generate more than $1 billion in annual sales each. Just some of the company’s brands include Bounty, Pampers, Tide, Gillette, Charmin, and Crest.
Clean up with Clorox
Meanwhile, although The Clorox Co (NYSE:CLX) is a much smaller industry player than The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG), with a $10 billion market capitalization, its brands are equally as impressive. Clorox recently celebrated its 100th year anniversary, and along the way it has built its own portfolio of popular products. Its core brands include its namesake bleach as well as Pine-Sol, Kingsford, Glad, and Hidden Valley. In all, nearly 90% of The Clorox Co (NYSE:CLX) brands hold the number one or number two market-share positions in their respective categories.
Soap and toothpaste: a winning combination
Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) is a more focused competitor than either The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) or The Clorox Co (NYSE:CLX). Whereas its two industry peers have built diversified operations in several different product areas, Colgate-Palmolive has shied away from diversifying itself to quite the extent of its competitors. Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL)’s brands are housed in four key segments: Oral Care, Personal Care, Pet Nutrition, and Home Care.
The company’s Colgate toothpaste and Palmolive soap products are its most universally recognized brands. Colgate toothpaste holds the number one market share in 146 countries across the globe. Of the company’s soap products, Colgate holds the number one position in liquid hand soap and the number two position worldwide in bar soaps.
