Growth opportunities in India’s oral care market
Colgate has been present in India since 1937. A relentless focus on brand building and a strong distribution advantage, has cemented Colgate’s dominant position of more than 50% market share over two decades – roughly 3x that of its nearest competitor.
We have been shareholders for many years in our Indian Subcontinent portfolios and as a dominant consumer franchise, we believe Colgate India should benefit from India’s long-term growth trends especially with the low penetration rate of oral care products in India. The average Indian spends just US$1 on oral care products each year, compared to US$4 in China and US$11 in Brazil.
In addition, there is potential to capture consumption in other personal care categories, such as skincare, from which the parent Colgate-Palmolive Co. derives more than 20% of its sales. These products contribute to less than 2% of Colgate India’s revenues currently.
The senior management team at Colgate India is well-experienced across various markets. The current CEO, Ram Raghavan, has been with Colgate since 1997 and has previously run Colgate’s businesses in China and Brazil. The combination of his local and global experience is high regarded.
Oral care market is highly under-penetrated in India
Steady market share and attractive Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) over 15 years
Source: Company presentation, FSSA Investment Managers, as at May 2021.
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