The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) Given Average Recommendation of “Reduce” by Analysts

Shares of The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) have earned a consensus rating of “Reduce” from the sixteen analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $118.7333.

CLX has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $132.00 target price on Clorox in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Clorox from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $94.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Clorox from $125.00 to $136.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Clorox from $114.00 to $117.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Clorox

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Center for Financial Planning Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Clorox in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC purchased a new position in Clorox in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Total Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Clorox during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC lifted its position in Clorox by 1,020.0% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 224 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 204 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NewSquare Capital LLC grew its stake in Clorox by 567.6% during the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 227 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 193 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Clorox Stock Performance

NYSE:CLX opened at $114.69 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 71.03, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.48. The firm has a market cap of $13.87 billion, a PE ratio of 18.74, a P/E/G ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.59. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $114.49 and a 200-day simple moving average of $113.59. Clorox has a 1-year low of $96.66 and a 1-year high of $153.90.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.39 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.43 by ($0.04). Clorox had a return on equity of 383.01% and a net margin of 11.17%.The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.64 billion. The firm’s revenue was down .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.55 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Clorox will post 7.15 EPS for the current year.

Clorox Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be given a $1.24 dividend. This represents a $4.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 22nd. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 81.05%.

About Clorox

The Clorox Company is a leading manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products designed to help people care for their homes and live healthy, sustainable lives. Its portfolio spans cleaning and household products, food and beverages, water filtration systems and cat litter, serving both retail and institutional customers. The company’s flagship bleach and disinfecting products are well known in the United States and many international markets, where they help prevent the spread of germs in homes, hospitals, schools and businesses.

Clorox’s diverse brand lineup includes liquid bleach and surface cleaners, eco-friendly cleaning tools, food preservation and preparation items, charcoal grills and briquettes, specialty foods and beverages, pet care products and personal care lines.