The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Reduce” by Brokerages

The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) has received an average recommendation of “Reduce” from the seventeen research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and twelve have issued a hold recommendation on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $102.40.

A number of analysts recently issued reports on CLX shares. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Clorox from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Clorox from $92.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Barclays reiterated an “underweight” rating and issued a $84.00 price objective on shares of Clorox in a research note on Tuesday. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Clorox from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $125.00 to $98.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price objective on Clorox from $132.00 to $127.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 9th.

Institutional Trading of Clorox

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Haverford Trust Co increased its position in Clorox by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Haverford Trust Co now owns 3,070 shares of the company’s stock worth $310,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the period. Field & Main Bank raised its stake in Clorox by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 3,100 shares of the company’s stock worth $313,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Golden State Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Clorox by 28.2% during the 4th quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 454 shares of the company’s stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Clorox by 1.8% in the first quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC now owns 5,957 shares of the company’s stock valued at $617,000 after buying an additional 104 shares during the period. Finally, Johnson Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in Clorox by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 3,659 shares of the company’s stock worth $451,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the period. 78.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Clorox Price Performance

Clorox stock opened at $105.69 on Friday. Clorox has a 52 week low of $84.70 and a 52 week high of $128.90. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $96.10 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $103.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80. The stock has a market cap of $12.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.93, a P/E/G ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 0.54.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.64 by $0.02. Clorox had a return on equity of 522.23% and a net margin of 8.74%.The company had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.91 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.87 earnings per share. Clorox’s revenue was down 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Clorox has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.700-6.000 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Clorox will post 5.82 earnings per share for the current year.

Clorox Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 28th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be given a dividend of $1.25 per share. This is an increase from Clorox’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.7%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 12th. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 80.52%.

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.