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Carnegie Investment Counsel raised its position in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report) by 242.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 11,821 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 8,371 shares during the period. Carnegie Investment Counsel’s holdings in Clorox were worth $958,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Ancora Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Clorox in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Avalon Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of Clorox in the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. Markowski Investments acquired a new stake in shares of Clorox in the second quarter worth approximately $30,000. Root Financial Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Clorox by 83.8% in the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 318 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 145 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pension & Wealth Management Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Clorox during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. 78.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets
CLX has been the subject of several recent research reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, October 6th. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Clorox from $97.00 to $90.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 14th. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their target price on shares of Clorox from $97.00 to $95.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered shares of Clorox from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $125.00 to $98.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of Clorox from $95.00 to $83.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $93.57.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Clorox
Clorox Stock Performance
NYSE:CLX opened at $88.56 on Friday. The company’s 50-day moving average is $90.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $94.79. The Clorox Company has a 1-year low of $79.12 and a 1-year high of $128.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80, a current ratio of 0.66 and a quick ratio of 0.38. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.37, a PEG ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.59.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.64 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.91 billion. Clorox had a net margin of 8.74% and a return on equity of 522.23%. The business’s revenue was down 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.87 EPS. Clorox has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.700-6.000 EPS. Analysts forecast that The Clorox Company will post 5.70 EPS for the current year.

Clorox Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 28th will be given a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 28th. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.6%. Clorox’s payout ratio is currently 103.73%.

Clorox Profile
(Free Report)

The Clorox Company, founded in 1913 and headquartered in Oakland, California, is a consumer and professional products company. It began with household bleach and has expanded into a portfolio of brands serving cleaning, household, personal care, food, and professional markets.

Its brands include Clorox disinfecting and cleaning products, Pine-Sol cleaners, Liquid-Plumr drain care, Kingsford charcoal, Fresh Step and Scoop Away cat litter, Hidden Valley dressings and dips, Brita water filtration products, and Burt’s Bees personal care items.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CLX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report).

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State of Alaska Department of Revenue grew its stake in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report) by 174.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 32,518 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 20,670 shares during the quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue’s holdings in Clorox were worth $2,634,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in CLX. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Clorox during the second quarter worth $958,640,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in Clorox in the second quarter valued at about $179,780,000. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in Clorox by 20.1% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,418,204 shares of the company’s stock valued at $146,969,000 after buying an additional 237,301 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in Clorox in the second quarter valued at about $123,154,000. Finally, Confluence Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Clorox by 33.8% in the second quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 1,247,644 shares of the company’s stock valued at $119,075,000 after buying an additional 315,069 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Clorox Stock Performance Shares of Clorox stock opened at $86.91 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $10.51 billion, a PE ratio of 18.03, a PEG ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.59. The Clorox Company has a 12 month low of $79.12 and a 12 month high of $128.90. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $92.27 and its 200 day simple moving average is $95.24.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share (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 firm had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.91 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.87 earnings per share. The company’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, research analysts predict that The Clorox Company will post 5.74 EPS for the current year. Clorox Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 28th will be given a dividend of $1.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 28th. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.8%. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 103.73%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $98.00 target price on Clorox in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Clorox from $97.00 to $87.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. UBS Group set a $91.00 price target on shares of Clorox in a research report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, October 6th. Finally, Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Clorox from $84.00 to $80.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Clorox has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $94.64.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Clorox

Clorox Profile (Free Report)

The Clorox Company is a consumer and professional products company that develops, manufactures and markets household cleaning, disinfecting, wellness and personal care products. Its portfolio includes the Clorox bleach and cleaning brands, as well as products sold under brands such as Pine-Sol, Liquid-Plumr, Fresh Step, Scoop Away, Kingsford, Hidden Valley, Burt’s Bees and Brita.

Clorox also offers trash bags, food products, water-filtration systems, charcoal and grilling products, cat litter, and professional cleaning and disinfecting solutions.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Clorox These 3 Green Stocks Have a Growth Story That Goes Far Beyond Washington Meta Claims Frontier-Class AI Status With New Muse Wonder Models Berkshire Just Backed This Little-Known Stock—Should You Chase It? Broadcom’s CEO Sees Years of AI Demand But Warns of a Bigger Threat to the Boom Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CLX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report).

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Six stocks are flashing high yields that look like income bargains, but a closer look at their payout ratios tells a very different story about which ones can actually keep the checks coming.

A dividend screener flags every company whose payout ran ahead of earnings or cash flow in a given period. That flag is where the work starts. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE | PFE Price Prediction) yields about 6.02% at $28.55, yet its trailing GAAP earnings of $0.77 per share fall well short of its $1.72 annual dividend. Whether that matters depends on why the gap exists. A high yield is only as good as the company’s ability to keep paying it.

Run This Four-Step Test Before Trusting Any Yield
A dividend is unsustainable when the business can’t fund it from cash flow without borrowing or selling assets, year after year. Check in this order:

Use the right earnings base. Strip out non-cash impairments and write-downs. EPS works for ordinary corporates; REITs need FFO/AFFO, MLPs distributable cash flow, BDCs net investment income.
Compare full-year free cash flow to dividends paid. A single quarter can be misleading because of working capital timing.
Look for a disclosed explanation. An acquisition, legal payment, or restructuring charge is a reason. Silence from management is information too.
Check funding and repeat. Is debt rising to fill the gap? Has it happened before? Did the yield climb because the share price gave way?

Ford Motor (F): Explainable Loss, Cyclical Risk
Ford Motor (NYSE:F) pays $0.60 a year, a yield near 4.99% at $12.02. Trailing EPS is -1.88, which trips every screener.

The explanation is on the record. The second-quarter 2026 GAAP loss of $1.33B came from $4.2B in pre-tax special charges, including $3.6B tied to the BlueOval SK joint venture disposition. Adjusted EPS of $0.42 beat the $0.35 estimate, and Ford raised full-year adjusted free cash flow guidance to $6.0 to $7.0B, against roughly $2.35B in annual dividend cash. Steps one and two pass. Step four is shakier: debt-to-equity sits at 4.66, interest coverage at 2.02, Model e is expected to lose about $4.0B this fiscal year, and Ford’s payment record shows a gap after its 2020 payout. A downturn is the real threat.

3M (MMM): Passes the Test
3M (NYSE:MMM) yields just 1.93%, so it barely counts as an income name. Its shortfall happened in 2024, when the quarterly payout dropped from $1.51 to $0.70 after the Solventum spinoff. It has since risen to $0.78.

Adjusted EPS guidance of $8.80 to $8.95 dwarfs the $3.12 forward dividend, and free cash flow guidance of $4.7 to $4.9B compares with about $1.61B in payouts. The open question is litigation: shareholders’ equity fell to $3.0B against $31.9B in liabilities after PFAS and earplug settlements.

Dow (DOW): Already Reset, Now Covered
Dow (NYSE:DOW) halved its quarterly dividend from $0.70 to $0.35 in 2025. It yields about 4.96%, and trailing EPS of -1.84 still looks alarming.

Cash tells a better story. Second-quarter 2026 free cash flow reached $692M against $253M in dividends paid, helped by a 30% jump in polyethylene prices. That dependence is the caveat: shares are up 43.22% over one year but down 34.96% over five, and a cycle rollover would test the reset payout.

Pfizer (PFE): Credible Explanation, Tight Cash
Pfizer’s GAAP gap has a clear cause. The second-quarter 2026 loss of $248M reflected a $3.8B impairment after sigvotatug vedotin failed in Phase 3, plus $867M in legal charges. Adjusted EPS guidance of $2.80 to $3.00 puts the payout near 61% at the low end.

Step two is where coverage looks thin. Pfizer’s free cash flow yield of 5.60% trails its 6.03% dividend yield, and it plans no buybacks in 2026 to preserve cash for deleveraging. Generic competition, a COVID revenue forecast cut from $5B to $4B, and a CFO departure add pressure. Cost savings of $6.7B through 2029 are the path to a safer payout.

Clorox (CLX): Partial Explanation, Real Cash Gap
Clorox (NYSE:CLX) yields about 5.88% at $85, a dividend aristocrat that raised its quarterly payout to $1.25. The yield is largely price-driven: shares fell 25.9% over the past year.

Fiscal 2026 free cash flow of roughly $405M fell short of the roughly $601M dividend expenditure, and the GAAP payout ratio runs near 103%. Management points to the GOJO acquisition and a “value-seeking consumer.” Even so, liabilities rose 48.5% to $7.54B while equity fell to $252M. Fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS guidance of $5.70 to $6.00 must convert to cash.

Whirlpool (WHR): Trap Already Sprung
Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) shows a trailing yield of 9.37%, and that figure is a mirage. The quarterly dividend fell from $1.75 to $0.90 in 2025, and no common dividend was declared in the second quarter of 2026.

No one-off explains it. Whirlpool posted an ongoing loss of $0.21 per share versus an expected $0.05 profit, revenue fell 6.8%, and it issued $2.0B in secured bonds to clear maturities. Shares are down 59.48% since the end of 2025. Every step of the test fails.

Why the Test Matters More Than the Yield
A one-time charge or acquisition can explain a single bad period. However, repeated shortfalls funded by debt usually can’t. When a dividend does get cut, the share price often drops with it, as Whirlpool shows. Yield alone isn’t a reason to buy, so run the four steps before you trust the payout (we listed seven warning signs that a big yield is about to be cut in a free dividend trap guide if you want a longer checklist).

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Investors need to know certain key dates concerning dividends. These are the declaration date (the board of directors announces and approves the payout), ex-dividend date (the stock trades without the dividend), record date (the deadline by which shareholders must own the stock to receive the dividend), and payment date (the dividend gets paid to shareholders).

Clorox's (CLX +0.43%) upcoming dividend has a record date of Oct. 28. You'll need to purchase the shares and have the transaction settled to receive the $1.25 quarterly dividend the company will pay per share on Nov. 13.

Image source: Getty Images.

If you've targeted a $5,000 annual dividend, how many shares would you have to own? Some simple math provides the answer. The $ 1.25-per-share quarterly payment works out to an annual payout of $5 per share. Dividing the targeted $5,000 payment by $5 works out to 1,000 shares. The stock closed at $83.44 on Oct. 8. That means you'll have to invest $83,440 to own 1,000 shares.

Dividend investors will undoubtedly find the 6% yield attractive. That's nearly six times the S&P 500 index's roughly 1% yield.

Clorox has an impressive history of raising dividends, too. Earlier this year, the board of directors raised August's quarterly per-share payout by a penny. That ran the company's streak to 49 straight years, putting it on the precipice of becoming a Dividend King (companies that have raised dividends annually for at least 50 straight years).

However, Clorox has faced challenges over the last few years, which is reflected in its stock performance. Over the last five years through Oct. 8, the share price fell by over 49% compared to the S&P 500's nearly 78% gain.

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The company's payout ratio of over 103% (dividends relative to earnings) should also make investors cautious about future dividends. Ratios that high are not sustainable over time and will eventually result in cuts or even suspension of the dividend until finances improve.

Lawrence Rothman, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Takeaways Colgate's diversified portfolio and broad geographic reach support a more consistent growth profile.Colgate expects 2026 revenues and EPS to rise 4.8% and 4.9%, respectively, year over year.Clorox expects fiscal 2027 revenues and EPS to increase 13.6% and 5.4%, respectively. The consumer staples industry is navigating a challenging environment marked by cautious consumer spending, heightened value-seeking behavior, inflationary pressures and evolving shopping patterns. Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL - Free Report) and The Clorox Company (CLX - Free Report) emerge as two prominent players with strong brand portfolios and leading positions across essential consumer categories.

While Colgate is benefiting from its global scale, category leadership, innovation and strong emerging-market presence, Clorox is focused on rebuilding market share, strengthening its brands, improving productivity and expanding its health and hygiene platform through the GOJO acquisition. Both companies are leveraging innovation, pricing, revenue growth management and digital capabilities to navigate a volatile operating environment.

This face-off between Colgate and Clorox examines how brand strength, market-share momentum, portfolio positioning and differences in growth strategies shape their long-term growth potential and defensive appeal.

The Case for CLColgate’s investment thesis is anchored in its strong global brands, category leadership, broad geographic footprint and diversified portfolio spanning Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Hill’s Pet Nutrition. The company’s global operating model continues to support growth despite a volatile macroeconomic environment. In the second quarter of 2026, organic sales increased across four of five divisions and three of four categories, while emerging markets delivered mid-single-digit growth, led by India, Brazil, Mexico and China.

Innovation and premiumization remain important pillars of Colgate’s strategy. The company is scaling new products such as Optic White Pro Series with ActivShine Technology and expanding Fabuloso into new forms. It is also increasing brand support to strengthen consumer engagement and improve market share, particularly in North America, where heightened competition and softer category trends have pressured performance.

Colgate is also investing heavily in digital capabilities, data, analytics and Artificial Intelligence. Its Promo AI tools are being scaled globally to improve promotional effectiveness, while revenue growth management and “funding the growth” initiatives are helping the company generate resources for increased advertising and brand investment. These efforts are designed to support both profit growth and stronger category positions.

Emerging markets remain a major growth opportunity. India, Brazil, Mexico and China continue to contribute meaningfully to the company’s performance. In China, Colgate has been leveraging social media, business-to-consumer platforms and localized innovation, with the Colgate China business delivering consistent mid-single-digit performance. The company is also transferring innovations developed in China, such as Optic White Purple, to other markets.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition provides another important growth avenue. Despite a soft pet-care category, Hill’s continues to outperform, supported by science-led premium innovation, therapeutic products and growth opportunities in areas such as wet food, cat food, small pets and international markets. Overall, Colgate is combining innovation, premiumization, revenue growth management, digital transformation and emerging-market expansion to strengthen its competitive position while maintaining a balanced approach between pricing and volume.

The Case for CLXClorox’s strategy is centered on strengthening its core brands, rebuilding market share, improving operational efficiency and creating a portfolio positioned for more consistent profitable growth. The company is responding to heightened value-seeking behavior by sharpening product superiority, improving price-pack architecture, increasing promotion effectiveness and strengthening brand-building investments. Clorox is also benefiting from the completion of its ERP transformation.

Clorox is focused on driving superiority across its portfolio through improvements in products, packaging, propositions, distribution and pricing. This approach has already helped stabilize market share in several businesses. Home Care has delivered eight consecutive quarters of share growth in fourth-quarter fiscal 2026, while Glad and Hidden Valley Ranch also returned to share growth following targeted investments in innovation, pricing, marketing and distribution.

Innovation is another key pillar of Clorox’s strategy. The company doubled innovation spending as a percentage of sales in fiscal 2026 and expects further progress in fiscal 2027. It is investing in packaging upgrades, product improvements and wellness-oriented offerings while using targeted pricing and revenue growth management to address changing consumer needs.

The GOJO acquisition has strengthened Clorox’s health and hygiene platform and expanded its presence in professional and consumer hygiene markets. Management said the acquired business performed ahead of expectations in the fourth quarter and is expected to be accretive to adjusted EPS in fiscal 2027.

However, the company continues to face elevated inflation, muted underlying demand and increased promotional activity. Fiscal 2027 organic sales growth is expected to benefit from lapping the prior-year ERP inventory drawdown, while underlying growth remains modest. Gross margin is expected to stay under pressure from higher commodity, manufacturing and logistics costs. Weakness in Litter and cautious consumer spending also remain concerns.

Price Performance & Valuation of CL & CLXIn the past year, Colgate has delivered higher returns, with shares gaining 11.7% against Clorox’s decline of 28.7%. Meanwhile, the Consumer Products - Staples industry has dropped 2.3% in the same time frame.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, CL currently trades at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 21.42X compared with CLX’s 13.77X. Here, CLX trades at a cheaper forward earnings multiple compared with CL.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

How Does Zacks Consensus Estimate Compare for CL & CLX?Colgate’s 2026 revenues and earnings per share (EPS) are projected to increase 4.8% and 4.9% year over year to $21.4 billion and $3.87, respectively. CL’s 2027 revenues and EPS are likely to increase 3.2% and 5.2% year over year to $22 billion and $4.07, respectively. The company has a strong track record of earnings surprises.

Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchClorox’s fiscal 2027 revenues and EPS are expected to rise 13.6% and 5.4% year over year to $7.6 billion and $5.83, respectively. CLX’s fiscal 2028 revenues and EPS are likely to jump 1.9% and 9.4% year over year to $7.8 billion and $6.38, respectively.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

CL vs. CLX: Who Has the Edge?In this consumer staples face-off, Colgate moves ahead, supported by stronger operating momentum, global diversification, category leadership and a more consistent growth profile. The company is benefiting from solid emerging-market performance, premium innovation, Hill’s strength and increasing investments in digital capabilities, while its revenue growth management initiatives are helping offset inflationary pressures.

Colgate also has a more favorable recent share-price record. Its shares have outperformed the broader industry over the past year, while the stock's earnings outlook remains supported by positive operating trends and a strong global footprint. The key risk is valuation, as CL trades at a substantial premium to Clorox.

That said, Clorox remains a compelling transformation story. The GOJO acquisition expands its health and hygiene platform, while ERP-driven productivity, portfolio optimization, innovation and market-share recovery could support earnings growth. However, Clorox continues to face elevated inflation, muted category growth and the need to rebuild organic sales momentum. Management expects fiscal 2027 inflation to exceed $200 million, with the impact particularly pronounced in the first half.

For investors prioritizing business stability, global diversification, brand strength, market-share momentum and earnings visibility, Colgate takes the lead. Clorox offers greater transformation-driven upside and a cheaper valuation, but its investment case depends more heavily on successful execution, margin recovery and sustained market-share gains.

Supporting this stance, CL currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), while Clorox at present displays a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Get Free Report)’s share price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Wednesday. The stock traded as low as $80.84 and last traded at $81.1970, with a volume of 219475 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $81.60.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have commented on CLX. Citigroup reduced their price objective on Clorox from $100.00 to $97.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 11th. Barclays restated an “underweight” rating and issued a $84.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Evercore set a $99.00 target price on Clorox in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Clorox in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Clorox from $102.00 to $90.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 11th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Clorox has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $101.40.

Get Our Latest Report on Clorox

Clorox Trading Down 0.5% The company’s 50-day moving average is $95.94 and its 200-day moving average is $96.95. The firm has a market cap of $9.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.73, a P/E/G ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a current ratio of 0.66. Clorox (NYSE:CLX – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.64 by $0.02. Clorox had a net margin of 8.74% and a return on equity of 522.23%. The company had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.91 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.87 earnings per share. The company’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, research analysts predict that The Clorox Company will post 5.8 earnings per share for the current year.

Clorox Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 28th will be given a $1.25 dividend. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.2%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 28th. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 103.73%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Clorox A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Clorox by 106.9% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 4,375 shares of the company’s stock valued at $418,000 after purchasing an additional 2,260 shares during the last quarter. Andra AP fonden bought a new stake in shares of Clorox during the second quarter worth approximately $200,000. MAC Alpha Capital Management LP raised its stake in shares of Clorox by 88.7% during the second quarter. MAC Alpha Capital Management LP now owns 263,789 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,178,000 after buying an additional 124,019 shares during the last quarter. Security National Bank of SO Dak acquired a new position in Clorox in the second quarter valued at approximately $57,000. Finally, Anchor Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Clorox by 13.0% in the second quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 14,719 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,405,000 after buying an additional 1,699 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

About Clorox (Get Free Report)

The Clorox Company is a consumer and professional products company that develops, manufactures and markets household cleaning, disinfecting, wellness and personal care products. Its portfolio includes the Clorox bleach and cleaning brands, as well as products sold under brands such as Pine-Sol, Liquid-Plumr, Fresh Step, Scoop Away, Kingsford, Hidden Valley, Burt’s Bees and Brita.

Clorox also offers trash bags, food products, water-filtration systems, charcoal and grilling products, cat litter, and professional cleaning and disinfecting solutions.

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Key Takeaways Clorox is expanding its health and hygiene portfolio through the GOJO acquisition.Clorox completed its digital transformation, with productivity benefits expected from fiscal 2027.Clorox is increasing innovation spending to improve brand relevance and regain market share. The Clorox Company (CLX - Free Report) is strengthening its business through strategic portfolio actions, innovation, productivity initiatives and improved execution as it navigates a challenging consumer environment. The company’s strategy is increasingly focused on rebuilding market share, enhancing brand superiority and creating a stronger operating platform for sustainable growth. Portfolio expansion is also playing an important role, with the acquisition of GOJO Industries significantly broadening Clorox’s presence in the health and hygiene market.

Clorox has completed its five-year digital transformation program, including the rollout of its U.S. enterprise resource planning system. The company is now shifting its focus from implementation to optimization. Better demand planning, lower inventory, automation and improved order-to-cash processes are expected to generate productivity benefits beginning in the latter part of fiscal 2027 and building into fiscal 2028. The enhanced digital infrastructure should also support stronger e-commerce execution and improve collaboration with retail partners.

Innovation remains a key pillar of Clorox’s growth strategy. The company has increased innovation spending and plans further investment focusing on areas such as health and wellness, pet care, convenience and value. Clorox is also combining product innovation with packaging improvements, targeted promotions, stronger advertising and optimized price-pack architecture to improve brand relevance and regain market share.

The GOJO acquisition has further strengthened Clorox’s health and hygiene portfolio, which now accounts for more than half of net sales on a combined basis. GOJO is expected to contribute significantly to fiscal 2027 sales growth, while Clorox sees opportunities to generate revenue synergies over time. The company is taking a disciplined approach to integration while leveraging GOJO’s capabilities and market position to expand its presence in attractive health and hygiene categories.

Overall, Clorox is concentrating on strengthening its brands, accelerating innovation, expanding its health and hygiene portfolio, improving digital capabilities and driving productivity. These initiatives are designed to enhance consumer value, support market-share recovery and create a more efficient operating platform for long-term growth.

CLX’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Clorox have lost 19.4% in the past six months against the industry’s growth of 3.9%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, CLX trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.62X compared with the industry’s average of 18.11X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CLX’s fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 6% and 8.9%, respectively. The company’s EPS estimate for fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2027 has been stable in the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Clorox stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Stocks to Consider in the Consumer Staples Space The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) , which is a distributor of specialty food products in the United States, currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Chefs' Warehouse's current financial-year sales indicates growth of 10.8% from the prior-year level. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.

Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) , which is a global manufacturer, marketer and distributor of value-added frozen potato products, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

The consensus estimate for Lamb Weston’s current financial-year sales is expected to drop 1.8% from the year-ago reported figure. LW delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 24.6%, on average.

Medifast, Inc. (MED - Free Report) , which is a leading manufacturer and distributor of clinically-proven healthy living products and programs, currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. MED delivered an average earnings surprise of 58.2% in the last reported quarter.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Medifast’s current financial-year sales indicates a decline of 27.3% from the year-ago number.

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Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Give your snacks a ghoulish glow-up this season with Hidden Valley's first limited edition holiday release in a glow-in-the-dark bottle.

Key Highlights:

What It Is: Hidden Valley Ranch's first-ever seasonal feature, taking the classic flavor and introducing a spooky black twist to the iconic creamy formula, all in a glow-in-the-dark bottle made for Halloween. Product Overview: Hidden Valley Spooky Ranch Condiment and Dressing is a limited-edition Halloween ranch dressing with a bold black color from Fruit Juice and Cocoa, gluten free with no artificial flavors, available exclusively at Walmart for the Halloween season.  Why It's Unique: This limited-edition Halloween Ranch Dressing contains no artificial flavors and is colored with fruit juice and cocoa; it's the most hauntingly delicious way to elevate spooky season spreads, just in time for the year's #1 pizza holiday. When & Where: Available now for a limited time, exclusively at Walmart while supplies last. Perfect For: Dipping your favorite Halloween snacks, drizzling on pizza and adding some frightful fun to every Halloween gathering.  , /PRNewswire/ -- Halloween is around the corner, and America's #1 Ranch* is ready for the party. Today, Hidden Valley Ranch launched Spooky Ranch, its first-ever seasonal product, giving the Original Ranch fans know and love a daring twist for a limited time. 

HIDDEN VALLEY® INTRODUCES SPOOKY RANCH: THE ICONIC DRESSING TAKES ON A HAUNTING HUE FOR HALLOWEEN No tricks, just a treat! Spooky Ranch delivers the bold Ranch flavor fans love in an unexpected deep hue, colored with fruit juice and cocoa powder and made with no artificial flavors. The glow-in-the-dark packaging makes it a perfect addition to Halloween spreads, whether you're dipping favorite snacks or drizzling it on pizza at the neighborhood Halloween party.

"Spooky Ranch takes everything fans love about Original Ranch and adds a little Halloween magic. With a haunting hue and glow-in-the-dark packaging, this twist on the flavor you love is the perfect way to bring some frightful fun to your favorite costume parties and fall festivities this Halloween season." — Stacy Stokes, Vice President of Marketing, Hidden Valley Ranch.

Spooky Ranch is available now exclusively at Walmart with an SRP of $3.97, while supplies last.

To learn more about new innovations and explore recipes from the brand, visit hiddenvalley.com.

About Hidden Valley Ranch
Founded in 1954, Hidden Valley® Ranch (NYSE: CLX) is the original ranch dressing and America's favorite. * From classic bottles to seasoning packets and plant-powered options, Hidden Valley Ranch offers a variety of ways to enjoy the flavor fans love across meals and snacks. Find Hidden Valley products in stores nationwide or online. CLX-B

Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/hidden.valley
Follow us on TikTok: tiktok.com/@hiddenvalleyranch

Learn more at HiddenValley.com
*Based on IRI unit sales data for L52WE 4/19/26.

Media Contact:
Kelly Thackery
[email protected]

SOURCE Hidden Valley® Ranch

Clorox Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend of $1.25 Per SharePR Newswire

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 23, 2026

, /PRNewswire/ -- The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) announced today that its board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.25 per share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable November 13, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 28, 2026.

Clorox has a long history of providing value to its shareholders through regular dividend payments and annual dividend increases.

About The Clorox Company
The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) champions people to be well and thrive every single day. Headquartered in Oakland, California since 1913, Clorox integrates sustainability into how it does business. Driven by consumer-centric innovation, the company is committed to delivering clearly superior experiences through its trusted brands including Brita®, Burt's Bees®, Clorox®, Fresh Step®, Glad®, Hidden Valley®, Kingsford®, Liquid-Plumr®, Pine-Sol® and Purell® as well as international brands such as Chux®, Clorinda® and Poett®. Visit thecloroxcompany.com to learn more.

CLX-C

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clorox-declares-regular-quarterly-dividend-of-1-25-per-share-302888396.html

SOURCE The Clorox Company

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Past performance is not an indicator of future performance. This post is illustrative and educational and is not a specific offer of products or services or financial advice. Information in this article is not an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell the securities mentioned herein. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Baird Financial Group Inc. decreased its stake in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report) by 40.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 22,365 shares of the company’s stock after selling 15,323 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Clorox were worth $2,135,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CLX. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in Clorox during the second quarter worth about $958,640,000. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in shares of Clorox during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $179,780,000. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Clorox during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $135,735,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Clorox during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $123,154,000. Finally, Equity Investment Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Clorox during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $111,800,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Citigroup dropped their price objective on Clorox from $100.00 to $97.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Zacks Research upgraded Clorox from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $98.00 target price on Clorox in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Evercore set a $99.00 price target on Clorox in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane cut their price target on Clorox from $97.00 to $95.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $101.40.

Read Our Latest Report on CLX Clorox Stock Up 0.1% CLX opened at $84.98 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80. The firm has a market cap of $10.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.63, a PEG ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.56. The Clorox Company has a 52 week low of $83.76 and a 52 week high of $128.90. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $98.54 and its 200 day simple moving average is $99.24.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 firm had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.91 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.87 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Clorox has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.700-6.000 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that The Clorox Company will post 5.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Clorox Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 28th. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 12th were given a dividend of $1.25 per share. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.9%. This is an increase from Clorox’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 12th. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 103.73%.

Clorox Company Profile (Free Report)

The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) is a consumer products company that develops, manufactures and markets household, health and wellness, and lifestyle products. Its portfolio includes cleaning and disinfecting products, laundry and home-care items, food products, personal-care products, water-filtration systems, charcoal, and cat litter.

Clorox’s brands include Clorox bleach and disinfecting products, Pine-Sol, Fresh Step and Scoop Away, Kingsford, Brita, Burt’s Bees, Hidden Valley, and products marketed under the Glad name.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Clorox Aeluma’s Selloff Could Be Setting Up Its Next Big Move Crypto Bill Stalls, Smart Money Calls: Time to Buy the Dip? The September Scramble: Find Sanctuary in These 3 Defensive Dividend Stocks The Fed’s Rate Hike Could Backfire If Oil Prices Collapse

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Key Takeaways Clorox's pricing, innovation and portfolio changes are supporting growth amid market pressures.Clorox completed its digital transformation, with ERP expected to improve planning and reduce inventory.GOJO should boost fiscal 2027 sales, while productivity benefits are expected to build into fiscal 2028. The Clorox Company’s (CLX - Free Report) holistic margin-management efforts, constant product innovations and IGNITE strategy are progressing well. Clorox is effectively capitalizing on its pricing strength to support growth. The company is benefiting from ongoing efforts to improve efficiency across manufacturing and logistics, as well as from portfolio changes.

CLX’s strategic initiatives, innovation efforts and selective pricing actions are expected to support growth, although it continues to face pressure from inflation, weak consumer demand and intense competition. Clorox has completed its five-year digital transformation, including its U.S. ERP implementation, which is expected to improve demand planning, reduce inventory and increase automation.

Clorox is focused on product innovation, packaging improvements, price-pack architecture and selective pricing adjustments to strengthen value perception and recover market share. The company has increased innovation spending and plans to continue investing in brands such as Clorox, Glad, Hidden Valley and Fresh Step. These efforts, combined with stronger retail execution and digital capabilities, could help improve volumes and sales over time.

However, Clorox’s pricing power faces limitations as consumers remain value-conscious and promotional activity increases. Higher commodity, manufacturing and logistics costs are expected to keep gross margins under pressure. Fiscal 2027 organic sales growth is expected at 3.5-4.5%, but more than 3.5 percentage points will come from lapping the prior-year ERP-related inventory drawdown.

Nevertheless, management expects the productivity benefits to begin emerging in late fiscal 2027 and build into fiscal 2028. The acquisition of GOJO also strengthens Clorox’s health and hygiene portfolio and is expected to contribute significantly to fiscal 2027 sales growth while supporting adjusted earnings. The strategic initiatives and pricing actions can support growth; sustained improvement will depend on Clorox’s ability to balance pricing with consumer demand while realizing productivity savings.

CLX’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Clorox have lost 7.1% in the past three months against the industry’s growth of 0.6%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, CLX trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 14.72X compared with the industry’s average of 18.44X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CLX’s fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 6% and 8.9%, respectively. The company’s EPS estimate for fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028 has moved south in the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Clorox stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Stocks to Consider in the Consumer Staples SpaceThe Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for The Chefs' Warehouse’s current financial-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 10.6% and 33.7%, respectively, from the prior-year levels. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.

United Natural Foods (UNFI - Free Report) , which is the leading distributor of natural, organic and specialty food and non-food products, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for United Natural Foods’ current financial-year sales indicates a rise of 1.3% from the prior-year level. UNFI delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 17.9%, on average.

Medifast, Inc. (MED - Free Report) , which is a leading manufacturer and distributor of clinically-proven healthy living products and programs, currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. MED missed the average earnings surprise by a sharp margin in the trailing four quarters.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Medifast’s current financial-year sales indicates a decline of 27.3% from the year-ago number.

The Clorox Company (CLX) Presents at Barclays 19th Annual Global Consumer Staples Conference Transcript

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Clorox (CLX - Free Report) . Shares have lost about 9.3% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.

But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Clorox due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.

Clorox Q4 Earnings & Sales Top Estimates as GOJO Supports SalesClorox delivered mixed fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with the top and bottom lines surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, sales and earnings per share declined year over year due to unfavorable comparison with ERP-related shipments in the prior-year quarter, lower volume and significant gross margin pressure from higher commodity, manufacturing and logistics costs.

CLX Q4 Key Metrics & InsightsClorox posted adjusted earnings of $1.66 per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, falling 42% year over year but beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.64 by 1.2%. Lower sales and gross margin weighed on the bottom line.

Net sales declined 2% to $1.95 billion but surpassed the consensus mark of $1.91 billion by 1.8%. The GOJO acquisition contributed about 10 percentage points to sales, while organic sales fell 13% due mainly to the ERP-related shipment comparison.

CLX Margin Contracts on Costs & Lower VolumeGross profit declined 13% to $804 million from $924 million a year ago. The gross margin declined 520 basis points (bps) year over year to 41.3%. Lower volume, GOJO inventory step-up costs, higher commodity expenses, and elevated manufacturing and logistics costs more than offset savings initiatives.
The comparison with incremental shipments ahead of the prior-year ERP transition reduced the margin by about 150 bps. The GOJO inventory step-up created another roughly 150-bps drag. The adjusted gross margin, excluding acquisition and integration costs, was 42.8%.
 

Clorox Records Higher Operating ExpensesSelling and administrative expenses increased 0.7% year over year to $298 million from $296 million in the year-ago quarter. These expenses represented 15.3% of net sales and included $21 million of GOJO integration costs.
Advertising costs rose 26.3% year over year to $216 million from $171 million, and represented 11.1% of sales. Research and development expenses were unchanged at $32 million.

CLX Posts Mixed Segment ResultsHealth and Wellness sales increased 16% year over year to $860 million. The GOJO acquisition contributed about 28 percentage points to growth. Organic sales declined 12% because of the ERP-related shipment comparison, while segment adjusted EBIT fell 15% to $206 million.

Household sales decreased 18% to $524 million, led by a 16-point volume decline and two points of unfavorable price mix. The decrease reflected the ERP comparison and shipments ahead of consumption in the fiscal third quarter. Segmental adjusted EBIT plunged 56% to $69 million amid lower sales and higher commodity costs.

Lifestyle sales declined 17% year over year to $280 million. Volume fell 14 points, while unfavorable price mix reduced growth by another three points. Segment adjusted EBIT decreased 60% to $38 million, mainly because of lower revenues.

International sales increased 4% to $281 million, primarily supported by favorable foreign exchange rates. Organic sales rose 1%. Segment adjusted EBIT advanced 17% to $27 million on higher sales and cost savings.

Clorox Issues FY27 OutlookFor fiscal 2027, CLX expects net sales growth of 13-14%, including 9.5 percentage points from GOJO. Organic sales are projected to rise 3.5-4.5%, including more than 3.5 points of benefit from lapping the ERP-related inventory drawdown.

The company expects a gross margin of 42%, as stronger-than-normal inflation and unfavorable mix are anticipated to more than offset cost savings. Selling and administrative expenses are projected at 16% of sales, while advertising spending is expected to be 10%.

Adjusted earnings are forecast between $5.70 and $6.00 per share, implying growth of 3-8% year over year. Reported earnings are expected between $5.41 and $5.71 per share, including 29 cents of GOJO transaction-related costs.

CLX Cash Flow & Balance Sheet UpdateThe fiscal 2026 operating cash flow decreased 38% year over year to $612 million due to the Glad Venture Agreement termination payment. Management expects the fiscal 2027 free cash flow to be 11-13% of net sales.

Clorox ended fiscal 2026 with $143 million in cash and cash equivalents. Long-term debt rose to $3.98 billion from $2.48 billion a year earlier, while notes and loans payable increased to $1.09 billion from $4 million following the GOJO transaction.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates.

The consensus estimate has shifted -21.06% due to these changes.

VGM ScoresAt this time, Clorox has a subpar Growth Score of D, however its Momentum Score is doing a lot better with an A. However, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for value investors.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of C. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. It's no surprise Clorox has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months.

Performance of an Industry PlayerClorox belongs to the Zacks Consumer Products - Staples industry. Another stock from the same industry, Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI - Free Report) , has gained 3.2% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended May 2026.

Albertsons Companies reported revenues of $24.94 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +0.2%. EPS of $0.42 for the same period compares with $0.55 a year ago.

Albertsons Companies is expected to post earnings of $0.33 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -25%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.5%.

The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) for Albertsons Companies. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of A.

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in shares of The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 32,488 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,101,000.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Caitlin John LLC lifted its position in shares of Clorox by 1,807.1% during the 4th quarter. Caitlin John LLC now owns 267 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 253 shares during the last quarter. Avalon Trust Co acquired a new stake in Clorox in the second quarter valued at $29,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Clorox in the second quarter valued at $29,000. Root Financial Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Clorox by 83.8% during the 1st quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 318 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 145 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SHP Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Clorox during the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. 78.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth CLX has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded Clorox from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, August 15th. BNP Paribas Exane decreased their target price on Clorox from $97.00 to $95.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $98.00 price target on Clorox in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Clorox from $95.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut shares of Clorox from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $125.00 to $98.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Clorox has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $102.40.

Read Our Latest Research Report on CLX Clorox Stock Up 0.0% CLX opened at $102.57 on Monday. The Clorox Company has a one year low of $84.70 and a one year high of $128.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a current ratio of 0.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 0.54. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $99.83 and its 200-day simple moving average is $102.60.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.64 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.91 billion. Clorox had a return on equity of 522.23% and a net margin of 8.74%.The business’s revenue was down 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.87 EPS. Clorox has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.700-6.000 EPS. Analysts anticipate that The Clorox Company will post 5.8 EPS for the current year.

Clorox Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 28th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 12th were issued a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 12th. 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 4.9%. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio is currently 103.73%.

Clorox Profile (Free Report)

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.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Clorox Strike a Balance Between Growth and Stability With These 3 Names Ready to Rally Rubrik’s AI Security Bet Could Power the Next Leg Higher Apple’s Foldable iPhone Could Be a Catalyst, But Not a Cure-All Snowflake Is Up Nearly 50% in 2026—What Are Short Sellers Betting Against? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CLX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report).

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Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC bought a new position in shares of The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 106,377 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,153,000. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC owned 0.09% of Clorox as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of CLX. Twin Tree Management LP acquired a new stake in Clorox in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $420,000. Haverford Trust Co purchased a new stake in Clorox in the second quarter valued at $333,000. First Nebraska Trust Co acquired a new stake in Clorox during the second quarter worth about $5,561,000. Bank of Nova Scotia acquired a new stake in shares of Clorox during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,501,000. Finally, Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in Clorox in the second quarter valued at $336,000. Institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have weighed in on CLX. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Clorox from $95.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Clorox from $110.00 to $97.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Barclays reissued an “underweight” rating and issued a $84.00 price target on shares of Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Clorox from $97.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Evercore set a $99.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $102.40.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on CLX Clorox Trading Up 0.3% Shares of Clorox stock opened at $107.00 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80, a current ratio of 0.66 and a quick ratio of 0.38. The Clorox Company has a 1 year low of $84.70 and a 1 year high of $128.90. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $98.97 and a 200 day moving average price of $103.07. The company has a market capitalization of $12.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.20, a P/E/G ratio of 3.34 and a beta of 0.54.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.64 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.91 billion. Clorox had a return on equity of 522.23% and a net margin of 8.74%.Clorox’s revenue was down 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.87 EPS. Clorox has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.700-6.000 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that The Clorox Company will post 5.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Clorox Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 28th. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be issued a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 12th. This is an increase from Clorox’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.7%. Clorox’s payout ratio is 103.73%.

Clorox Company Profile (Free Report)

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.

Read More Five stocks we like better than Clorox VIG, VYM, and VYMI: Which Vanguard Dividend ETF Is Right for You? 3 Closed-End Funds to Maximize Dividend Payments Rocket Lab’s Sell-Off Is Fading—Is It Finally Safe to Buy? $27 Billion in Buybacks: 3 Stocks Betting Their Strong Runs Aren’t Over Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CLX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report).

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BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 10,044,423 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $958,640,000. BlackRock Inc. owned 8.31% of Clorox as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of CLX. Haverford Trust Co increased its stake in Clorox by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Haverford Trust Co now owns 3,070 shares of the company’s stock valued at $310,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Field & Main Bank boosted its position in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC boosted its position 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 worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC grew its stake in shares of Clorox by 1.8% in the 1st 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. increased its position in Clorox by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 3,659 shares of the company’s stock valued at $451,000 after buying an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. 78.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Clorox Stock Performance NYSE CLX opened at $107.00 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $12.94 billion, a PE ratio of 22.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.32 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a current ratio of 0.66. The Clorox Company has a 52-week low of $84.70 and a 52-week high of $128.90. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $98.97 and a 200 day simple moving average of $103.14.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 analyst estimates of $1.91 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.87 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter 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, research analysts predict that The Clorox Company will post 5.8 EPS for the current year. Clorox Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 28th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be paid a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 12th. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.7%. This is a boost from Clorox’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio is presently 103.73%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on CLX. Wall Street Zen lowered Clorox from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “sell” rating and set a $83.00 price target on shares of Clorox in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $97.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 1st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Clorox in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Clorox from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Clorox currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $102.40.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Clorox

About Clorox (Free Report)

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.

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Key Takeaways Clorox expects GOJO to add 9.5 points to fiscal 2027 sales growth and boost its health platform.Organic sales growth may be limited as inflation tops $200 million and negative mix pressures margins.Clorox must deliver stronger core demand and margin recovery as ERP benefits fade. The Clorox Company (CLX - Free Report) enters fiscal 2027 with a larger health-and-hygiene platform after the GOJO acquisition, but investors are weighing that growth against weaker margins and muted underlying demand. Clorox expects GOJO to add about 9.5 percentage points to fiscal 2027 net sales growth and be accretive to adjusted earnings per share.

The earnings outlook offers improvement, yet much of the reported growth comes from acquisition and enterprise resource planning (ERP) comparison effects. Persistent inflation, softer categories and negative mix keep the near-term investment case balanced rather than straightforward.

GOJO Gives Clorox a New Growth EngineClorox's fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 net sales fell 2% to $1.95 billion but beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.91 billion by 1.8%. GOJO contributed about 10 percentage points to sales growth. Health and Wellness sales increased 16% to $860 million, with the acquisition contributing about 28 points to the segment's growth.

GOJO also changes Clorox's longer-term mix. The combined global health-and-hygiene portfolio now accounts for more than half of net sales. For fiscal 2027, management expects total net sales to increase 13-14%, including the roughly 9.5-point GOJO contribution, while adjusted earnings are projected at $5.70-$6.00 per share, up 3-8%.

Margin Pressure Limits the UpsideProfitability is the main counterweight. Fiscal 2026 gross margin declined 290 basis points to 42.3%, while fourth-quarter gross margin dropped 520 basis points to 41.3%. The quarter included about 150 basis points of pressure each from the ERP shipment comparison and GOJO inventory step-up, alongside higher commodity, manufacturing and logistics costs.

Clorox expects fiscal 2027 gross margin of about 42%, with cost savings more than offset by higher-than-normal inflation and negative mix. Inflation is expected to exceed $200 million, more than twice the company's historical $75-$100 million range. Organic sales are forecast to rise 3.5-4.5%, but more than 3.5 points reflect the ERP comparison. Excluding that benefit, organic sales are expected to be flat to up slightly.

Peer Results Show a Mixed Staples BackdropThe Procter & Gamble Company (PG - Free Report) reported flat organic sales in its fiscal fourth quarter and 1% organic sales growth for fiscal 2026. That performance underscores the subdued demand environment across large branded household and personal-care categories, even for companies with broad portfolios and substantial scale.

Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD - Free Report) offered a more favorable margin comparison. Its second-quarter 2026 organic sales increased 5.8%, while adjusted gross margin expanded 40 basis points to 45.4%. The contrast shows that consumer-staples companies are navigating similar inflation and value pressures with different operating outcomes.

Is CLX Stock Worth Buying Now?The GOJO acquisition gives Clorox a credible growth driver, and completed ERP investments could support productivity later in fiscal 2027. Still, the core business must show firmer organic demand and better margin progression before the growth profile looks more durable. CLX trades at 17.9X forward 12-month earnings, modestly below its sub-industry's 18.2X multiple.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Near-term Zacks signals remain cautious. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2027 earnings is $5.82 per share and has declined 3.8% in the past four weeks. CLX currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), along with a Value Score of C, Growth Score of D, Momentum Score of F and VGM Score of D. Under the Zacks framework, the Rank points to unfavorable earnings-revision trends, while the weaker Growth, Momentum and VGM scores provide limited support for an aggressive buying case.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

I reiterate a Hold rating on The Clorox Company, as the current valuation requires unsustainably high free cash flow growth. Recent positives include the GOJO acquisition and ERP rollout, but organic revenue growth remains limited after adjusting for these factors. CLX's balance sheet is heavily leveraged post-acquisition, constraining reinvestment and raising dividend sustainability concerns.

Investors interested in stocks from the Consumer Products - Staples sector have probably already heard of Newell Brands (NWL - Free Report) and Clorox (CLX - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Newell Brands has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Clorox has a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell) right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that NWL has an improving earnings outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

Our Value category grades stocks based on a number of key metrics, including the tried-and-true P/E ratio, the P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share, as well as a variety of other fundamentals that value investors frequently use.

NWL currently has a forward P/E ratio of 9.57, while CLX has a forward P/E of 17.96. We also note that NWL has a PEG ratio of 1.80. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. CLX currently has a PEG ratio of 3.12.

Another notable valuation metric for NWL is its P/B ratio of 1.07. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, CLX has a P/B of 50.79.

These metrics, and several others, help NWL earn a Value grade of A, while CLX has been given a Value grade of D.

NWL is currently sporting an improving earnings outlook, which makes it stick out in our Zacks Rank model. And, based on the above valuation metrics, we feel that NWL is likely the superior value option right now.

Clorox Co (NYSE:CLX) reported better-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter on Monday.

The company posted quarterly earnings of $1.66 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.65 per share. The company reported quarterly sales of $1.948 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.898 billion.

Clorox said it sees FY2027 adjusted EPS of $5.70-$6.00, versus market estimates of $5.97. The company expects sales of $7.594 billion-$7.661 billion, versus estimates of $7.501 billion.

Clorox shares rose 1.8% to $100.00 in pre-market trading.

These analysts made changes to their price targets on Clorox following earnings announcement.

Evercore ISI Group analyst Javier Escalante maintained the stock with an Underperform rating and raised the price target from $98 to $99. Wells Fargo analyst Chris Carey maintained the stock with an Equal-Weight rating and raised the price target from $95 to $102. Considering buying CLX stock? Here’s what analysts think:

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5 High-Yield Stocks That Could Help Cushion Market VolatilityClorox NYSE: CLX said it is entering fiscal 2027 with improving market-share trends, a completed enterprise resource planning implementation and a plan to offset more than $200 million in expected supply-chain inflation through productivity initiatives and targeted pricing.

Chair and CEO Linda Rendle said the company operated through fiscal 2026 in an environment marked by value-seeking consumers, heightened competition, inflation and macroeconomic uncertainty. Clorox has responded by adjusting product offerings, price-pack architecture, promotions, brand investment and distribution, while continuing its broader operational transformation.

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3 Defensive Stocks to Buy as Economic Uncertainty Lingers“While the majority of our businesses are performing at or above expectations, we have taken decisive actions to improve in the areas that are not yet delivering what we expect,” Rendle said. She said the company saw sequential improvement in consumption and market share during fiscal 2026, with consumption returning to flat in the fourth quarter and aggregate share down only one-tenth of a percentage point.

Fiscal 2027 outlook includes muted category growth Rendle said Clorox expects category growth to remain muted in fiscal 2027, broadly consistent with fiscal 2026, as consumers continue seeking value. The company’s outlook assumes continuity in category conditions and does not contemplate significant disruption from inflation or geopolitical developments.

3 Dividend Stocks Raising Payouts—and Backing It Up With ResultsClorox expects organic sales to be flat to slightly higher for the year, with a slower first quarter primarily due to timing effects in Kingsford grilling products and promotions. Rendle described the first-quarter impact as a “blip,” saying the rest of the year, particularly the back half, should more closely resemble fiscal 2026 trends.

Kingsford faced a difficult grilling season as weather affected key holidays. Rendle said Memorial Day was unusually cool and wet across much of the U.S., while widespread heat advisories during the July 4 weekend discouraged grilling. Retailers also emphasized smaller sizes on promotion to appeal to value-oriented shoppers. Clorox plans to adjust its merchandising approach next season by encouraging earlier seasonal purchases.

Management expects to continue improving market share in fiscal 2027. Rendle highlighted eight consecutive quarters of share growth in home care, as well as continued share gains in professional and international businesses. The company also cited improving results in Glad and Hidden Valley Ranch, while identifying litter and Kingsford as areas where further progress is needed.

Inflation, pricing and margins CFO Luc Bellet said Clorox expects fiscal 2027 inflation of more than $200 million, more than double the company’s historical range of $75 million to $100 million. The outlook assumes Brent crude oil averages about $90 a barrel and includes cost pressures beyond commodities, including supplier costs, ocean freight, trucking and other logistics expenses.

Bellet said inflation is expected to be more pronounced in the first half of the fiscal year. Productivity will be the company’s primary offset, supplemented by selective pricing and other revenue-management actions. Clorox expects to begin recovering gross margin in the second half, although it does not expect to fully recover margin for the full year. The company expects to exit fiscal 2027 with a stronger gross margin.

Rendle said Clorox is taking a more selective approach to pricing than in prior inflationary periods, following several substantial price increases during 2022 and 2023. The company is implementing a regular price increase in Glad trash because of that category’s resin exposure, while using targeted pricing elsewhere in the portfolio.

“Pricing is only one tool in the toolbox,” Rendle said, pointing to revenue growth management, price-pack architecture, cost savings and innovation as additional levers. She said management does not see a structural loss of pricing power in its categories, but views the current environment as unusual because it follows back-to-back inflation cycles and pressure on consumer budgets.

GOJO acquisition and operating transformation Management said the integration of GOJO, which brings the Purell brand into Clorox’s portfolio, is proceeding as planned and in some areas ahead of plan. Rendle said the business performed ahead of its fourth-quarter targets, while Bellet said GOJO was accretive rather than dilutive to adjusted earnings per share in the quarter.

Bellet said GOJO is expected to be accretive to adjusted EPS in fiscal 2027 and is expected to grow at a mid-single-digit rate before potential revenue synergies. As those synergies are realized, management expects growth in the business could reach the mid- to high-single digits for several years.

The CFO also noted that GOJO’s business-to-business model has a different profit-and-loss profile than Clorox’s legacy operations, including lower advertising spending as a percentage of sales and higher selling, general and administrative expenses.

Clorox completed its ERP implementation and is now focused on stabilizing and optimizing the system. Bellet said the company expects supply-chain and administrative benefits to build later in fiscal 2027 and into the following year. Potential benefits include improved planning, lower inventory, automation, more responsive demand fulfillment and increased use of global business services.

Litter turnaround and CEO search Rendle said litter remains the company’s principal work in progress following the cyberattack and operational disruptions of prior years. The company has restored lost distribution, but is continuing to overhaul the Fresh Step brand through product improvements, packaging changes, marketing, e-commerce upgrades and targeted pricing.

Clorox reduced dust in certain Fresh Step products, expanded investment in lightweight litter and changed packaging and marketing. Rendle said more innovation is planned for the back half of fiscal 2027, though she cautioned that rebuilding consumer awareness, repeat purchases and category momentum will take time.

Rendle also provided an update on Clorox’s CEO succession process. She previously informed the board of her intention to step down due to personal health challenges. She said she is cancer-free, feels well and remains focused on running the company. The board has hired an external search firm and the process is progressing according to its expected timeline.

Clorox expects fiscal 2027 free cash flow to remain within its targeted range of 11% to 13% of sales. Bellet said the company remains committed to its dividend, describing the currently elevated payout ratio as transitory while gross margins rebuild.

About Clorox (NYSE:CLX)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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Pine-Sol maker Clorox forecast annual sales above analysts' expectations on Monday, betting on improving demand for its health ​and wellness segments as well as from ‌international customers despite macroeconomic uncertainty.