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

The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) has received an average recommendation of “Reduce” from the fifteen brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $158.21.

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Clorox from $157.00 to $161.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Clorox from $171.00 to $173.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. TD Cowen upgraded Clorox from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $155.00 to $170.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Barclays increased their price objective on Clorox from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 5th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating and set a $150.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a research report on Thursday, January 30th.

Clorox Stock Up 1.5 %

CLX stock opened at $157.00 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $157.40 and its 200 day simple moving average is $160.13. The company has a market cap of $19.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.52, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.94. Clorox has a fifty-two week low of $127.60 and a fifty-two week high of $171.37.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.55 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.39 by $0.16. Clorox had a return on equity of 316.87% and a net margin of 6.38%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.16 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Clorox will post 7.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Clorox Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 9th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 23rd will be paid a dividend of $1.22 per share. This represents a $4.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.11%. Clorox’s payout ratio is currently 133.33%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Clorox

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Heck Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Clorox in the fourth quarter valued at $82,000. Hall Capital Management Co. Inc. bought a new stake in Clorox in the 4th quarter valued at about $461,000. Ameriflex Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Clorox during the fourth quarter valued at about $90,000. American Trust bought a new position in Clorox during the fourth quarter worth about $293,000. Finally, Putney Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Clorox in the fourth quarter worth about $104,000. Institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Clorox Company Profile

The Clorox Company manufactures and markets consumer and professional products worldwide. It operates through four segments: Health and Wellness, Household, Lifestyle, and International. The Health and Wellness segment offers cleaning products, such as laundry additives and home care products primarily under the Clorox, Clorox2, Scentiva, Pine-Sol, Liquid-Plumr, Tilex, and Formula 409 brands; professional cleaning and disinfecting products under the CloroxPro and Clorox Healthcare brands; professional food service products under the Hidden Valley brand; and vitamins, minerals and supplement products under the RenewLife, Natural Vitality, NeoCell, and Rainbow Light brands in the United States.