Brokerages Set The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) Price Target at $118.73

Shares of The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Reduce” from the sixteen brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $118.7333.

Several equities analysts have weighed in on CLX shares. TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Clorox from $108.00 to $111.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Clorox from $115.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Zacks Research raised Clorox from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Weiss Ratings raised Clorox from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on Clorox from $152.00 to $151.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th.

Institutional Trading of Clorox

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CLX. Mengis Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Clorox by 38.6% during the fourth quarter. Mengis Capital Management Inc. now owns 47,643 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,804,000 after purchasing an additional 13,260 shares during the last quarter. SHP Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Clorox in the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. Employees Provident Fund Board purchased a new stake in Clorox in the 4th quarter valued at about $17,310,000. Anchor Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Clorox by 14.7% during the 4th quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 10,860 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,095,000 after acquiring an additional 1,393 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BDFS Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Clorox during the 4th quarter worth about $473,000. 78.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Clorox Trading Down 3.3%

Shares of CLX opened at $113.60 on Tuesday. Clorox has a twelve month low of $96.66 and a twelve month high of $153.90. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 71.03. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.56, a PEG ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 0.59. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $114.16 and its two-hundred day moving average is $113.67.

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

Clorox Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be paid a dividend of $1.24 per share. This represents a $4.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 22nd. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 81.05%.

About Clorox

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

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