The Clorox Company $CLX Shares Purchased by Benjamin Edwards Inc.

Benjamin Edwards Inc. grew its stake in shares of The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) by 37.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 65,247 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 17,667 shares during the period. Benjamin Edwards Inc. owned 0.05% of Clorox worth $6,228,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Clorox in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Caitlin John LLC boosted its stake 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. Ancora Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Clorox during the second quarter worth about $28,000. Avalon Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Clorox during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Clorox by 83.8% in the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 318 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 145 shares during the last quarter. 78.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Clorox Trading Up 0.0%

Shares of CLX stock opened at $102.57 on Monday. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $99.83 and its 200-day simple moving average is $102.60. 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 firm has a market cap of $12.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.28, a PEG ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 0.54.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last released 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 net margin of 8.74% and a return on equity of 522.23%. The firm 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 earned $2.87 earnings per share. Clorox’s 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 analysts forecast that The Clorox Company will post 5.8 EPS for the current year.

Clorox Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 28th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 12th were paid a dividend of $1.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 12th. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.9%. This is a boost from Clorox’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio is presently 103.73%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Clorox in a research note on Friday, July 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Clorox from $92.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Clorox from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price target for the company from $125.00 to $98.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Barclays reissued an “underweight” rating and set a $84.00 price target on shares of Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Clorox from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, August 15th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $102.40.

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.