Clorox (NYSE:CLX) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.09 EPS

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $1.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.09, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.67 billion. Clorox had a return on equity of 379.46% and a net margin of 11.18%.The company’s revenue was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.45 earnings per share. Clorox updated its FY 2026 guidance to 5.450-5.650 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Clorox’s conference call:

• ERP implementation is complete, service levels have stabilized, and management says this foundation will enable better execution and convert innovation and distribution gains into improved results.
• Q3 results fell short of expectations—gross margin was pressured by higher-than-expected supply-chain/fulfillment costs and delayed cost savings, and several businesses (notably Fresh Step litter and parts of Food) improved more slowly than planned.
• Management reports strong innovation and shelf gains in Cleaning (including Clorox PURE and Scentiva), improving momentum at Glad after price/pack actions, and Hidden Valley share recovery following product and pack changes.
• Near-term cost risk from higher oil/resin prices related to the Middle East conflict is material—management estimates roughly $20–25 million of Q4 headwinds at ~$100/barrel—and expects to use RGM, targeted pricing, productivity and accelerated cost savings to mitigate.
• The GOJO acquisition closed April 1 and adds about $800M of revenue with mid-single-digit growth; company expects year?1 gross margin dilution and a Q4 inventory step-up one-time hit but forecasts at least $50M of run?rate synergies and multi-year accretion.

Clorox Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE CLX traded down $9.36 during trading on Friday, reaching $87.08. 13,250,607 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,359,509. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $108.21 and a 200-day simple moving average of $108.82. Clorox has a 52-week low of $86.00 and a 52-week high of $140.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.53 billion, a PE ratio of 14.23, a P/E/G ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a quick ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 71.03.

Clorox Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be issued a dividend of $1.24 per share. This represents a $4.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 22nd. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 81.05%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CLX has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of Clorox from $99.00 to $95.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $97.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Evercore reiterated an “underperform” rating and set a $110.00 price target on shares of Clorox in a report on Friday. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $97.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane raised Clorox from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $104.93.

Trending Headlines about Clorox

Here are the key news stories impacting Clorox this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 results beat on the bottom line as cost cuts and lower spending lifted non?GAAP EPS to $1.64, above estimates, showing operational leverage despite flat sales. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Management is emphasizing innovation and strategic moves to drive future growth — a narrative investors may watch if execution improves. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: The company provided Q3 filings, an earnings call transcript and a formal press release; these sources contain details on segment trends and cost actions for modeling. Read More. • Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Clorox trimmed FY?2026 guidance (EPS and sales), citing weaker demand and market?share headwinds — management’s guidance was well below consensus, which is the main catalyst for the selloff. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Several large brokers cut price targets and shifted to neutral/underweight after the update (Morgan Stanley, Citi, JPMorgan, Wells Fargo), increasing short?term selling pressure. Read More. • Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: A shareholder law firm announced an investigation into possible securities?fraud claims related to Clorox’s statements, adding regulatory/legal risk that can weigh on sentiment. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Shares hit new 52?week lows and traded at much higher volumes, signaling broad repositioning by investors and momentum that could continue until clarity on sales/margin recovery arrives. Read More.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Clorox

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Caitlin John LLC grew its position in Clorox by 1,807.1% in 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 period. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Clorox during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new position in shares of Clorox in the 2nd quarter worth $44,000. DV Equities LLC purchased a new position in shares of Clorox in the 4th quarter worth $46,000. Finally, Golden State Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Clorox by 28.2% in the fourth quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 454 shares of the company’s stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

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.