Clorox (NYSE:CLX) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.09 EPS

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) issued its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.09, FiscalAI reports. Clorox had a net margin of 11.18% and a return on equity of 379.46%. The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.67 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.45 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. 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 Down 9.7%

Shares of CLX stock traded down $9.36 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $87.08. 13,250,607 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,359,509. Clorox has a 12 month low of $86.00 and a 12 month high of $140.24. The company has a market cap of $10.53 billion, a P/E 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. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $108.21 and its 200-day moving average price is $108.82.

Clorox Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced 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 is Wednesday, April 22nd. Clorox’s payout ratio is 81.05%.

Clorox News Summary

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 Trading of Clorox

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of CLX. Caitlin John LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Clorox by 1,807.1% during the 4th quarter. Caitlin John LLC now owns 267 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 253 shares in the last quarter. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Clorox during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc bought a new stake in shares of Clorox during the 2nd quarter valued at $44,000. DV Equities LLC bought a new stake in shares of Clorox during the 4th quarter valued at $46,000. Finally, Golden State Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings 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 valued at $46,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on CLX shares. Citigroup cut their target price on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $97.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Barclays set a $85.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a report on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “sell” rating and issued a $83.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a report on Friday. UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $96.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Clorox from $99.00 to $95.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $104.93.

Clorox Company Profile

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.