Wall Street Zen Downgrades Clorox (NYSE:CLX) to Sell

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report issued on Saturday.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Zacks Research raised Clorox from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. TD Cowen restated a “hold” rating on shares of Clorox in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Barclays reaffirmed an “underweight” rating and issued a $109.00 price objective on shares of Clorox in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $152.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $94.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Clorox presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $122.19.

Clorox Trading Up 1.1%

NYSE:CLX opened at $113.46 on Friday. Clorox has a 52 week low of $96.66 and a 52 week high of $164.22. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $103.80 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $114.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 18.01, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a current ratio of 0.76. The firm has a market cap of $13.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 0.58.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last released its earnings results on Monday, November 3rd. The company reported $0.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.78 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $1.43 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.41 billion. Clorox had a return on equity of 358.39% and a net margin of 11.68%.Clorox’s quarterly revenue was down 18.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.86 earnings per share. Clorox has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.950-6.300 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Clorox will post 7.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Clorox

In related news, Director Pierre R. Breber purchased 4,000 shares of Clorox stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 21st. The stock was bought at an average cost of $104.13 per share, for a total transaction of $416,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 13,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,353,690. This trade represents a 44.44% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.63% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. increased its position in shares of Clorox by 4.3% during the second quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. now owns 2,136 shares of the company’s stock valued at $256,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the period. American National Bank & Trust boosted its position in shares of Clorox by 69.5% in the second quarter. American National Bank & Trust now owns 217 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 89 shares during the period. Savvy Advisors Inc. grew its stake in Clorox by 1.4% during the second quarter. Savvy Advisors Inc. now owns 6,395 shares of the company’s stock valued at $768,000 after acquiring an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. increased its holdings in Clorox by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. now owns 11,196 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,380,000 after acquiring an additional 94 shares during the period. Finally, State of Michigan Retirement System lifted its stake in Clorox by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 33,551 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,028,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Clorox News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Clorox this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Clorox agreed to acquire GOJO Industries, the maker of Purell, for $2.25 billion in cash — a strategic push deeper into skin health and hygiene that management says is growth?accretive and advances its IGNITE plan. The deal expands Clorox’s consumer and professional hygiene footprint and is the primary catalyst for today’s stock strength. Clorox Announces Acquisition of GOJO
• Positive Sentiment: Management updated FY?2026 EPS guidance to $5.95–$6.30, slightly above consensus, and reiterated revenue targets — a sign the company expects the combined portfolio and cost initiatives to help stabilize growth. This guidance helped reassure investors even as organic revenue pressures persist. (Company guidance release)
• Neutral Sentiment: Deutsche Bank raised its price target on CLX to $114 (keeps a Hold rating), a small incremental positive that signals modest upside in analysts’ view but not a strong buy signal. Deutsche Bank Raises Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Broad media and analyst coverage (WSJ, CNBC, MarketWatch) has amplified the deal’s reach and provided investors with deal details and management commentary — increasing attention but not resolving long?term execution questions. WSJ: Clorox to Buy Purell-Maker
• Negative Sentiment: Some sell?side skepticism remains: Barclays kept an Underweight (sell) stance despite a small target tweak, and commentary from critics highlights valuation and fundamental concerns that could limit upside until integration is proven. Barclays Remains a Sell
• Negative Sentiment: The deal is being financed with debt, increasing leverage and short?term balance?sheet risk; investors will watch integration execution and cost synergy realization closely — these risks are why some analysts remain cautious. WSJ: Deal Financed with Debt
• Negative Sentiment: Critical commentary (e.g., Seeking Alpha) questions whether the acquisition meaningfully fixes Clorox’s underlying growth challenges and suggests the company still needs stronger organic execution — a narrative that could cap the stock if results don’t improve. Seeking Alpha: Adding Sanitizers, But In Need Of Getting Its Hands Dirty

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.