The Clorox Company $CLX Shares Sold by Renaissance Technologies LLC

Key Points

• Renaissance Technologies cut its Clorox position by 87.7% in the first quarter, selling 196,700 shares and retaining 27,600 shares valued at approximately $2.86 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 78.53% of CLX.
• Clorox exceeded quarterly expectations with adjusted EPS of $1.66 versus $1.64 expected and revenue of $1.95 billion, though revenue declined 2% year over year. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.25 per share, implying a 4.8% yield.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: 12 analysts rate Clorox “Hold” and five rate it “Sell,” resulting in a consensus “Reduce” rating and an average price target of $102.40.

Renaissance Technologies LLC lowered its position in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX - Free Report) by 87.7% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 27,600 shares of the company's stock after selling 196,700 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC's holdings in Clorox were worth $2,860,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Haverford Trust Co raised its holdings in Clorox by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. Haverford Trust Co now owns 3,070 shares of the company's stock worth $310,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the period. Field & Main Bank grew its holdings in Clorox by 3.3% in the fourth quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 3,100 shares of the company's stock valued at $313,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. Golden State Wealth Management LLC increased its position 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 valued at $46,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Clorox by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC now owns 5,957 shares of the company's stock worth $617,000 after buying an additional 104 shares during the period. Finally, Johnson Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Clorox by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 3,659 shares of the company's stock valued at $451,000 after buying an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. 78.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Clorox Price Performance

CLX opened at $105.24 on Monday. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $96.41 and its 200 day moving average price is $103.42. The Clorox Company has a 12-month low of $84.70 and a 12-month high of $128.90. The firm has a market cap of $12.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.83, a PEG ratio of 3.13 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.64 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.91 billion. Clorox had a return on equity of 522.23% and a net margin of 8.74%.Clorox's revenue was down 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.87 EPS. Clorox has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.700-6.000 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that The Clorox Company will post 5.82 earnings per share for the current year.

Clorox Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 28th. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be paid a dividend of $1.25 per share. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 12th. This is an increase from Clorox's previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. Clorox's payout ratio is currently 102.90%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently commented on CLX. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Clorox from $97.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Evercore set a $99.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Zacks Research cut shares of Clorox from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $97.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "sell" rating and issued a $83.00 price objective on shares of Clorox in a report on Friday, May 1st. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $102.40.

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.

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