Van ECK Associates Corp Purchases 426,433 Shares of The Clorox Company $CLX

Key Points

• Van ECK Associates Corp increased its Clorox stake by 15.7% in the fourth quarter, buying 426,433 shares and bringing its total holding to 3.14 million shares worth about $316.2 million.
• Clorox reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings, with EPS of $1.64 versus the $1.55 consensus estimate, while revenue came in line at $1.67 billion. The company also maintained FY2026 EPS guidance of $5.45 to $5.65.
• Despite the earnings beat, sentiment remains cautious: the stock was down 1.6%, analysts now have a “Reduce” consensus rating, and several firms have recently cut price targets or downgraded the shares.

Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its position in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX - Free Report) by 15.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,136,405 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 426,433 shares during the quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp owned about 2.59% of Clorox worth $316,244,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of Clorox by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 8,434,277 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,039,946,000 after buying an additional 282,794 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in Clorox by 23.1% during the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,995,590 shares of the company's stock worth $492,656,000 after purchasing an additional 750,415 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Clorox by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,172,233 shares of the company's stock worth $318,613,000 after purchasing an additional 10,060 shares during the period. Two Sigma Investments LP boosted its position in Clorox by 33.8% during the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 1,740,175 shares of the company's stock worth $214,564,000 after purchasing an additional 439,797 shares during the period. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its position in Clorox by 4.8% during the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 1,539,006 shares of the company's stock worth $189,759,000 after purchasing an additional 70,783 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 78.53% of the company's stock.

Clorox Stock Down 1.6%

Shares of CLX stock opened at $96.74 on Friday. The Clorox Company has a 12 month low of $84.70 and a 12 month high of $132.03. The firm has a market cap of $11.70 billion, a PE ratio of 15.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.51 and a beta of 0.56. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $96.43 and a 200-day moving average of $105.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.03.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.64 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.09. Clorox had a return on equity of 443.64% and a net margin of 11.18%.The company had revenue of $1.67 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.67 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.45 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. Clorox has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.450-5.650 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that The Clorox Company will post 5.61 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CLX has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Clorox from $100.00 to $95.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Zacks Research cut Clorox from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on Clorox from $139.00 to $125.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 4th. BNP Paribas Exane cut their price target on Clorox from $128.00 to $97.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "sell" rating and set a $83.00 price target on shares of Clorox in a report on Friday, May 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and a consensus target price of $103.40.

Insider Activity at Clorox

In other news, Director Pierre R. Breber bought 5,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $85.82 per share, for a total transaction of $429,100.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 18,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,544,760. This trade represents a 38.46% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.63% of the company's stock.

Clorox 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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CLX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.