Traders Buy Large Volume of Call Options on Clorox (NYSE:CLX)

Key Points

• Unusually large call buying: Traders purchased 14,071 call options on CLX—about a 184% increase versus the average daily call volume—coinciding with the stock trading near $92.66.
• Earnings beat and guidance: Clorox reported Q results with EPS of $1.64 (vs. $1.55 expected) and set FY2026 guidance of $5.45–$5.65, roughly in line with analyst forecasts of $5.63.
• Dividend and insider activity amid weaker analyst views: The company announced a $1.24 quarterly dividend (≈5.4% yield) and a director bought 5,000 shares at $85.82, while several brokerages trimmed price targets and the consensus rating is "Reduce" (avg. target $104).

The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX - Get Free Report) saw unusually large options trading activity on Friday. Stock investors acquired 14,071 call options on the company. This is an increase of 184% compared to the average daily volume of 4,949 call options.

Clorox Trading Up 0.6%

NYSE CLX traded up $0.55 on Friday, hitting $92.66. 962,333 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,528,163. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.03, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.65. Clorox has a twelve month low of $84.70 and a twelve month high of $138.23. The company's 50 day moving average price is $106.03 and its 200-day moving average price is $108.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 0.59.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $1.67 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.67 billion. Clorox had a net margin of 11.18% and a return on equity of 443.64%. The firm's revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.45 earnings per share. Clorox has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.450-5.650 EPS. Analysts predict that Clorox will post 5.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Clorox Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be paid a $1.24 dividend. This represents a $4.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.4%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 22nd. Clorox's dividend payout ratio is currently 80.52%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have commented on CLX. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $100.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on shares of Clorox from $139.00 to $125.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Clorox from $99.00 to $95.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Clorox from $102.00 to $85.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane upgraded shares of 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 issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $104.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Clorox

In related news, Director Pierre R. Breber purchased 5,000 shares of Clorox stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $85.82 per share, with a total value of $429,100.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 18,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,544,760. The trade was a 38.46% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.63% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CLX. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its stake in Clorox by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 13,380 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,970,000 after buying an additional 514 shares during the period. Woodline Partners LP boosted its position in Clorox by 253.7% during the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 10,407 shares of the company's stock worth $1,532,000 after purchasing an additional 7,465 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its position in Clorox by 1.7% during the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 25,032 shares of the company's stock worth $3,006,000 after purchasing an additional 424 shares during the period. Jump Financial LLC boosted its position in Clorox by 173.5% during the second quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 12,491 shares of the company's stock worth $1,500,000 after purchasing an additional 7,924 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Nova Scotia boosted its position in Clorox by 26.2% during the second quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 16,141 shares of the company's stock worth $1,938,000 after purchasing an additional 3,352 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.53% of the company's stock.

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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