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

Key Points

• Clorox saw unusually heavy bearish options activity: Investors bought 15,112 put options, about 153% above the typical daily volume.
• Director Pierre R. Breber purchased 5,000 shares at an average price of $85.82, increasing his direct ownership by 38.46%. Institutional investors own 78.53% of the company.
• Shares rose 2.3% to $99.61, while analysts remain cautious with an average “Reduce” rating and a $101 price target. Clorox’s latest quarterly earnings exceeded expectations, with adjusted guidance of $5.45–$5.65 EPS for fiscal 2026.

The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX - Get Free Report) saw some unusual options trading activity on Tuesday. Investors purchased 15,112 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 153% compared to the typical daily volume of 5,962 put options.

Insider Transactions at Clorox

In related news, Director Pierre R. Breber purchased 5,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 18,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,544,760. This represents a 38.46% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.63% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Clorox

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of CLX. Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. increased its position in shares of Clorox by 250.6% during the fourth quarter. Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 55,064 shares of the company's stock valued at $5,552,000 after acquiring an additional 39,360 shares in the last quarter. Morningstar Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Clorox by 131.8% in the 4th quarter. Morningstar Investment Management LLC now owns 62,454 shares of the company's stock valued at $6,297,000 after acquiring an additional 35,506 shares in the last quarter. National Pension Service lifted its position in Clorox by 68.9% in the 4th quarter. National Pension Service now owns 27,537 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,777,000 after acquiring an additional 11,233 shares in the last quarter. Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Clorox during the 4th quarter valued at $22,103,000. Finally, Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Co purchased a new stake in Clorox during the 4th quarter valued at $1,966,000. 78.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Clorox from $100.00 to $95.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 18th. Evercore restated an "underperform" rating and issued a $98.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a research note on Thursday. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on Clorox from $132.00 to $127.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "hold" rating and issued a $94.00 price target on shares of Clorox in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price objective on Clorox from $98.00 to $111.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Clorox has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $101.00.

Clorox Stock Up 2.3%

Shares of NYSE CLX traded up $2.20 on Tuesday, reaching $99.61. 878,167 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,515,985. Clorox has a 12 month low of $84.70 and a 12 month high of $128.90. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $95.19 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $103.83. The company has a market cap of $12.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.18 and a beta of 0.54. 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. The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.67 billion. Clorox had a return on equity of 443.64% and a net margin of 11.18%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.45 EPS. Clorox has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.450-5.650 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Clorox will post 5.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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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