Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Takes Position in The Clorox Company $CLX

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm bought 17,596 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,170,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Center for Financial Planning Inc. acquired a new position in Clorox during the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Total Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Clorox during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC raised its stake in shares of Clorox by 1,020.0% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 224 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 204 shares in the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Clorox during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Bank & Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of Clorox in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Clorox Price Performance

NYSE:CLX opened at $115.86 on Wednesday. The Clorox Company has a 52 week low of $96.66 and a 52 week high of $150.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 71.03, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a current ratio of 0.74. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $115.07 and its 200 day simple moving average is $113.46. The firm has a market cap of $14.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.93, a P/E/G ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.59.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.43 by ($0.04). Clorox had a net margin of 11.17% and a return on equity of 383.01%. The business had revenue of $1.67 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.64 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.55 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that The Clorox Company will post 7.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Clorox Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be paid a $1.24 dividend. This represents a $4.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.3%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 22nd. Clorox’s payout ratio is 81.05%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on shares of Clorox from $152.00 to $151.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $125.00 target price on Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $117.00 target price on Clorox in a report on Friday, February 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price target on Clorox from $110.00 to $94.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Zacks Research raised Clorox from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Clorox presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $118.73.

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.