Royal Bank of Canada Acquires 237,301 Shares of The Clorox Company $CLX

Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) by 20.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,418,204 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 237,301 shares during the period. Royal Bank of Canada’s holdings in Clorox were worth $146,969,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Clorox during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Caitlin John LLC raised its stake in shares of Clorox by 1,807.1% in the fourth quarter. Caitlin John LLC now owns 267 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 253 shares during the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Clorox by 83.8% in the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 318 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 145 shares in the last quarter. Vision Financial Markets LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Clorox by 166.7% in the fourth quarter. Vision Financial Markets LLC now owns 320 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SHP Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Clorox during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Clorox Stock Performance

NYSE CLX opened at $96.69 on Friday. The Clorox Company has a 52-week low of $84.70 and a 52-week high of $128.90. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $95.49 and a 200 day simple moving average of $103.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.03, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 0.84. The company has a market capitalization of $11.69 billion, a PE ratio of 15.70 and a beta of 0.54.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.09. Clorox had a net margin of 11.18% and a return on equity of 443.64%. The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations 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% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that The Clorox Company will post 5.52 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Pierre R. Breber purchased 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 5th. The shares were bought at an average price of $85.82 per share, with a total value of $429,100.00. Following the acquisition, 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 filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.63% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently issued reports on CLX. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Clorox in a report on Friday, July 10th. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Clorox from $96.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Clorox from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered shares of Clorox from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $125.00 to $98.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “sell” rating and set a $83.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $101.00.

About Clorox

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.