ING Groep NV Grows Stake in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX)

ING Groep NV increased its holdings in shares of The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) by 170.8% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 1,476 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 931 shares during the period. ING Groep NV’s holdings in Clorox were worth $210,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services grew its position in shares of Clorox by 3.2% during the fourth quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services now owns 2,257 shares of the company’s stock worth $322,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Modera Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Clorox by 1.4% during the third quarter. Modera Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,130 shares of the company’s stock valued at $672,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Czech National Bank boosted its stake in Clorox by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 21,718 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,097,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its stake in Clorox by 7.2% during the fourth quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,089 shares of the company’s stock valued at $156,000 after buying an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Finally, West Branch Capital LLC boosted its stake in Clorox by 9.3% during the fourth quarter. West Branch Capital LLC now owns 903 shares of the company’s stock valued at $129,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently commented on CLX shares. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Clorox from $140.00 to $135.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Clorox from $155.00 to $150.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. Barclays lowered their price objective on Clorox from $136.00 to $132.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and issued a $160.00 price objective on shares of Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, March 26th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised Clorox from an “underperform” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $145.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 26th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and thirteen have issued a hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Clorox presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $146.43.

Clorox Trading Down 0.2 %

CLX opened at $134.04 on Thursday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $144.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $144.88. The company has a market capitalization of $16.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 69.45, a PEG ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.44. The Clorox Company has a 52 week low of $114.68 and a 52 week high of $169.14. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.73.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 30th. The company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.33 by $0.38. The company had revenue of $1.81 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.87 billion. Clorox had a return on equity of 302.49% and a net margin of 3.33%. Clorox’s quarterly revenue was down 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.51 EPS. Analysts forecast that The Clorox Company will post 5.83 earnings per share for the current year.

Clorox Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 24th were issued a $1.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, April 23rd. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.58%. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio is presently 248.71%.

About Clorox

The Clorox Company manufactures and markets consumer and professional products worldwide. It operates through four segments: Health and Wellness, Household, Lifestyle, and International. The Health and Wellness segment offers cleaning products, such as laundry additives and home care products primarily under the Clorox, Clorox2, Scentiva, Pine-Sol, Liquid-Plumr, Tilex, and Formula 409 brands; professional cleaning and disinfecting products under the CloroxPro and Clorox Healthcare brands; professional food service products under the Hidden Valley brand; and vitamins, minerals and supplement products under the RenewLife, Natural Vitality, NeoCell, and Rainbow Light brands in the United States.