Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Raises Position in The Clorox Company $CLX

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its holdings in The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) by 46.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 273,674 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 87,396 shares during the quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. owned about 0.22% of Clorox worth $27,595,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CLX. Hardin Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Clorox during the fourth quarter worth about $266,000. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC increased its holdings in shares of Clorox by 13.5% during the fourth quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 3,659 shares of the company’s stock valued at $371,000 after acquiring an additional 435 shares in the last quarter. Occidental Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Clorox by 13.5% in the 4th quarter. Occidental Asset Management LLC now owns 19,474 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,964,000 after purchasing an additional 2,319 shares during the last quarter. Martin Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in Clorox by 751.0% in the 4th quarter. Martin Capital Partners LLC now owns 45,223 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,560,000 after purchasing an additional 39,909 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Painted Porch Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Clorox in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $77,000. 78.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Clorox Stock Up 1.6%

NYSE:CLX opened at $104.71 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 71.03, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.48. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $115.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $112.56. The Clorox Company has a 1-year low of $96.66 and a 1-year high of $150.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.11, a PEG ratio of 0.51 and a beta of 0.59.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last posted its earnings results 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). The business had revenue of $1.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.64 billion. Clorox had a net margin of 11.17% and a return on equity of 383.01%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.55 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that The Clorox Company will post 7.15 EPS 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 given a dividend of $1.24 per share. This represents a $4.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.7%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 22nd. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 81.05%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have issued reports on CLX. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on shares of Clorox from $110.00 to $94.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of Clorox from $152.00 to $151.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price objective on shares of Clorox from $114.00 to $112.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group raised their target price on Clorox from $115.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their price target on Clorox from $108.00 to $111.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. One 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. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price 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.