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Investing.com - Citi has lowered its price target on Clorox (NYSE:CLX) to $135.00 from $140.00 while maintaining a Neutral rating on the stock. The company, which has maintained dividend payments for 55 consecutive years and raised them for 48 straight years according to InvestingPro, currently operates with a moderate debt level.
The research firm cited concerns about Clorox’s fiscal year 2026 guidance, which it believes could fall below consensus estimates due to weak category trends and the unwinding of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) shipment benefits realized in fiscal year 2025.
Despite the cautious outlook, Citi expects Clorox to deliver solid fiscal fourth-quarter 2025 results with organic sales growth accelerating sequentially to 6.7%, driven by ERP shipment volumes providing an estimated 7.5-11.2% benefit.
The firm noted that underlying organic sales growth excluding the ERP benefit remains soft, reflecting low-single-digit percentage declines in category growth and market share losses in several key Clorox categories.
Clorox stock has underperformed its household and personal care peers year-to-date, declining approximately 22% compared to the peer average decline of 3%, according to Citi’s analysis. The stock is currently trading at a low P/E ratio relative to near-term earnings growth, though it maintains a high Price/Book multiple, according to InvestingPro, which offers additional insights through its comprehensive Pro Research Report.
In other recent news, Clorox reported fiscal third-quarter earnings that fell short of expectations, with earnings per share (EPS) of $1.45 missing the consensus estimate of $1.57. The company’s organic sales declined by 2% year-over-year, contrasting with expectations of flat growth. Despite these challenges, Clorox’s gross margin improved by 240 basis points to 44.6%. Jefferies and Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) both adjusted their price targets for Clorox, with Jefferies lowering it to $145 from $167, and Wells Fargo reducing it to $142 from $145, while maintaining their respective Buy and Equal Weight ratings. Jefferies cited potential complications from Clorox’s upcoming Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system rollout as a reason for the adjustment. Clorox also announced the appointment of Gina Boswell, CEO of Bath & Body Works, to its board of directors, effective May 2025. This move is part of Clorox’s ongoing strategy to enhance its board with experienced leaders from the consumer goods sector. Meanwhile, Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James maintained a Market Perform rating on Clorox, expressing caution due to the uncertain market environment.
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