Investors Purchase Large Volume of Clorox Call Options (NYSE:CLX)

The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) saw some unusual options trading activity on Tuesday. Stock investors bought 2,976 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of 47% compared to the average daily volume of 2,024 call options.

Clorox Trading Up 0.8 %

NYSE CLX opened at $142.91 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.61 billion, a PE ratio of 39.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.45. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $151.92 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $159.31. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.52. Clorox has a 12 month low of $127.60 and a 12 month high of $171.37.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.55 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.39 by $0.16. Clorox had a return on equity of 316.87% and a net margin of 6.38%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.16 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Clorox will post 7.15 EPS for the current year.

Clorox Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 9th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 23rd will be paid a $1.22 dividend. This represents a $4.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 23rd. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio is 133.33%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Clorox

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Brooklyn Investment Group boosted its holdings in shares of Clorox by 163.8% during the 4th quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 153 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 95 shares in the last quarter. Redwood Park Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Clorox during the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Continuum Advisory LLC boosted its stake in Clorox by 300.0% during the 3rd quarter. Continuum Advisory LLC now owns 184 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 138 shares during the last quarter. Millstone Evans Group LLC purchased a new stake in Clorox in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Wood Tarver Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Clorox in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.53% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CLX has been the topic of several analyst reports. DA Davidson reduced their price target on shares of Clorox from $171.00 to $169.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 5th. Barclays boosted their price target on Clorox from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Clorox from $171.00 to $173.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and issued a $150.00 target price on shares of Clorox in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Clorox from $157.00 to $161.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $159.58.

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.