Delivers strong margin expansion and adjusted EPS growth for FY25 despite challenging environment in the second half of the fiscal year OAKLAND, Calif., July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) today reported results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2025, which ended June 30, 2025.Fourth-Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 SummaryThe following is a summary of key fourth-quarter results, which reflect the temporary benefit from incremental shipments related to building retailer inventory in ad ...

Core Points - The Clorox Company has announced an increase in its quarterly dividend from $1.22 to $1.24 per share, payable on August 29, 2025, to shareholders of record as of August 13, 2025 [1] - Clorox has a long-standing commitment to providing value to its shareholders through regular dividend payments and annual increases [1] Company Overview - The Clorox Company, headquartered in Oakland, California, has been in operation since 1913 and is known for its trusted brands, including Brita®, Burt's Bees®, Clorox®, Fresh Step®, Glad®, Hidden Valley®, Kingsford®, Liquid-Plumr®, and Pine-Sol® [2] - The company has integrated sustainability into its business reporting and was ranked No. 1 on Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies list for the third consecutive year in 2025 [2]

In its upcoming report, Clorox (CLX) is predicted by Wall Street analysts to post quarterly earnings of $2.24 per share, reflecting an increase of 23.1% compared to the same period last year. Revenues are forecasted to be $1.93 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 1.5%. Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been adjusted downward by 3.2% to its current level. This demonstrates the covering analysts' collective reassessment of their initial projections during thi ...

Core Insights - Clorox Company (CLX) is expected to report fiscal fourth-quarter 2025 earnings on July 31, with anticipated year-over-year growth in both revenue and earnings [1][8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter revenues is $1.94 billion, reflecting a 2% increase from the prior year, while the earnings per share (EPS) estimate is $2.25, indicating a 23.6% increase year-over-year [2][8] - For fiscal 2025, the revenue estimate is $7.1 billion, a slight decline of 0.5% from the previous year, with EPS expected to rise by 14.9% to $7.09 [3][8] Financial Performance - Clorox has achieved its 10th consecutive quarter of gross margin growth, with a projected gross margin of around 44% for Q4, despite facing tariff-related costs and ERP transition expenses [5][6] - The adjusted operating profit for Q4 is predicted to increase by 27% year-over-year to $391.2 million, with an expected operating margin expansion of 400 basis points to 20.2% [6][8] Strategic Initiatives - The company is executing its IGNITE strategy, focusing on innovation and brand equity, which has led to successful premium product launches like Scentiva [4][8] - Clorox's operational efficiency and margin expansion strategies have helped mitigate cost pressures, allowing the company to maintain stability amid external challenges [5][8] Market Position - Clorox's international segment shows growth potential, with strong household penetration and premium positioning insulating the brand from significant trade-down behavior [7][8] - Despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, Clorox's brand portfolio and execution capabilities enable it to navigate market challenges more effectively than many competitors [7][8] Valuation and Stock Performance - Clorox stock is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 19.50x, below the industry average of 20.20x, indicating a potential valuation opportunity [11][8] - Year-to-date, Clorox has underperformed, with a decline of 21.6%, compared to a 2.4% decline in its industry and a 5.4% growth in the broader Consumer Staples sector [14][8]

The market expects Clorox (CLX) to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2025. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.The earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 31, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than exp ...

Core Viewpoint - Ahold NV (ADRNY) is currently viewed as a better investment opportunity compared to Clorox (CLX) based on various valuation metrics and analyst outlooks [1][3]. Valuation Metrics - Ahold NV has a forward P/E ratio of 13.29, while Clorox has a forward P/E of 20.07, indicating that Ahold NV is more undervalued at its current share price [5]. - The PEG ratio for Ahold NV is 1.65, compared to Clorox's PEG ratio of 3.41, suggesting Ahold NV has a more favorable earnings growth outlook relative to its valuation [5]. - Ahold NV's P/B ratio is 2.28, significantly lower than Clorox's P/B ratio of 84.19, further highlighting Ahold NV's relative undervaluation [6]. Analyst Ratings - Ahold NV holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong earnings estimate revision trends, while Clorox has a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell), reflecting a less favorable analyst outlook [3][6]. - The Value grade for Ahold NV is A, whereas Clorox has a Value grade of D, reinforcing the perception that Ahold NV is the superior investment choice at this time [6].

The cyberattack that followed crippled Clorox's corporate network, disrupted its supply chain, and significantly impaired its ability to fulfill orders. Clorox Company CLX has accused IT services provider Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp CTSH of gross negligence and breach of trust after a cyberattack caused widespread disruption and nearly $380 million in damages. According to Clorox, the root cause of the attack was Cognizant's failure to follow basic cybersecurity protocols it had agreed to uphold und ...

Core Viewpoint - Clorox has filed a lawsuit against Cognizant, alleging negligence in handling a cyberattack that resulted in significant financial damages due to a breach by the hacking group Scattered Spider in August 2023 [1][2][4]. Group 1: Cyberattack Details - The cyberattack was executed by Scattered Spider, which is known for tricking IT help desks into providing access credentials [1][6]. - Clorox claims that the hacker gained access by simply requesting passwords from Cognizant's support staff without any sophisticated techniques [2][3]. - The lawsuit includes transcripts of conversations where Cognizant staff reset passwords without verifying the hacker's identity [4]. Group 2: Financial Impact - The total damages from the cyberattack are estimated at $380 million, with approximately $50 million attributed to remedial costs and the remainder due to Clorox's inability to ship products to retailers [4]. - Clorox's operational recovery was further complicated by Cognizant's failures, such as not deactivating certain accounts and improperly restoring data [5].

Core Insights - Clorox Company (CLX) is leveraging its pricing strength to drive growth and manage cost pressures effectively [1][10] - The company employs a dual pricing strategy, balancing affordability for consumers with profitability [2][10] - Clorox has achieved gross margin expansion for ten consecutive quarters, supported by disciplined pricing and cost-saving initiatives [3][5] Pricing Strategy - Clorox utilizes advanced analytics to identify price inflection points and selectively adjusts prices on value-sensitive SKUs while enhancing promotional support for higher-margin products [2] - The company is focused on premium pricing for its core brands, emphasizing premiumization and consumer value [1][10] - Clorox does not anticipate broad-based price increases but is evaluating specific adjustments in categories driven by value and innovation [4] Operational Efficiency - The company has improved efficiency across manufacturing and logistics, contributing to margin growth [4] - Recent divestitures of lower-margin operations, such as the VMS and Argentina businesses, have further supported margin expansion [4] - Clorox's streamlined operating model aims to enhance overall efficiency [3] Financial Performance - Clorox projects an adjusted EPS of $6.95-$7.35 for fiscal 2025, indicating a year-over-year increase of 13-19% [5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2025 earnings implies a growth of 14.9%, while a decline of 8.1% is expected for fiscal 2026 [15] - Clorox shares have declined by 21.5% year-to-date, compared to a 4.4% decline in the industry [13] Competitive Landscape - Major competitors in pricing strength include Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, and Church & Dwight [6] - Colgate has seen a 1.5% improvement in pricing, with expectations of 2.5% growth in 2025 [7] - Procter & Gamble's pricing strategy focuses on value-based pricing to maintain market share and reduce reliance on discounts [8] - Church & Dwight has gained market share in nine of its 14 major brands, demonstrating solid brand performance [9]

Group 1 - The Clorox Company will announce its fourth-quarter and fiscal year 2025 results on July 31, 2025 [1] - The announcement will include a press release and prepared management remarks available on the company's website [3] - A live Q&A audio webcast for analysts will be held with the Chair and CEO Linda Rendle and Chief Financial Officer Luc Bellet [3] Group 2 - Clorox is headquartered in Oakland, California, and has been in operation since 1913 [2] - The company integrates ESG into its business reporting and was ranked No. 1 on Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies list for the third consecutive year in 2025 [2] - Clorox's trusted brands include Brita®, Burt's Bees®, Clorox®, Fresh Step®, Glad®, Hidden Valley®, Kingsford®, Liquid-Plumr®, and Pine-Sol®, along with international brands such as Clorinda®, Chux®, and Poett® [2]