How Is Clorox's Stock Performance Compared to Other Consumer Defensive Stocks?

Company Overview - The Clorox Company (CLX) has a market cap of $14.9 billion and is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products, operating through four segments: Health and Wellness, Household, Lifestyle, and International [1] - Clorox's product offerings include trusted brands such as Clorox, Pine-Sol, Glad, Kingsford, Hidden Valley, Brita, and Burt's Bees, sold across various channels including mass retailers, grocery stores, and e-commerce platforms [2] Stock Performance - CLX shares have decreased by 29.3% from their 52-week high of $171.37, while the stock has seen a marginal rise over the past three months, outperforming the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP), which declined by 3.3% [3] - Year-to-date, CLX stock is down 25.4%, which is a more significant decline compared to XLP's slight drop, and over the past 52 weeks, CLX shares have decreased by 25.9%, while XLP dipped by 5.7% [4] Financial Performance - Clorox reported a stronger-than-expected Q4 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.87 and net sales of $1.99 billion; however, shares fell nearly 2% the following day due to a weak FY2026 outlook [5] - The company anticipates a decline in net sales by 6% to 10% and organic sales by 5% to 9%, primarily due to a reversal of incremental ERP shipments that had previously boosted fiscal 2025 results [5] - EPS is projected to fall sharply to between $5.60 and $5.95, with adjusted EPS expected to be between $5.95 and $6.30, reflecting an 18% to 23% decline [5] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts are cautious about Clorox's prospects, with a consensus rating of "Hold" from 19 analysts, and a mean price target of $132.44, indicating a premium of 9.6% to current levels [6]