Is Clorox Stock Underperforming the Dow?

Oakland, California-based The Clorox Company (CLX) produces and sells consumer and professional products. Valued at $11.8 billion by market cap, the company offers cleaning and disinfecting products, cat litter, bags and wraps, grilling supplies, dressings and sauces, water filtration systems, personal care items, and vitamins under brands like Clorox, Brita, Burt’s Bees, Glad, Kingsford, and Hidden Valley.

Companies worth $10 billion or more are generally described as “large-cap stocks,” and CLX Solutions perfectly fits that description, with its market cap exceeding this mark, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the household & personal products industry. Clorox’s trusted brand, diverse cleaning portfolio, and 100+ countries’ reach align with rising hygiene and sustainability demand, supporting growth. 

Despite its notable strength, CLX shares slipped 28.1% from their 52-week high of $132.03, achieved on Jul. 23, 2025. Over the past three months, CLX stock has declined 14.8%, underperforming the Dow Jones Industrials Average’s ($DOWI) 9.6% gains during the same time frame.

Shares of CLX fell 5.8% on a YTD basis and dipped 22.2% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming DOWI’s YTD gains of 7.1% and 22% returns over the last year.

To confirm the bearish trend, CLX has been trading below its 200-day moving average over the past year, with some fluctuations. The stock is trading below its 50-day moving average since early March, with slight fluctuations. 

CLX underperformed as ERP rollout disruptions and higher supply chain costs delayed margin gains, despite progress in cleaning and international. In addition, Litter and Food lagged on competitive pressure and a slow product relaunch. CFO Luc Bellet flagged $20 million to 25 million in Q4 oil-cost headwinds, driving reduced profit guidance amid macro uncertainty. 

On Apr. 30, CLX reported its Q3 results, and its shares closed down by 9.7% in the following trading session. Its adjusted EPS of $1.64 exceeded Wall Street expectations of $1.48. The company’s revenue was $1.67 billion, topping Wall Street forecasts of $1.65 billion. CLX expects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $5.45 to $5.65.

In the competitive arena of household & personal products, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) has taken the lead over CLX, showing resilience with marginal gains on a YTD basis and a 21.3% downtick over the past 52 weeks.

Wall Street analysts are cautious on CLX’s prospects. The stock has a consensus “Hold” rating from the 18 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $99.87 suggests a potential upside of 5.2% from current price levels.