The Clorox Company (CLX) Stock Analysis — Fair Value, Risk & Moat Rating
NYQ · Consumer Defensive · Household & Personal Products
Is The Clorox Company a safe investment right now?
The Clorox Company's Altman Z-Score of 2.78 places it in the gray zone. Our DCF model estimates intrinsic value at $124.08, suggesting the stock may be undervalued by 18%. Moat rating: 2.6/5 stars.
Could The Clorox Company go bankrupt? Altman Z-Score analysis
Z-Score of 2.78 places the company in the gray zone (1.8-3.0), warranting closer scrutiny.
- Below 1.8 — Distress Zone (high bankruptcy risk)
- 1.8 to 3.0 — Gray Zone (elevated uncertainty)
- Above 3.0 — Safe Zone (financially healthy)
What drives CLX's Z-Score?
| Component | Formula | Value | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · Working Capital / Total Assets | WC / TA | 0.0083 | 1.2 | 0.01 |
| B · Retained Earnings / Total Assets | RE / TA | 0.0435 | 1.4 | 0.06 |
| C · EBIT / Total Assets | EBIT / TA | 0 | 3.3 | 0.0 |
| D · Market Cap / Total Liabilities | MCap / TL | 2.3698 | 0.6 | 1.42 |
| E · Revenue / Total Assets | Rev / TA | 1.2848 | 1.0 | 1.28 |
How has CLX's financial health changed over time?
| Year | Z-Score | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2.5 | Gray |
| 2017 | 2.46 | Gray |
| 2018 | 2.58 | Gray |
| 2019 | 3.08 | Safe |
| 2020 | 2.93 | Gray |
| 2021 | 4.02 | Safe |
| 2022 | 2.55 | Gray |
| 2023 | 2.8 | Gray |
| 2024 | 2.66 | Gray |
| 2025 | 2.78 | Gray |
Source: Calculated from CLX's latest 10-K filing on SEC EDGAR.
What is The Clorox Company actually worth?
Fair value range: $58.34 — $153.25
Valuation Methods
| Method | Fair Value | Weight | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Historical PE × Forward EPS | $153.25 | 50% | 33.8x avg PE (3 years) × $6.70 forward EPS |
| DCF (Discounted Cash Flow) | $119.30 | 30% | Two-stage DCF: $1.0B TTM FCF, -2.0% growth, 7.0% WACC |
| EV/FCF Multiple | $58.34 | 20% | TTM FCF × 10x multiple + net cash |
Assumptions & Data Sources
| Parameter | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FCF Growth Rate (Stage 1) | -2.0% | 70% analyst consensus + 30% historical |
| Analyst EPS Growth (This Year) | -24.3% | Consensus (17 analysts) |
| Analyst EPS Growth (Next Year) | 14.9% | Consensus |
| Historical 5Y FCF CAGR | 4.3% | SEC EDGAR |
| Terminal Growth Rate | 2.5% | Long-term GDP proxy |
| Discount Rate (WACC) | 7.0% | CAPM (Rf=4.3% + 0.65*5.5%) |
| Net Cash / (Debt) | $-2,990M | Balance sheet |
| Base FCF (TTM) | $1.0B | Trailing 12 months |
| Shares Outstanding | 120,911,863 | Latest |
Sensitivity Analysis
| Growth Rate | 8% WACC | 10% WACC | 7.0% WACC | 13% WACC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | $133.72 | $98.82 | $162.75 | $71.30 |
| 2.5% | $154.81 | $113.52 | $189.21 | $81.09 |
| 5.0% | $179.00 | $130.33 | $219.62 | $92.21 |
| 7.5% | $212.01 | $152.89 | $261.47 | $106.80 |
Free Cash Flow History
| Year | FCF | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $0.6B | — |
| 2017 | $0.7B | +18.9% |
| 2018 | $0.6B | +-19.1% |
| 2019 | $0.6B | +4.6% |
| 2020 | $0.8B | +23.3% |
| 2021 | $0.8B | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $1.3B | +64.4% |
| 2023 | $0.9B | +-26.9% |
| 2024 | $0.5B | +-43.4% |
| 2025 | $0.9B | +73.8% |
Source: FCF data from SEC EDGAR filings. Price via Yahoo Finance.
Does The Clorox Company have a durable competitive advantage?
Moat rating: 2.6/5.
What makes up CLX's moat score?
ROIC Stability
ROIC variability over the past decade. Score: 2/5.
Gross Margin Trend
Gross margin trajectory over the past decade. Score: 1/5.
Switching Costs
Estimated customer lock-in based on margin level. Score: 5/5.
How stable is CLX's return on invested capital?
No ROIC history available.
| Year | ROIC | Trend |
|---|
Source: ROIC calculated from SEC EDGAR filings.
Is The Clorox Company's dividend safe?
Can The Clorox Company afford its dividend?
Payout ratio is 80.5%. FCF covers the dividend 1.3x. 45 consecutive years of payments.
The Clorox Company's key financial metrics
| Metric | Latest | 1Y Ago | 3Y Ago | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $7.4B | $7.1B | $6.7B | Rising |
| Net Income | $0.1B | $0.5B | $0.9B | Declining |
| Free Cash Flow | $0.9B | $0.5B | $1.3B | Declining |
| Gross Margin | 39.4% | 35.8% | 45.6% | Declining |
Common questions about The Clorox Company
Is The Clorox Company at risk of going bankrupt?
The Clorox Company's Altman Z-Score of 2.78 places it in the gray zone. This metric uses balance sheet ratios to predict bankruptcy probability within 2 years. A score below 1.8 signals distress, while above 3.0 indicates safety.
What is The Clorox Company's intrinsic value based on DCF?
Our DCF model estimates The Clorox Company's intrinsic value at $124.08 per share. The current margin of safety is 17.7%. This estimate is based on historical free cash flow trends and a risk-adjusted discount rate.
Does The Clorox Company have a competitive moat?
The Clorox Company receives a moat rating of 2.6 out of 5 stars, based on ROIC stability, gross margin trends, and estimated switching costs. A rating above 3.5 suggests a durable competitive advantage.
Is The Clorox Company's dividend safe?
Our dividend safety analysis examines payout ratio, free cash flow coverage, and the company's streak of consecutive dividend payments to determine whether the current payout is sustainable.
Before you invest in The Clorox Company, make sure you truly understand it.
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FairValueLabs Disclaimer
All valuations, scores, ratings, and classifications on this page are produced by the FairValueLabs internal valuation system. They do not represent actual market value, guaranteed outcomes, or professional investment advice. These are analytical estimates for educational and research purposes only.
This is not financial advice. All data is sourced from SEC EDGAR public filings. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Last updated: Apr 20, 2026. Data sources: SEC EDGAR (financial statements), Yahoo Finance (market data, analyst consensus). Data may not reflect the most recent quarter.
CLX analysis methodology: How we calculate fair value, Z-Scores, and moat ratings