The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) Investors Are Less Pessimistic Than Expected

NYSE:CLX) as a stock to avoid entirely with its 30.3x P/E ratio. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it’s justified.” data-reactid=”28″>When close to half the companies in the United States have price-to-earnings ratios (or “P/E’s”) below 18x, you may consider The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) as a stock to avoid entirely with its 30.3x P/E ratio. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it’s justified.

Clorox certainly has been doing a good job lately as its earnings growth has been positive while most other companies have been seeing their earnings go backwards. The P/E is probably high because investors think the company will continue to navigate the broader market headwinds better than most. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Clorox ” data-reactid=”30″> Check out our latest analysis for Clorox

free report on Clorox will help you uncover what’s on the horizon.” data-reactid=”47″>Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Clorox will help you uncover what’s on the horizon.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/E?

The only time you’d be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Clorox’s is when the company’s growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 16% last year. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 37% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it’s fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the twelve analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 3.0% each year over the next three years. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 14% each year, which is noticeably more attractive.

In light of this, it’s alarming that Clorox’s P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than analysts indicate and aren’t willing to let go of their stock at any price. There’s a good chance these shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

The Bottom Line On Clorox’s P/E

Typically, we’d caution against reading too much into price-to-earnings ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

We’ve established that Clorox currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its forecast growth is lower than the wider market. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. This places shareholders’ investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

2 warning signs we’ve spotted with Clorox.” data-reactid=”56″>Plus, you should also learn about these 2 warning signs we’ve spotted with Clorox.

collection of other companies that sit on P/E’s below 20x and have grown earnings strongly.” data-reactid=”57″>Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Clorox. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that sit on P/E’s below 20x and have grown earnings strongly.

Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected].” data-reactid=”58″>This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected].