Clorox’s 0.6% Surge and 1.7% Dividend Hike to $1.24 Amid 435th Ranking and Institutional Split

On August 12, 2025, The Clorox Company (CLX) rose 0.60% to $122.82, with a trading volume of $0.24 billion, ranking 435th among U.S. stocks. Recent developments highlight a dividend increase to $1.24 per share, effective August 29, with an ex-dividend date of August 13. This marks a 1.7% annualized growth in dividend payouts, elevating the forward yield to 4.0% and a payout ratio of 74.85%. The move underscores CLX’s commitment to shareholder returns amid mixed institutional investor activity.

Q2 earnings, released July 31, showed CLX exceeded expectations, reporting $2.87 EPS and $1.99 billion in revenue—a 4.5% year-over-year increase. Analysts noted strong organic sales growth but highlighted challenges, including a system upgrade delay at a bleach manufacturer, which prompted a revised annual forecast. Despite these concerns, CLX’s trailing 12-month dividend yield of 3.9% remains competitive in the consumer staples sector.

Institutional selling pressure emerged as Jefferies Financial Group Inc. reduced its CLX stake by 94.9% in Q1, retaining just 1,435 shares. Conversely, new investors like Redwood Park Advisors and GW&K Investment Management increased holdings, signaling divergent views on the stock’s near-term outlook. Analyst ratings remain split, with three sell ratings, nine holds, and one buy, reflecting uncertainty over CLX’s ability to sustain earnings momentum amid cost pressures.

A backtested strategy of holding top 500 high-volume stocks for one day yielded $2,550 in profit from 2022 to 2025. However, the approach faced a maximum drawdown of -15.2% on October 27, 2022, underscoring the volatility inherent in volume-driven strategies. CLX’s performance within this framework aligns with its broader market exposure, balancing steady dividends against operational headwinds.