Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare The Clorox Company (CLX) vs Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CHD | 1.6% revenue growth vs CLX's 0.2% |
| Value | CLX | Lower P/E (21.5x vs 27.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | CHD | 11.9% net margin vs CLX's 11.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CHD | Beta 0.04 vs CLX's 0.25, lower leverage |
| Dividends | CLX | 3.8% yield, 26-year raise streak, vs CHD's 1.1% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CHD | -4.6% vs CLX's -15.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CLX | 13.5% ROA vs CHD's 8.3%, ROIC 27.7% vs 13.9% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
The Clorox Company is a leading manufacturer of household cleaning, health, and lifestyle products sold under well-known brands like Clorox, Glad, and Brita. It generates revenue primarily through four segments: Health and Wellness (~40% of sales), Household (~25%), Lifestyle (~20%), and International (~15%), selling everything from bleach and cat litter to salad dressing and water filters. Its key competitive advantage lies in its portfolio of trusted, market-leading brands that command strong consumer loyalty and shelf space in retail channels.
Church & Dwight is a consumer goods company that manufactures and markets household, personal care, and specialty products under well-known brands like ARM & HAMMER, TROJAN, and OXICLEAN. It generates revenue primarily through its Consumer Domestic segment — which accounts for roughly 70% of sales — selling products across laundry, oral care, sexual wellness, and home cleaning categories. The company's key advantage is its portfolio of leading value brands that dominate niche categories — like ARM & HAMMER in baking soda and TROJAN in condoms — giving it pricing power and shelf space.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CHD leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). CLX leads in 3 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CLX and CHD operate at a comparable scale, with $6.8B and $6.2B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 11.9% (CHD) to 11.2% (CLX). On growth, CHD holds the edge at +3.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | CHDChurch & Dwight C… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $6.8B | $6.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.2B | $1.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $755M | $737M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $778M | $1.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +44.0% | +44.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.2% | +17.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.2% | +11.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +11.5% | +17.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -0.8% | +3.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -16.2% | -21.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 19.5x trailing earnings, CLX trades at a 44% valuation discount to CHD's 34.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CLX's 13.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CHD's 20.1x.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | CHDChurch & Dwight C… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $16.6B | $24.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $19.3B | $26.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 19.50x | 34.72x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 21.51x | 27.81x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.83x | 20.09x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.34x | 4.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 32.79x | 6.40x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 21.85x | 22.71x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CLX delivers a 21.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $22 in annual profit, vs $18 for CHD. CHD carries lower financial leverage with a 0.55x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CLX's 5.98x.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | CHDChurch & Dwight C… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.6% | +18.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +13.5% | +8.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +27.7% | +13.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +30.2% | +14.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 5.98x | 0.55x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.7B | $1.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $167M | $409M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.9B | $2.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 10.30x | 10.22x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CHD five years ago would be worth $14,027 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,401 for CLX. Over the past 12 months, CHD leads with a -4.6% total return vs CLX's -15.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CHD at 8.9% vs CLX's -3.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | CHDChurch & Dwight C… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +27.3% | +27.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -15.5% | -4.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -8.8% | +29.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -16.0% | +40.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +34.4% | +152.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.0% | +8.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CHD is the less volatile stock with a 0.04 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CLX's 0.25 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CHD currently trades 90.0% from its 52-week high vs CLX's 80.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | CHDChurch & Dwight C… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.25x | 0.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $158.91 | $116.46 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $96.66 | $81.33 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +80.0% | +90.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 71.2 | 70.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.9M | 2.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CLX as "Hold" and CHD as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply -4.8% upside for CLX (target: $121) vs -6.2% for CHD (target: $98). For income investors, CLX offers the higher dividend yield at 3.81% vs CHD's 1.12%.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | CHDChurch & Dwight C… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $121.00 | $98.40 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 28 | 34 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.8% | +1.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 26 | 23 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $4.84 | $1.18 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.0% | +3.6% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clorox Company (CLX) | 100 | 65.86 | -34.1% |
| Church & Dwight Co.… (CHD) | 100 | 129.86 | +29.9% |
Church & Dwight Co.… (CHD) returned +40% over 5 years vs The Clorox Company (CLX)'s -16%. A $10,000 investment in CHD 5 years ago would be worth $14,027 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clorox Company (CLX) | $5.8B | $7.1B | +23.3% |
| Church & Dwight Co.… (CHD) | $3.5B | $6.2B | +77.6% |
The Clorox Company's revenue grew from $5.8B (2016) to $7.1B (2025) — a 2.4% CAGR. Church & Dwight Co., Inc.'s revenue grew from $3.5B (2016) to $6.2B (2025) — a 6.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clorox Company (CLX) | 11.2% | 11.4% | +1.4% |
| Church & Dwight Co.… (CHD) | 13.1% | 11.9% | -9.6% |
The Clorox Company's net margin went from 11% (2016) to 11% (2025). Church & Dwight Co., Inc.'s net margin went from 13% (2016) to 12% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clorox Company (CLX) | 27.9 | 15.5 | -44.4% |
| Church & Dwight Co.… (CHD) | 17.3 | 27.8 | +60.7% |
The Clorox Company has traded in a 16x–119x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~20x. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. has traded in a 17x–48x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clorox Company (CLX) | 4.92 | 6.52 | +32.5% |
| Church & Dwight Co.… (CHD) | 1.75 | 3.02 | +72.6% |
The Clorox Company's EPS grew from $4.92 (2016) to $6.52 (2025) — a 3% CAGR. Church & Dwight Co., Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.75 (2016) to $3.02 (2025) — a 6% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
The Clorox Company generated $761M FCF in 2025 (-19% vs 2021). Church & Dwight Co., Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2025 (+25% vs 2021).
CLX vs CHD: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CLX or CHD a better buy right now?
The Clorox Company (CLX) offers the better valuation at 19.5x trailing P/E (21.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) a "Buy" — based on 34 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — CLX or CHD?
On trailing P/E, The Clorox Company (CLX) is the cheapest at 19.5x versus Church & Dwight Co., Inc. at 34.7x. On forward P/E, The Clorox Company is actually cheaper at 21.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CLX or CHD?
Over the past 5 years, Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) delivered a total return of +40.3%, compared to -16.0% for The Clorox Company (CLX). A $10,000 investment in CHD five years ago would be worth approximately $14K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CHD returned +152.7% versus CLX's +34.4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — CLX or CHD?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) is the lower-risk stock at 0.04β versus The Clorox Company's 0.25β — meaning CLX is approximately 556% more volatile than CHD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 55% versus 6% for The Clorox Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CLX or CHD?
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) is the more profitable company, earning 11.9% net margin versus 11.4% for The Clorox Company — meaning it keeps 11.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CHD leads at 17.4% versus 16.6% for CLX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CLX leads at 45.0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is CLX or CHD more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, The Clorox Company (CLX) trades at 21.5x forward P/E versus 27.8x for Church & Dwight Co., Inc. — 6.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CLX: -4.8% to $121.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — CLX or CHD?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. The Clorox Company (CLX) offers the highest yield at 3.8%, versus 1.1% for Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD).
08Is CLX or CHD better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.04), 1.1% yield, +152.7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CHD: +152.7%, CLX: +34.4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between CLX and CHD?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: CLX is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; CHD is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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