Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare The Clorox Company (CLX) vs Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) 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 | CLX | 0.2% revenue growth vs KMB's -14.2% |
| Value | KMB | Lower P/E (14.7x vs 21.5x) |
| Quality / Margins | KMB | 11.7% net margin vs CLX's 11.2% |
| Stability / Safety | KMB | Beta 0.04 vs CLX's 0.25, lower leverage |
| Dividends | KMB | 4.5% yield, 27-year raise streak, vs CLX's 3.8% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CLX | -15.5% vs KMB's -18.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CLX | 13.5% ROA vs KMB's 11.7%, ROIC 27.7% vs 23.2% |
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.
Kimberly-Clark is a global manufacturer of personal care and consumer tissue products sold under well-known brands like Huggies, Kleenex, and Scott. It generates revenue primarily through three segments: Personal Care (~50% of sales), Consumer Tissue (~35%), and K-C Professional (~15%), selling to retailers, distributors, and commercial customers. The company's competitive advantage lies in its powerful portfolio of essential household brands with strong consumer loyalty and extensive global distribution networks.
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
KMB leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). CLX leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 3 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
KMB is the larger business by revenue, generating $17.2B annually — 2.5x CLX's $6.8B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 11.7% (KMB) to 11.2% (CLX). On growth, CLX holds the edge at -0.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $6.8B | $17.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.2B | $3.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $755M | $2.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $778M | $2.4B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +44.0% | +35.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.2% | +14.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.2% | +11.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +11.5% | +13.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -0.8% | -17.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -16.2% | +11.9% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.4x trailing earnings, KMB trades at a 6% valuation discount to CLX's 19.5x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CLX's 13.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than KMB's 14.0x.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $16.6B | $37.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $19.3B | $43.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 19.50x | 18.36x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 21.51x | 14.71x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.83x | 14.00x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.34x | 2.15x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 32.79x | 21.12x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 21.85x | 22.57x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CLX delivers a 21.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $22 in annual profit, vs $115 for KMB. KMB carries lower financial leverage with a 4.08x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CLX's 5.98x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CLX scores 7/9 vs KMB's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.6% | +115.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +13.5% | +11.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +27.7% | +23.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +30.2% | +25.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 5.98x | 4.08x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.7B | $6.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $167M | $688M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.9B | $7.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 10.30x | 9.73x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in KMB five years ago would be worth $10,537 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,401 for CLX. Over the past 12 months, CLX leads with a -15.5% total return vs KMB's -18.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors KMB at 0.3% vs CLX's -3.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +27.3% | +9.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -15.5% | -18.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -8.8% | +0.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -16.0% | +5.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +34.4% | +19.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.0% | +0.3% |
Risk & Volatility
KMB 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. CLX currently trades 80.0% from its 52-week high vs KMB's 74.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.25x | 0.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $158.91 | $150.45 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $96.66 | $96.26 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +80.0% | +74.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 71.2 | 66.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.9M | 5.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CLX as "Hold" and KMB as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 10.4% upside for KMB (target: $123) vs -4.8% for CLX (target: $121). For income investors, KMB offers the higher dividend yield at 4.47% vs CLX's 3.81%.
| Metric | CLXThe Clorox Company | KMBKimberly-Clark Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $121.00 | $123.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 28 | 31 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.8% | +4.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 26 | 27 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $4.84 | $4.98 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.0% | +0.4% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clorox Company (CLX) | 100 | 65.86 | -34.1% |
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | 100 | 70.52 | -29.5% |
Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) returned +5% over 5 years vs The Clorox Company (CLX)'s -16%. A $10,000 investment in KMB 5 years ago would be worth $10,537 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clorox Company (CLX) | $5.8B | $7.1B | +23.3% |
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | $18.2B | $17.2B | -5.4% |
The Clorox Company's revenue grew from $5.8B (2016) to $7.1B (2025) — a 2.4% CAGR. Kimberly-Clark Corporation's revenue grew from $18.2B (2016) to $17.2B (2025) — a -0.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clorox Company (CLX) | 11.2% | 11.4% | +1.4% |
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | 11.9% | 11.7% | -1.4% |
The Clorox Company's net margin went from 11% (2016) to 11% (2025). Kimberly-Clark Corporation's net margin went from 12% (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% |
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | 18.9 | 16.6 | -12.2% |
The Clorox Company has traded in a 16x–119x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~20x. Kimberly-Clark Corporation has traded in a 17x–28x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~18x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clorox Company (CLX) | 4.92 | 6.52 | +32.5% |
| Kimberly-Clark Corp… (KMB) | 5.99 | 6.07 | +1.3% |
The Clorox Company's EPS grew from $4.92 (2016) to $6.52 (2025) — a 3% CAGR. Kimberly-Clark Corporation's EPS grew from $5.99 (2016) to $6.07 (2025) — a 0% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
The Clorox Company generated $761M FCF in 2025 (-19% vs 2021). Kimberly-Clark Corporation generated $2B FCF in 2025 (-5% vs 2021).
CLX vs KMB: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CLX or KMB a better buy right now?
Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) offers the better valuation at 18.4x trailing P/E (14.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Clorox Company (CLX) a "Hold" — based on 28 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 KMB?
On trailing P/E, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) is the cheapest at 18.4x versus The Clorox Company at 19.5x. On forward P/E, Kimberly-Clark Corporation is actually cheaper at 14.7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CLX or KMB?
Over the past 5 years, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) delivered a total return of +5.4%, compared to -16.0% for The Clorox Company (CLX). A $10,000 investment in KMB five years ago would be worth approximately $11K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CLX returned +34.4% versus KMB's +19.1%. 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 KMB?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) is the lower-risk stock at 0.04β versus The Clorox Company's 0.25β — meaning CLX is approximately 620% more volatile than KMB relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 6% for The Clorox Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CLX or KMB?
Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) is the more profitable company, earning 11.7% net margin versus 11.4% for The Clorox Company — meaning it keeps 11.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CLX leads at 16.6% versus 14.5% for KMB. 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 KMB more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) trades at 14.7x forward P/E versus 21.5x for The Clorox Company — 6.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KMB: 10.4% to $123.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — CLX or KMB?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) offers the highest yield at 4.5%, versus 3.8% for The Clorox Company (CLX).
08Is CLX or KMB better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.04), 4.5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (KMB: +19.1%, 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 KMB?
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. 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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