CLX vs SPB

For growth investors, The Clorox Company (CLX) is the stronger pick with 0.

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -5. 2% for Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (SPB). The Clorox Company (CLX) offers the better valuation at 13. 8x trailing P/E (15. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (SPB) a "Buy" — based on 21 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.

On trailing P/E, The Clorox Company (CLX) is the cheapest at 13.

8x versus Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. at 22. 0x. On forward P/E, The Clorox Company is actually cheaper at 15. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.

(SPB) delivered a total return of +2. 4%, compared to -38. 2% for The Clorox Company (CLX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SPB returned +13. 5% versus CLX's +2. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Clorox Company (CLX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

42β versus Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. 's 0. 82β — meaning SPB is approximately 94% more volatile than CLX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (SPB) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 34% versus 6% for The Clorox Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Clorox Company (CLX) is pulling ahead at 0.

2% versus -5. 2% for Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (SPB). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Clorox Company grew EPS 189. 8% year-over-year, compared to -5. 6% for Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, CLX leads at -0. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

The Clorox Company (CLX) is the more profitable company, earning 11.

4% net margin versus 3. 6% for Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 11. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CLX leads at 16. 6% versus 4. 4% for SPB. 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.

On forward earnings alone, The Clorox Company (CLX) trades at 15.

3x forward P/E versus 16. 1x for Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. — 0. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CLX: 17. 2% to $105. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Clorox Company (CLX) offers the highest yield at 5. 4%, versus 2. 2% for Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (SPB).

For long-horizon retirement investors, The Clorox Company (CLX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

42), 5. 4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CLX: +2. 1%, SPB: +13. 5%), 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.

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 deep-value stock; SPB is a small-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.