A O Smith Corp vs Clorox Co — how do they compare? A O Smith Corp trades at $63.65 (market cap $8.65B), while Clorox Co trades at $108.39 (market cap $13.09B). The key difference: Clorox Co is the larger of the two by market cap, and Clorox Co pays the higher dividend (4.62%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AOS | CLX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.65B | $13.09B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $80.47 | $127.16 |
52-Week Low | $55.78 | $86.12 |
Enterprise Value | $9.15B | $18.47B |
Dividend Yield | 2.26% | 4.62% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
A.O. Smith Corporation (AOS) trades at $62.53, showing modest daily gains of 0.19%. The stock maintains strong profitability with 13.15% net margins and 27.13% ROE, though recent Q1 2026 earnings missed expectations. Technical indicators suggest a bullish trend with the current price near key support at $62. Recent leadership transition with Kevin Wheeler's retirement and Stephen Shafer assuming chairman role adds management continuity.
The outlook remains cautiously optimistic with a $67.25 consensus price target offering 7.5% upside potential. Strong North American performance and dividend growth provide support, but higher input costs and weaker China demand present headwinds. The stock's valuation appears reasonable at 17.74 P/E, though recent Zacks Strong Sell ratings warrant monitoring.
Clorox (CLX) trades at $105.69, down 1.87% on the day, with a mixed technical picture showing bullish moving averages but overbought RSI signals. Recent Q4 2026 earnings beat expectations with EPS of $1.66 versus $1.64 estimated, though revenue trends remain pressured by inflation and consumer value-seeking. The company increased its quarterly dividend to $1.25 per share, signaling confidence in cash flow stability.
Outlook is cautious amid margin pressures and competitive threats, with Wall Street largely neutral (69% hold rating). The consensus price target of $97.50 suggests limited upside from current levels, while debt-to-asset ratio rising to 66.4% in 2026 highlights balance sheet risks. Investment appeal hinges on successful cost management and category recovery.
Trailing returns across standard periods
A.O. Smith Corporation manufactures and markets comprehensive lines of residential and commercial gas, gas tankless, and electric water heaters. Supplementary products include water heating equipment, condensing and noncondensing boilers, and water system tanks. The company's two operating segments are by geographic region: North America (majority of total revenue) and the Rest of the World. A material portion of sales in North America derive from replacing existing products, and the company utilizes a wholesale distribution channel and multiple selling locations. The Rest of the World segment sells primarily to Asian countries and operates sales offices to expand distribution and market its product portfolio.
Read more on AOS →With a history dating back more than 100 years, Clorox now plays in a variety of categories across the consumer products space, including cleaning supplies, laundry care, trash bags, cat litter, charcoal, food dressings, water-filtration products, and natural personal-care products. Beyond its namesake brand, the firm's portfolio includes Liquid-Plumr, Pine-Sol, S.O.S, Tilex, Kingsford, Fresh Step, Glad, Hidden Valley, KC Masterpiece, Brita, and Burt's Bees. Just shy of 85% of Clorox's sales stem from its home turf.
Read more on CLX →