The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) manufactures and markets a range of consumer products. The company is also member of the S&P Dividend Aristocrats index. This diversified maker of household cleaning, grocery and specialty food products is also a top manufacturer of natural personal care products.

Clorox has paid uninterrupted dividends on its common stock since it was spun out of Procter and Gamble (PG) in 1968 and increased payments to common shareholders every year for 31 years.



From the end of 1998 up until December 2008 this dividend growth stock has delivered an annual average total return of 1.70% to its shareholders. While the stock has largely remained flat for the majority of the past most of the returns came from reinvested dividends.

At the same time company has managed to deliver an impressive 13.60% average annual increase in its EPS since 1999. Analysts are expecting an increase in 2009 earnings per share to $3.80 and $4.15 by 2010.



The Return on Assets increased to 11% in 2008 from 6% in 1999. I used return on assets, since the stockholders equity portion of the balance sheet was negative after in 2004 Clorox exchanged its ownership in a subsidiary for approximately 29% of the company’s outstanding shares at the time of this transaction.