Clorox chairman and CEO Benno Dorer is working nearly around the clock, fitting in a meal or two, squeezing in some family time, getting a wee bit of rest and then rinse and repeating that routine.
Even with factories cranking at full speed and Clorox investing in new capacity, Dorer concedes in an interview with Yahoo Finance that consumer demand continues to outstrip supply. That situation may not stabilize until the summer, Dorer suggests, as households settle into their new disinfecting routines and more steadily buy cleaning products instead of the panic hoarding seen in March and into April at Walmart, Target and on Amazon.
Clorox’s latest financials underscore the new reality it’s navigating. It’s a reality highlighted by consumers paying more attention to personal hygiene and cleanliness standards at home — and using Clorox’s disinfecting products to do so. It’s a reality where businesses are opening their wallets big-time to disinfect offices to support the return of workers...and ultimately keep them safe and COVID-19 free hopefully for months.
Clorox shares have reflected the new world it lives in — the stock is up 30% this year versus the 13% drop for the S&P 500. P&G shares are down 7% year-to-date, whereas Church & Dwight is up only 2%.