Bleach maker Clorox raises forecast as cleaning boom drives demand

• Clorox raised its full-year profit and sales forecasts, as households kept up their heightened cleaning regimen with Covid-19 cases surging in the U.S.
• The company said it expects fiscal 2021 organic sales to rise in the range of 10% to 13%, compared with a prior forecast of a 5% to 9% increase.
• Clorox said it expects full-year earnings per share to be between $8.05 and $8.25, compared with a prior forecast of $7.70 to $7.95.

Violet Helsing, of Boulder, looks at a display of Clorox while shopping at McGuckin Hardware in Boulder.

MediaNews Group | Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images

Clorox raised its full-year profit and sales forecasts on Thursday, as households kept up their heightened cleaning regimen with Covid-19 cases surging in the United States and stocked more of its disinfecting products.

To keep up with the pandemic-fueled demand for bleaches, wipes and cleaners, Clorox has been running its factories round the clock, using third-party suppliers and even transporting products via air.

The company said it expects fiscal 2021 organic sales to rise in the range of 10% to 13%, compared with a prior forecast of a 5% to 9% increase.

The company also said it expects full-year earnings per share to be between $8.05 and $8.25, compared with a prior forecast of $7.70 to $7.95.

Its net sales rose to $1.84 billion in the second quarter ended Dec. 31 from $1.45 billion a year earlier, beating the average Wall Street estimate of $1.75 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Shares of the company rose 1% in low volumes in premarket trading.