As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q3. Today, we are looking at household products stocks, starting with Clorox (NYSE: CLX).

Household products stocks are generally stable investments, as many of the industry's products are essential for a comfortable and functional living space. Recently, there's been a growing emphasis on eco-friendly and sustainable offerings, reflecting the evolving consumer preferences for environmentally conscious options. These trends can be double-edged swords that benefit companies who innovate quickly to take advantage of them and hurt companies that don't invest enough to meet consumers where they want to be with regards to trends.

The 10 household products stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q3. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.9% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 1% above.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady. On average, they are relatively unchanged since the latest earnings results.

Clorox (NYSE: CLX)

Founded in 1913 with bleach as the sole product offering, Clorox (NYSE: CLX) today is a consumer products giant whose product portfolio spans everything from bleach to skincare to salad dressing to kitty litter.

Clorox reported revenues of $1.43 billion, down 18.9% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 2%. Overall, it was a strong quarter for the company with a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a decent beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

"This quarter's ERP launch marks a significant milestone in our transformation journey, empowering faster execution, greater productivity, and deeper insights — all aimed at delivering superior value to our consumers," said Chair and CEO Linda Rendle "As with any rollout of this scale, we experienced some temporary disruptions that affected our market share.

Clorox delivered the slowest revenue growth of the whole group. Unsurprisingly, the stock is down 6.4% since reporting and currently trades at $102.13.

Is now the time to buy Clorox? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Best Q3: Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT)

Enhancing the lives of both pets and homeowners, Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT) is a leading producer and distributor of essential products for pet care, lawn and garden maintenance, and pest control.

Central Garden & Pet reported revenues of $678.2 million, up 1.3% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 3.9%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and adjusted operating income estimates.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 7.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $33.77.

Is now the time to buy Central Garden & Pet? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: Energizer (NYSE: ENR)

Masterminds behind the viral Energizer Bunny mascot, Energizer (NYSE: ENR) is one of the world's largest manufacturers of batteries.

Energizer reported revenues of $832.8 million, up 3.4% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 0.8%. Still, it was a softer quarter as it posted EPS guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations significantly and a miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 14.1% since the results and currently trades at $20.49.

Read our full analysis of Energizer’s results here.

Reynolds (NASDAQ: REYN)

Best known for its aluminum foil, Reynolds (NASDAQ: REYN) is a household products company whose products focus on food storage, cooking, and waste.

Reynolds reported revenues of $931 million, up 2.3% year on year. This number beat analysts’ expectations by 3.4%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also logged revenue guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and an impressive beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

The stock is up 2.6% since reporting and currently trades at $24.31.

Read our full, actionable report on Reynolds here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG)

Founded by candle maker William Procter and soap maker James Gamble, Proctor & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is a consumer products behemoth whose product portfolio spans everything from facial tissues to laundry detergent to feminine care to men’s grooming.

Procter & Gamble reported revenues of $22.39 billion, up 3% year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 1%. It was a strong quarter as it also recorded an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

The stock is down 4.4% since reporting and currently trades at $145.52.

Read our full, actionable report on Procter & Gamble here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Market Update

In response to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been gradually trending down from its post-pandemic peak, trending closer to the Fed’s 2% target. Despite higher borrowing costs, the economy has avoided flashing recessionary signals. This is the much-desired soft landing that many investors hoped for. The recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November 2024) have bolstered the stock market, making 2024 a strong year for equities. Donald Trump’s presidential win in November sparked additional market gains, sending indices to record highs in the days following his victory. However, debates continue over possible tariffs and corporate tax adjustments, raising questions about economic stability in 2025.

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