I'd like to throw a stock idea your way in light of its recent price drop. That stock is Clorox (NYSE:CLX). Some of you may be thinking, "What? That old thing?" But allow me to present my thinking here.
Stephen Simpson wrote an excellent analysis of the company's latest earnings report, the results of which did not please the Street. I can understand that; hey, if you're a trader, there's no question you had to dump your position. However, when the traders sell a solid blue chip, that's usually the best time to put your long-term money in it. Clorox reported its disappointing results on May 5; check out this chart to see the results. Shareholders were not happy.
Yet, as you can see on the same chart, the stock has already begun to recover. It looks like many money managers took advantage of this volatility to build positions. What that says to me is that Clorox -- like Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) and Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) -- has one heck of a stable of brands. I just don't believe that the current environment of high-priced commodities is going to hurt Clorox's long-term potential. A look at a current snapshot of the company reveals some good numbers in terms of management effectiveness and profitability margins. That's exactly what you want to see with a consumer staples concern -- efficiency combined with brand power. As long as that holds up over long periods of time (which I think will be the case with Clorox), an investor has a nice return to look forward to years from now.
And speaking of long periods of time, let's take a gander at another chart. There's no question that the stock has represented a great risk/reward scenario for a long time. Granted, that's past performance, and we all know past performance is no guarantee of anything. Let's add another dimension -- dividend history. You'll see that the dividend history is a very good one, though not indicative of a company that has been staunch in terms of always raising the payments. Nevertheless, I like the record, and think it will continue.
I've always been a fan of this company and its equity, and I think it is the kind of investment that makes sense for many individual investors in terms of a core holding (make sure you buy on the dips and average in over time). Consider it an idea ripe for further research, and see what you come up with. You just might clean up.
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Colgate-Palmolive is a past selection of the Motley Fool Inside Value newsletter. Philip Durell wants to find superior values for his subscribers -- sign up for a free trial.
Fool contributor Steven Mallas owns none of the companies mentioned. The Fool has a disclosure policy.
