New Jersey-based Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD), with a market cap of $27.4 billion, is a powerhouse in household and personal care, blending innovation with everyday essentials. Known for its iconic ARM & HAMMER baking soda, it dominates everything from laundry detergents to cat litter and cleaning products.
With brands like TROJAN, OXICLEAN, and WATERPIK under its belt, Church & Dwight is a staple in homes worldwide. Beyond consumer products, it also tackles specialty markets, fueling productivity in agriculture and livestock. Tough, versatile, and ever-expanding.
Shares of Church & Dwight have jumped 18.9% over the past 52 weeks and 18.3% on a YTD basis - a solid performance - but trailing behind the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX), which rallied 31% over the past year and returned 25.2% in 2024.
However, zooming in further, CHD outshines the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLP) 16.7% gains over the past year and 13.6% returns on a YTD basis.
Church & Dwight might be lagging behind the broader market, but its resilience is noteworthy. Despite facing challenges like a lofty valuation and slower growth in key brands such as Therabreath and Hero, the company has managed to outperform its industry peers. The gummy vitamin segment, a key area of struggle, has faced declining consumption, and the U.S. consumer market’s slowing pace adds to the headwinds.
Still, Church & Dwight is finding its footing. While growth may have slowed, operational improvements are evident, and the company’s Q3 earnings report is a testament to its potential. On Nov. 1, CHD stock jumped 4.8% after the stronger-than-expected earnings release. Revenue of $1.5 billion marked a 3.8% year-over-year increase, and non-GAAP earnings rose 6.8% to $0.79 per share - 16.2% ahead of forecasts.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect Church & Dwight’s adjusted EPS to climb 8.8% to $3.45. The company’s earnings surprise history is impressive. It beat the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters.
Among the 23 analysts covering CHD stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on nine “Strong Buy” ratings, 11 “Holds,” and three “Strong Sells.”
While the overall configuration has remained relatively stable, the stock recently garnered a "Strong Buy" rating over the past three months, marking a new bullish undertone.
After Church & Dwight's Q3 report, the stock faced mixed reactions. On Nov. 4, Deutsche Bank (DB) raised the price target to $115 from $114, sticking with a "Buy" rating, praising the company’s resilience after a solid Q3.
But just a day later, Barclays (BCS) took a different stance, lowering the target to $85 from $86, keeping the "Underweight" rating. The brokerage firm pointed to more cautious near-term trends for Church and Dwight despite its strong performance.
Although the stock currently trades at a premium to the mean price target of $108.24, the Street-high target price of $124 suggests the stock could rally as much as 10.8%.
