Oil’s Disparate Impact on Clorox and Exxon

The theory of supply and demand apparently works only for Exxon Mobil, because it doesn’t work for Clorox Co. (“Clorox Profit Tumbles as Costs Rise; CEO Retires,” May 4).

How is it that Clorox’s fiscal third-quarter profit fell because of higher costs of raw materials (oil and resins) while sales increased 7%?

According to Exxon Mobil Economics 101, when the costs of raw materials go up -- in both these cases, oil -- then the price to the consumer, demand and profit all increase correspondingly.

Perhaps Clorox’s business values and ethics are vastly different from those of the big oil companies.

Eileen Maggiore

Winnetka

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The article about changes in auto-buying patterns refers to Toyota Prius sales in April actually being 27.3% below last year (“Vehicle Buyers Intensify Shift to Smaller Models,” May 3).

And the reason? They ran out of cars! Doesn’t that mean that Toyota built 27% fewer of this model than a year ago?

As one whose patience is wearing thin, after putting my $1,000 deposit down six weeks ago, I have said all along that Toyota is playing the supplydemand game like a rare violin.

This article seems to make my point for me.

Arnie Moore

Sherman Oaks