Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Given New $310.00 Price Target at Wells Fargo & Company

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its price target raised by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $275.00 to $310.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “equal weight” rating on the basic materials company’s stock. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price target points to a potential upside of 2.77% from the stock’s current price.

ECL has been the topic of several other research reports. Mizuho set a $335.00 target price on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday. Barclays raised their price target on Ecolab from $275.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. UBS Group upped their price objective on Ecolab from $291.00 to $295.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $337.00 target price on Ecolab in a report on Wednesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Ecolab from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $306.67.

Ecolab Stock Up 0.7%

Shares of ECL stock traded up $2.03 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $301.65. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 162,954 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,219,587. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a current ratio of 1.70. Ecolab has a 52-week low of $221.62 and a 52-week high of $303.01. The stock has a market cap of $85.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 43.27, a PEG ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.99. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $271.71 and a 200 day moving average price of $270.92.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.07 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.20 billion. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.55% and a net margin of 12.49%.Ecolab’s revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.81 EPS. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.670-1.730 EPS. Research analysts predict that Ecolab will post 7.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Ecolab

In other news, EVP Boo Alexander A. De sold 1,422 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.25, for a total transaction of $381,451.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 5,726 shares in the company, valued at $1,535,999.50. This trade represents a 19.89% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director David Maclennan bought 750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 8th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $257.60 per share, with a total value of $193,200.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 23,035 shares in the company, valued at $5,933,816. This trade represents a 3.37% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Ecolab

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Ecolab by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,028 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $270,000 after purchasing an additional 36 shares during the period. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 2.7% in the fourth quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC now owns 1,362 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $395,000 after buying an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. St. Johns Investment Management Company LLC boosted its position in shares of Ecolab by 1.3% during the second quarter. St. Johns Investment Management Company LLC now owns 2,995 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $807,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. grew its stake in Ecolab by 22.0% during the fourth quarter. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. now owns 211 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Addison Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Ecolab by 5.2% in the 4th quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 764 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $201,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

Ecolab News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 adjusted EPS of $2.08 topped estimates and showed solid margin expansion, supporting the view that profit recovery is underway. Ecolab Shares Rise As Q4 Earnings, Revenue Edge Past Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Full‑year 2026 EPS guidance of $8.43–$8.63 was issued above Street expectations, and management cited strong demand across cleaning, sanitization and cooling businesses. That guidance is the primary driver of the improved tone. Ecolab forecasts 2026 profit above estimates on strong demand
• Positive Sentiment: Management’s earnings call and slide deck emphasized accelerating growth engines and margin levers, framing FY‑26 as a year of 12%–15% EPS growth and portfolio strength after the Ovivo deal. This helped lift investor confidence. Ecolab outlines 12%–15% EPS growth for 2026 as growth engines accelerate and Ovivo boosts portfolio
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts reiterated a constructive stance—William Blair kept a Buy rating, citing sustained earnings outperformance and margin expansion as catalysts for further upside. Ecolab: Sustained Earnings Outperformance and Margin Expansion Underpin Buy Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 EPS guide of $1.67–$1.73 is essentially in line with consensus, so the near‑term cadence is consistent with management’s FY plan (less a surprise driver).
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue growth remains modest (Q4 revenue up ~4.8% YoY) and revenue missed estimates by a narrow margin, which leaves room for caution if top‑line momentum slows. ECL Stock Falls in Pre-Market Despite Q4 Earnings Beat, Margins Expand
• Negative Sentiment: Some traders reacted nervously in pre‑market trading despite the beat, indicating market sensitivity to small revenue misses and the need for continued execution to justify the premium valuation. What Recent Developments Mean For The Ecolab NYSE ECL Investment Story

Ecolab Company Profile

Ecolab, Inc is a global provider of water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services. The company develops and supplies cleaning and sanitizing chemicals, dispensing equipment, water-treatment systems, pest elimination services and related technologies designed to help businesses maintain clean, safe and efficient operations. Its offerings span both products and onsite services, often paired with technical support and training.

Ecolab serves a broad range of end markets including hospitality and foodservice, food and beverage processing, healthcare, manufacturing and industrial operations, and energy and utilities.