Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 8.430-8.630 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 8.460. The company issued revenue guidance of $17.2 billion-$17.5 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $17.2 billion. Ecolab also updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 1.670-1.730 EPS.

Ecolab Stock Up 0.6%

ECL stock traded up $1.91 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $305.46. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 457,609 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,236,465. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $272.49 and its 200-day moving average is $271.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. Ecolab has a 12 month low of $221.62 and a 12 month high of $306.52. The company has a market cap of $86.52 billion, a PE ratio of 41.91, a P/E/G ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.99.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.07 by $0.01. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.73% and a net margin of 12.91%.The firm had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.20 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.81 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.670-1.730 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Ecolab will post 7.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 16th were issued a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 16th. This is a positive change from Ecolab’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio is presently 40.11%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have commented on ECL. Evercore raised shares of Ecolab from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $300.00 in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. BNP Paribas Exane reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $345.00 price objective (up previously from $330.00) on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Thursday. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Ecolab from $300.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Ecolab from $275.00 to $310.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $294.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Ecolab presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $319.50.

Insider Transactions at Ecolab

In related news, Director David Maclennan bought 750 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 8th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $257.60 per share, with a total value of $193,200.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 23,035 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,933,816. This represents a 3.37% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 5,726 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,535,999.50. The trade was a 19.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.04% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Ecolab

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results and guidance: Ecolab beat on adjusted EPS and management signaled a confident profit push and accelerated EPS growth outlook for 2026 — this is the core catalyst for the stock lift. Ecolab Shares Rise As Q4 Earnings, Revenue Edge Past Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies raised its price target to $352 and kept a Buy rating — a sizable upside view that likely supports further buying interest. Article
• Positive Sentiment: BNP Paribas Exane reaffirmed an Outperform rating and lifted its target to $345, adding to the consensus of higher targets post‑earnings. Article
• Positive Sentiment: RBC boosted its target to $337 and kept an Outperform rating — another institutional upgrade backing the stock. Article
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary and summaries (TipRanks, Seeking Alpha) highlight margin expansion, accelerating growth engines and the strategic contribution from Ovivo — supporting medium‑term earnings upside. Ecolab Earnings Call Signals Confident 2026 Profit Push
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call & transcripts: Full Q4 call transcripts and investor presentation are available for drill‑down (useful for longs but no new surprises reported in most transcripts). Ecolab Inc. Q4 2025 earnings call transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparative/analysis pieces (head‑to‑head with Toray, “what recent developments mean”) summarize competitive positioning — useful context but not immediate catalysts. Head to Head Review: Ecolab and Toray Industries
• Negative Sentiment: JPMorgan set a $295 target and neutral rating (target below the current price), which could cap upside for more conservative investors and provide selling pressure for momentum traders. Article
• Negative Sentiment: Some pre‑market/near‑term headlines noted a pullback despite the beat — indicating that short‑term profit‑taking and mixed views on near‑term volume trends remain risks. ECL Stock Falls in Pre-Market Despite Q4 Earnings Beat, Margins Expand

Institutional Trading of Ecolab

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ECL. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its stake in shares of Ecolab by 172.9% during the 4th quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 169,806 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $44,577,000 after purchasing an additional 107,576 shares during the last quarter. Colonial Trust Advisors increased its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Colonial Trust Advisors now owns 25,835 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $6,782,000 after purchasing an additional 427 shares during the period. Aviva PLC raised its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 6.2% during the fourth quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 223,152 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $58,582,000 after purchasing an additional 13,100 shares during the last quarter. Caerus Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the fourth quarter worth about $295,000. Finally, Nuveen LLC grew its stake in shares of Ecolab by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Nuveen LLC now owns 1,373,717 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $360,628,000 after purchasing an additional 56,010 shares during the period. 74.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Ecolab

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.