Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) Receives $321.44 Average PT from Brokerages

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) has been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $321.4375.

ECL has been the subject of several research reports. Citigroup decreased their target price on Ecolab from $345.00 to $330.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 13th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Ecolab from $323.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $330.00 price target on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $295.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. Finally, Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $312.00 price target on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday, February 18th.

Ecolab Price Performance

Shares of ECL stock opened at $275.31 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $77.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.82, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 0.81. Ecolab has a 1-year low of $229.39 and a 1-year high of $309.27. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $281.48 and a two-hundred day moving average of $273.72.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.07 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.20 billion. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.73% and a net margin of 12.91%.The business’s revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last 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. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Ecolab will post 7.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 17th were given a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 17th. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. Ecolab’s payout ratio is currently 40.11%.

Insider Transactions at Ecolab

In other Ecolab news, Director Tracy B. Mckibben sold 1,265 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $308.66, for a total transaction of $390,454.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 11,358 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,505,760.28. The trade was a 10.02% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Christophe Beck sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $307.37, for a total value of $6,147,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 90,794 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $27,907,351.78. This trade represents a 18.05% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Ecolab

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Wexford Capital LP bought a new position in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in Ecolab in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Corundum Trust Company INC bought a new position in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Ecolab in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

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.