Leonteq Securities AG acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL – Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 2,670 shares of the basic materials company’s stock, valued at approximately $701,000.
Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Ecolab by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 25,327,693 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $6,649,026,000 after purchasing an additional 137,578 shares in the last quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA raised its position in Ecolab by 5.5% during the fourth quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 3,860,283 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,013,557,000 after purchasing an additional 202,449 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc raised its position in Ecolab by 3.0% during the third quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 2,159,989 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $591,535,000 after purchasing an additional 63,629 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 4.0% during the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 1,718,633 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $453,857,000 after buying an additional 65,836 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Research Global Investors increased its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 0.8% during the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 1,415,887 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $387,748,000 after buying an additional 11,661 shares in the last quarter. 74.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Ecolab Stock Performance
Shares of Ecolab stock opened at $253.33 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. Ecolab Inc. has a twelve month low of $243.15 and a twelve month high of $309.27. The stock has a market cap of $71.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.28, a P/E/G ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.92. The company’s fifty day moving average is $263.35 and its 200 day moving average is $271.38.
Ecolab Announces Dividend
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be paid a $0.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 16th. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. Ecolab’s payout ratio is currently 39.51%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Ecolab news, Director David Maclennan acquired 1,000 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 13th. The shares were bought at an average price of $250.65 per share, with a total value of $250,650.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 25,230 shares in the company, valued at $6,323,899.50. This trade represents a 4.13% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, 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 sale, the director directly owned 11,358 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,505,760.28. This represents a 10.02% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Erste Group Bank downgraded shares of Ecolab from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. BNP Paribas Exane reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $345.00 price target (up from $330.00) on shares of Ecolab in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Berenberg Bank upgraded shares of Ecolab from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $326.00 price target for the company in a report on Monday, March 16th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $337.00 price target on shares of Ecolab in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $330.00 price target on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Ecolab currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $320.65.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on ECL
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.
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