O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL – Free Report) by 3.3% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 61,699 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,968 shares during the quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Ecolab were worth $16,197,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wexford Capital LP acquired a new position in Ecolab during the third quarter worth $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Ecolab during the third quarter worth $26,000. Tradewinds Capital Management LLC raised its position in Ecolab by 1,375.0% during the fourth quarter. Tradewinds Capital Management LLC now owns 118 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 110 shares during the period. FSA Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Ecolab by 88.7% during the third quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 117 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the period. Finally, Pekao Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych S.A. acquired a new position in Ecolab during the fourth quarter worth $49,000. 74.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, Director Suzanne M. Vautrinot sold 1,004 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $264.98, for a total value of $266,039.92. Following the sale, the director directly owned 11,651 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,087,281.98. This trade represents a 7.93% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director David Maclennan acquired 1,000 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 13th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $250.65 per share, for a total transaction of $250,650.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 25,230 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,323,899.50. This represents a 4.13% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Ecolab Trading Up 2.5%
Ecolab (NYSE:ECL – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The basic materials company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.70. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 22.64%. The company had revenue of $4.07 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.50 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Ecolab Dividend Announcement
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be issued a $0.73 dividend. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 16th. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 39.51%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on ECL shares. Mizuho set a $335.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $295.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. BNP Paribas Exane reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $345.00 target price (up from $330.00) on shares of Ecolab in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Ecolab from $323.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on shares of Ecolab from $352.00 to $345.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $322.53.
Get Our Latest Research Report on ECL
Ecolab 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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