
Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL – Free Report) – Research analysts at Erste Group Bank dropped their FY2026 earnings estimates for shares of Ecolab in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, June 25th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now forecasts that the basic materials company will earn $8.24 per share for the year, down from their previous estimate of $8.30. The consensus estimate for Ecolab’s current full-year earnings is $8.47 per share.
A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Ecolab from $337.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. UBS Group upgraded Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $293.00 to $325.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on Ecolab from $352.00 to $345.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Berenberg Bank upgraded Ecolab from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $326.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Finally, Citigroup raised their target price on Ecolab from $325.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $323.71.
Ecolab Stock Down 0.0%
NYSE:ECL opened at $278.50 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $261.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $271.91. Ecolab has a 1-year low of $243.15 and a 1-year high of $309.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $78.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.69, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 0.90.
Ecolab (NYSE:ECL – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The basic materials company reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.70. The business had revenue of $4.07 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.03 billion. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 22.64%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.50 EPS. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS.
Ecolab Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be given a dividend of $0.73 per share. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 16th. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 39.51%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Ecolab news, COO Darrell R. Brown sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $260.89, for a total value of $2,608,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 32,733 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,539,712.37. This represents a 23.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Michel D. Doukeris bought 7,750 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $258.00 per share, for a total transaction of $1,999,500.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 8,326 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,148,108. This represents a 1,345.49% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have bought 10,550 shares of company stock valued at $2,719,508 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Trading of Ecolab
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ECL. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Costello Asset Management INC purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the 1st quarter worth $27,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in Ecolab during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Ecolab during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. 74.91% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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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