Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL – Get Free Report) COO Darrell Brown sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 directly owned 32,733 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,539,712.37. This trade represents a 23.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.
Ecolab Price Performance
Shares of ECL opened at $265.53 on Friday. Ecolab Inc. has a 52-week low of $243.15 and a 52-week high of $309.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.99. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $260.97 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $271.27. The firm has a market cap of $74.73 billion, a PE ratio of 35.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.18 and a beta of 0.90.
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, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.70. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.64% and a net margin of 12.80%.The firm had revenue of $4.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.03 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.50 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.47 EPS for the current year.
Ecolab Dividend Announcement
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ecolab
A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ECL. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased 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 valued at $27,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Ecolab during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. 74.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Ecolab News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Director Michel Doukeris made a sizable purchase of 7,750 Ecolab shares at $258 each, a multi-million-dollar bet that can signal confidence in the company’s outlook. Michel Doukeris Acquires 7,750 Shares of Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Stock
- Positive Sentiment: The company continues to show solid operating fundamentals, with its last quarterly earnings meeting EPS expectations and revenue coming in above estimates, while full-year guidance remains intact.
- Neutral Sentiment: Ecolab also confirmed a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share, reinforcing its appeal as a steady income name rather than a pure growth story.
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst opinions remain mixed but generally favorable, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and a price target above current trading levels, though Erste Group recently trimmed its FY2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts slightly.
- Negative Sentiment: COO Darrell Brown sold 10,000 shares, which can weigh on sentiment even though the sale appears to be relatively modest compared with his remaining stake. Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) COO Sells $2,608,900.00 in Stock
- Negative Sentiment: Some recent analyst commentary has focused on valuation concerns, suggesting Ecolab’s premium multiple could limit upside if growth expectations cool. Is S&P 500 Valuation Scrutiny Weighing on Ecolab’s Premium?
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on ECL. Weiss Ratings lowered Ecolab from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. UBS Group raised Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $293.00 to $325.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $295.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $312.00 target price on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Berenberg Bank raised Ecolab from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $326.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Ecolab has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $323.41.
Check Out 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.
Featured Articles
- Five stocks we like better than Ecolab
- SpaceX Rings the Bell and Shatters Every Record
- Adobe Stock Just Got Cheaper—Is Wall Street Missing the Story?
- 3 Dividend Stocks Under $50 That Pay You to Wait Out Inflation
- The 127-Gigawatt Problem: Why AI Needs Its Own Power
Receive News & Ratings for Ecolab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ecolab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
