Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.01 EPS

Posted by on Jul 29th, 2026

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL – Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The basic materials company reported $2.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.08 by $0.01, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $4.42 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.39 billion. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 22.64%. The firm’s revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.89 earnings per share. Ecolab updated its Q3 2026 guidance to 2.130-2.230 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Ecolab’s conference call:

  • Strong second-quarter execution: Adjusted EPS increased 11% on 5% organic sales growth, 4% pricing, stable organic gross margin, and continued productivity gains. Volumes grew 1% despite an estimated 1% headwind from Middle East-related customer disruptions.
  • Outlook raised for 2026: Ecolab now expects adjusted EPS of $8.05–$8.25, representing 7%–10% growth, with second-half organic sales growth projected at 6%–7% and adjusted operating margins of about 19%. Pricing is expected to reach the targeted 5%–6% range in the second half.
  • Global High-Tech momentum accelerated: The segment grew 29% amid strong demand from data centers, microelectronics, and AI infrastructure. Following the CoolIT acquisition, Ecolab raised its long-term Global High-Tech targets to more than 25% annual growth, $4 billion in sales by 2030, and a 25% operating margin.
  • Life Sciences and digital businesses continued to scale: Life Sciences growth accelerated to 15%, supported by bioprocessing share gains and expanded capacity, while Ecolab Digital grew 27% through adoption of connected and subscription-based solutions. Management said both businesses remain important long-term growth and margin drivers.
  • CoolIT acquisition will create near-term financial pressure: Non-cash amortization and financing costs from the acquisition are expected to weigh on 2026 EPS, while reported Life Sciences margins are projected to decline from the second-quarter spike. Management nevertheless reaffirmed its goal of reaching a 20% operating margin in 2027.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ECL traded down $1.81 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $281.09. 132,316 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,488,250. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The firm has a market capitalization of $79.11 billion, a PE ratio of 37.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.89. Ecolab has a 12 month low of $243.15 and a 12 month high of $309.27. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $267.82 and its 200 day moving average price is $273.30.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th were given a $0.73 dividend. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, June 16th. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 39.51%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Ecolab news, COO Darrell R. Brown sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 32,733 shares in the company, valued at $8,539,712.37. The trade was a 23.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Benjamin M. Clark acquired 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $263.83 per share, for a total transaction of $263,830.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 1,083 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $285,727.89. This trade represents a 1,204.82% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have purchased 10,550 shares of company stock worth $2,719,508 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ecolab

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in Ecolab by 164.7% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 3,700 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $867,000 after buying an additional 2,302 shares during the period. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. boosted its position in shares of Ecolab by 22.9% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 1,166 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $314,000 after acquiring an additional 217 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Ecolab by 39.8% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,384 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $373,000 after acquiring an additional 394 shares in the last quarter. Sfam LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ecolab in the fourth quarter valued at about $106,000. Finally, Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA increased its position in Ecolab by 23.3% during the third quarter. Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA now owns 370 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $101,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on ECL shares. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Ecolab from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Ecolab from $337.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Oppenheimer upgraded Ecolab from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $320.00 price objective for the company in a report on Friday, July 17th. Robert W. Baird set a $305.00 price target on Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Ecolab from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Ecolab has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $324.67.

Read Our Latest Report on Ecolab

Ecolab News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: Q2 earnings and revenue beat expectations. Ecolab reported adjusted diluted EPS of $2.09, up 11% year over year and ahead of the $2.08 consensus estimate. Sales rose 10% to approximately $4.4 billion, exceeding expectations of $4.39 billion. Ecolab Q2 2026 earnings release
  • Positive Sentiment: Full-year outlook was raised. Management now expects 2026 adjusted EPS of $8.05 to $8.25, representing 7% to 10% growth. Organic sales growth accelerated to 5%, while High-Tech sales increased 29% and Life Sciences sales rose 15%. Pricing, volume growth and productivity helped offset higher commodity costs. Ecolab Q2 earnings and revenue report
  • Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment improved. JPMorgan raised its Ecolab price target from $295 to $305 and upgraded its rating to “overweight.” William Blair analyst Tim Mulrooney also reiterated a Buy rating, citing the earnings beat, higher guidance and improving margins. JPMorgan Ecolab price-target update
  • Neutral Sentiment: Share repurchases provided additional support. Ecolab bought back approximately 1.2 million shares during the quarter, potentially supporting per-share results and shareholder returns.
  • Negative Sentiment: Near-term guidance was cautious. Third-quarter adjusted EPS guidance of $2.13 to $2.23 was below the $2.27 consensus estimate, which could limit near-term upside. Erste Group Bank also modestly reduced its FY2027 EPS forecast to $9.35 from $9.40.

About Ecolab

(Get Free Report)

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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Earnings History for Ecolab (NYSE:ECL)

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