MASTERINVEST Kapitalanlage GmbH bought a new stake in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 13,602 shares of the basic materials company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,790,000.
Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Ecolab by 38.7% in the 4th quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 22,362 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $5,870,000 after purchasing an additional 6,238 shares during the last quarter. Erste Asset Management GmbH increased its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 2.2% in the fourth quarter. Erste Asset Management GmbH now owns 163,731 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $43,464,000 after purchasing an additional 3,500 shares during the period. Findlay Park Partners LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the second quarter worth approximately $115,674,000. Cornerstone Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the second quarter worth approximately $16,698,000. Finally, Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 29.4% during the fourth quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. now owns 21,488 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $5,641,000 after purchasing an additional 4,886 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.91% of the company’s stock.
Ecolab Price Performance
Shares of NYSE:ECL opened at $286.13 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $80.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18, a current ratio of 1.84 and a quick ratio of 1.57. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $278.01 and its 200-day simple moving average is $273.70. Ecolab Inc. has a 12 month low of $243.15 and a 12 month high of $309.27.
Ecolab Dividend Announcement
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be given a $0.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 39.19%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Ecolab
In related news, CEO Christophe Beck sold 17,862 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $280.14, for a total value of $5,003,860.68. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 72,932 shares in the company, valued at $20,431,170.48. The trade was a 19.67% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Benjamin M. Clark acquired 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 11th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $263.83 per share, for a total transaction of $263,830.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the executive vice president owned 1,083 shares in the company, valued at $285,727.89. The trade was a 1,204.82% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of research firms recently weighed in on ECL. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $342.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $337.00 target price on shares of Ecolab in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Ecolab from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Ecolab from $325.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on shares of Ecolab from $325.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $327.56.
View Our Latest Stock Report on ECL
About Ecolab
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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