Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Price Target Raised to $295.00

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its target price raised by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $265.00 to $295.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has a neutral rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on the stock. BMO Capital Markets set a $307.00 price target on shares of Ecolab and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Citigroup increased their target price on Ecolab from $324.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on Ecolab from $315.00 to $352.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Robert W. Baird set a $327.00 price objective on Ecolab in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on Ecolab from $300.00 to $337.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $322.06.

Ecolab Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:ECL opened at $298.90 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $84.66 billion, a PE ratio of 41.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a current ratio of 1.08. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $274.00 and a 200-day moving average of $271.55. Ecolab has a one year low of $221.62 and a one year high of $306.52.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.07 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $4.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.20 billion. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.73% and a net margin of 12.91%.Ecolab’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.81 earnings per share. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.670-1.730 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Ecolab will post 7.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 16th were given a $0.73 dividend. This is a positive change from Ecolab’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 16th. Ecolab’s payout ratio is presently 40.11%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Ecolab news, EVP Boo Alexander A. De sold 1,422 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.25, for a total transaction of $381,451.50. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 5,726 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,535,999.50. This represents a 19.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director David Maclennan purchased 750 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction on Monday, December 8th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $257.60 per share, with a total value of $193,200.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 23,035 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,933,816. The trade was a 3.37% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 0.04% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ecolab

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ECL. Wexford Capital LP acquired a new position in Ecolab during the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Corundum Trust Company INC acquired a new position in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Ecolab in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Finally, J.Safra Asset Management Corp lifted its position in Ecolab by 202.6% during the 2nd quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 115 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. 74.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Ecolab News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results: Ecolab posted a slight EPS beat and provided FY‑2026 guidance (8.43–8.63 EPS), which supports forward earnings visibility. Q4 2025 earnings call transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades: BNP Paribas Exane moved ECL to a “strong‑buy” (and earlier reaffirmed an outperform with a higher price target), adding buy‑side momentum around the name. Zacks – BNP Paribas upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Additional broker support: Evercore ISI issued a buy rating, and other analysts have raised targets (analyst commentary suggests fair values in the low‑to‑mid $300s), reinforcing upside narratives. Evercore ISI buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst fair‑value discussion: Coverage noted an average analyst view around US$317 post‑results, which frames where market participants expect ECL to trade over the medium term. Yahoo Finance – $317 analyst view
• Neutral Sentiment: Style/quant coverage: Zacks highlighted Ecolab as a top‑ranked growth/style pick, which may attract style‑focused funds but has limited immediate price impact. Zacks – Top‑ranked growth stock
• Negative Sentiment: Concerns on organic growth: Some analysts/commentary argue Ecolab’s organic growth wasn’t strong enough to fully justify upgrades, raising questions about the sustainability of the recent run. Seeking Alpha – organic growth critique

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.